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The F-35 is not meant to replace either the A-10 or F-15. It is intended to replace the F-16 and AV-8B — which it will do, admirably.

The F-15 and F-16 were invaluable during World War III — the long, twilight struggle with the USSR. But the global threat situation is different today. A Cold War sledgehammer like the F-15 is no longer needed to hammer huge masses of inferior Soviet iron out of the skies, nor can we count on a global network of friendly airbases with which to support such fuel-hungry birds. In a world where we are likely to be fighting against smaller forces fielded by near-peers in skies far from home, we need precise, fast, long-range weapons that will leverage our technology to enable us to kill more Bad Guys with fewer airplanes. The two aircraft that will perform this role are the the F-22 Raptor (in the long-range strike/air dominance role) and the F-35 Lightning II (in the medium-range air defense/precise CAS/sea control role).

Neither aircraft is perfect. No aircraft ever is. But in the hands of our skilled pilots these two aircraft will be able to do everything in combat that their predecessors could do, plus other things no Eagle or Falcon ever could have — like hacking into and taking over enemy air defense networks, missile guidance systems, and even enemy aircraft in flight. They will also provide a “bridge” between the manned air forces of the Cold War United States and the mostly-unmanned 21st Century force.

I’m no expert, but based on everything I’ve read and seen I am confident that the F-35 Lightning II will more than fulfill its role in future conflicts.