sandiego,
A Super Hornet decendant would never have been able meet the FX design and specification requirements.
Looks like the F-35 has this problem as well...
SH has the Wrong type, number and location of engines to meet STOVL, wrong shape, fuselage too small for fuel and weapons, etc etc....
Other than the number of engines, you are describing the current F-35B...
This is what happens when one airframe is developed to serve three different missions and three different services, a super star never results...What were they thinking given a previous experience with only two services?