Ken - Why don't you write about what you think, and why.......Did you get a degree in post-structuralist literature?
Still don't get sarcasm, huh? Or maybe the sarcasm is hitting too close to home?
As for what I think and why:
I think it entirely plausible for someone in the orthodox anti-F35 community to make such a claim
The reason why is because that community has already claimed that the entire USN test pilot community are bought and paid for shills of LM. That's far more far fetched and inflammatory than suggesting LM paid off someone to influence a single JORD requirement, so making such a claim would fit that community rather well. My sarcasm was intended to point that out. But note that I've made no suggestions as to which forum members belong to that orthodox community. That's up to them to decide.
No conspiracy theories needed, aside from the AF's fighter community's ever-present desire to get rid of the A-10 and anything that looks like it.
Can't disagree much there. Yet I'd like to make two points on that subject:
1. No conspiracy theories are needed for the F-35's many issues, either. Yet the orthodox community has been rife with posting countless such conspiracy theories in this very thread.
2. Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, and a pretty big wig in the "AF fighter community" you referenced said: “
My requirements guys are in the process of building a draft-requirements document for a follow-on CAS airplane. It’s interesting work that at some point we’ll be able to talk [about] with you a little bit more.” Will those requirements include stealth and thus the resulting jet look more like the F-35, or will they not require stealth and thus look more like the A-10? And maybe it will include a requirement to be designed around a future directed energy weapon, just as the A-10 was designed around the GAU-8? Who knows?