Originally Posted by
Flap62
Engines,
While I'm sure your figures for numbers of SHars was accurate the picture is not quite that simple for the RN. The FAA struggled for a long time, especially in the latter years to fill those cockpits. What makes you think giving them 70 F-35s would be any different?
I thought the point of Joint Force Lightning or whatever it's called is that the FAA isn't required to fill all the cockpits? So 70 F-35B to allow a full 48 aircraft air group when needed could include a number of RAF filled cockpits. The point is if you have less than ~70 B models that's not an option.