Well it means you can go from semi to full auto as in ROE
I would imagine it means they have computer controlled governors on them that keeps pilots from flying themselves unconscious.
from a grunt...what does removing the restrictions actually mean ?
Lack of maneuvering capability has been a big down on the F-35 by it's trolls
One of the the best turning aircraft in the world is the F-16 (F-22 excepted) it has amazing initial turning and it can sustain that rate for longer than most
The red line for the F-16 turn rate is 28 degrees per second in a very small area of the flight envelope as is shown by the diagram below.
http://www.f-16.net/forum/download/file.php?id=20016&sid=8ca4fa8ecc41abf6e6f99b6e13477428&mode=view
The F-35 currently has the turn rate training wheels set to the red line for the F-16 of 28 degrees per second for F-16 parity, but it can do much more
The F-35 has superior sustained turn rate capability over the F-16 in many areas of the flight envelope and will be able do much more when the training wheels are removed.
So much for the story that the F-35 is non maneuverable pig.
BTW the obsolete Mig 21 can really give the F-16 a nasty surprise it the F-16 tries to engage it below 400 knots. Everything is relative and all designs are compromises.
The flight computer will only allow a maximum "G" load or roll rate... probably until all the planes are fielded and software updates are done.
If the balloon goes up, the software limits will be lifted and all of a sudden the pilots will be GLOC (G Loss Of Consciousness) or doing 3 rolls a second or spinning about the yaw axis to turn into the enemy. (I'm being facetious but you get the idea)