Hate to take issue on such an awesome thread, but...the F-16 and F-35 are not second line fighters. Second line fighters are fighters that are commonly used by reserve units or other “backups” as opposed to front line fighters. For example, the UK still uses the Tornado F.3 in a second line intercept role; their first line interceptor is the Typhoon. Similarly, Poland uses the Su-22 in second line, with the Mig-29 in first line, though those units are moving to second line to make room for the F-16. Once the F-35 comes in, it will be the first line and the F-16s will move to the second line.
There’s nothing about being multi-role that makes a fighter second class, nor is there anything about a pure air superiority fighter like the Eagle or Raptor that makes it inherently better than the multi-role bird. The 35 might be as great as the 16 or it might be a dog, but that will be a result of the design, not the role.
I see your point and it is a fair one. Let me restate
The F-16 is not and was not meant as an equal to the F-15. The F-35 is not and was not meant as an equal to the F-22.
For example, the F-16 is less expensive than the F-15, and the F-35 less than the F-22.
The USAF would have been less capable if it had been denied the F-15 30 years ago, and it will be less capable today without sufficient numbers of F-22s