I thought this was about the stupidest thing I ever heard. So because our F-35 is so high tech and delicate you will only practice in simulators. When the need arises for you to actually fly, you will practice in a T-38. Maybe once a month we will let you takeoff and land an actual F-35. Is that what he meant, or did I misunderstand him?
I believe he just made a really strong case for building drone fighters and getting rid of pilots.
Gomer Brown was incompetently tapdancing that the F-35 was not to be used for "low-end" dogfights but only high-end dogfights, such as when the enemy sends out engraved dogfight invitations and Brown will RSVP whether he will send out the F-35 (with the pilot in dress blues) or some U.S.-borrowed British Sopwith Camel (with a tobacco-chewing pilot).
It's even possible that Brown has sent down orders that if an F-35 ever encounters a MIG 21 (or earlier) fighter plane in combat, the F-35 is to turn tail and run away so that an older, less fragile U.S. fighter plane can participate in the "low-end" dogfight.
Ferrari should sue the USAF for defamation in comparing their car to the F-35.