Originally Posted by
MSOCS
George, the F-35 can carry drop tanks. Stop making rubbish up to suit your contemptuous narrative. You can levy all the criticism you wish but it's wasted effort, because the jets are being bought and will continue to be bought. End of story.
Quite but, there are penalties of carrying external stores/tanks.
To my mind, the main issue is the v.poor cost/capability/applicability/vulnerability of the whole expeditionary concept of this "UK Carrier group". The carrier(s) will not be doing much IMO. The F-35's OTOH will be much better VFM to the RAF/UK in a land based role. That is the way it will go as the £££ run out, IMO.
OAP