[Old Teufel Hunden]

"You need to do some research on the F-35."

I have and I can tell you that from what I've read it is the future for fighters. I know that the Marine Corps passed on initially ordering any F-22's and decided to keep F-18's because they decided to wait on the F-35. I know in the article that is cited in this post, the main defense given for saving the F-22 is how many jobs would be lost. Do you think that is a good reason to support keeping a defense project? I don't.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I know that the Marine Corps passed on initially ordering any F-22's

You don't know scat. Neither the Corps or NAVAIR was ever interested in the F-22.

[Ramius]

I have and I can tell you that from what I've read it is the future for fighters. I know that the Marine Corps passed on initially ordering any F-22's and decided to keep F-18's because they decided to wait on the F-35. I know in the article that is cited in this post, the main defense given for saving the F-22 is how many jobs would be lost. Do you think that is a good reason to support keeping a defense project? I don't.

Apples and oranges. The F-35 is not as capable at what the F-22 does as the F-22, that of achieving and keeping air supremacy over the battle space. The Marines were never interested in it, because that's not the Marine Corps job in the first place. The F-35 is built for a range of other missions as an attack and close air support fighter. One does not replace the other.

The F-35 is cheaper in no small part because it borrowed heavily from the F-22 development. But it is still not the 'pure' air-to-air fighter that the 22 was built to be. The 35 is a multi-role aircraft that is certainly promising but it is not, and was never intended, to replace the 22.

[GBA]

In a different post you said "All services want the F-35 now from what I have read. It will be ready in 2011 - 2012. Not far off."

I think you're off by a few. By the end of 2009, the production of all 19 F-35 test aircraft will be complete and test activities will lead to initial Operational Test & Evaluation by 2013/2014.

The first production F-35 should be at Edwards by the end of the year for test. At the moment, they are still testing the AA-1 (pre-production test aircraft). Supposedly, it is still in the early parts of its test program and they've not yet tested the weapons bay doors in flight, only on the ground, nor tested supersonic flight.

Check out the April 2009 Flight Journal for more info. There is a lot of info "out there" regarding what it can and can't do. It does have a mission, but it's not an air superiority fighter. Any airplane that is designed to do everything is a compromise. The F-22 is an absolute air superiority fighter to replace the now decades old F-15. The F-15, while an amazing airplane, is probably finally out matched by the newest Sukhois.