I assume the jet could spit the shuttle without proper end speed??? Seems like an easy fix is to have a full bag of gas. But I wonder if that is heavy enough, maybe it needs external stores to reach optimum launch weight.
Problem with heavy cat shot is reduced service life or TBO as they say in GA.
A problem I see... We got away from SE airplanes after the A-4. Probably every navy pilot on this site who flew two engine airplanes has shut one down once in a career due to high oil temp, low oil pressure, FOD ingestion, looking for the upgraded landing grade at the end of a line period (wait did I say that out loud?).
My point, F35 as far as I can tell has one engine. There is no gliding of course to an aircraft carrier. Lessons learned from the 70s and 80s were not part if this plan.
The tailhook being engineered under the two main landing wheels also tells me that navy pilots didn’t have a say in the design. The wheels pushed the cross deck pendant (wire) down causing a hookskip. I think it has been fixed?
“The tailhook being engineered under the two main landing wheels also tells me that navy pilots didn’t have a say in the design.”
Well you are wrong. The Navy had 100% involvement in the development. They are getting what they asked for.
The Navy has a long list of single engine planes... and THIS engine is FAR more reliable than jet engines from the 60s.
From an article in 2013 (!!!)...
In testing, the tailhooks were failing to catch the arresting wires that are stretched across a carrier’s flight deck to bring the aircraft to a halt.
So in the initial iteration the tail hook didn't actually work... as a tail hook. Just great.