Scrapping the JSF would be the most idiotic thing the US can do right now. Despite its issues, it’s still better than most of its rivals in the strike role and would be invaluable as a first-day-of-war weapon. Besides too much has been invested in it domestically and internationally for it to be scrapped.
Any new design would take close to a decade to come close to trial stage. And the F-15/F-16 fleets are’nt going to stay young for ever.
The problem with step-3 is that the ‘joint’ part of the JSF is significantly responsible for its problems. The services should go their own ways.
I didn’t mean a competition between the two services, I meant a competition for private industry design sponsored by the two services.
Look at the design and development of the F-16 program as an example.