1. Assume for a moment the US DOD will purchase the full allotment of F-35s, all models
Air Force Declares F-35A IOC; Major Milestone For Biggest US Program « Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary
".....Will the Air Force buy its full complement? Harrison was skeptical.
“I don’t think it’s plausible that we’ll actually buy that full amount in the long run, but they don’t need to change their plans right now, they don’t need to scare the foreign partners by signaling that right now, it wouldn’t make sense to do it now,” he says. “You don’t have to make that decision on the total quantity, you don’t even have to make the decision on the full-rate production, until four or five years from now. So you can wait four or five years, more of the foreign partners will get deeply invested in the program, and then they can scare them.”.........