Bernie loves the F-35. They make the gun up there and the ANG is well up in the queue to get the jet. The PRV (People's Republic of Vermont) can't run on leaves and ice-cream alone.
Not to mention that it's a vast, bloated government program that employs squillions of people and goes nowhere. Socialists like that kind of thing.
PS - The nonpartners were the gapfillers when the previous partner schedule (in the PSFD MoU) blew itself to fairy dust in 2010-12. There are no gapfillers for Canada, the 90 UK aircraft that have been kicked into the dim distance, the Italian and Dutch number cuts, or Denmark should they jump ship, or Turkey if it doesn't take 100 jets in short order.
Last edited by LowObservable; 10th Feb 2016 at 11:15.