The F-35 is substantially less capable than the F-16 or the F-18. Stealth is tied in with computing capability. As more radars are networked and computing capability get’s cheaper we may find that the F-35 is a serious turkey and longer legs, maneuverability and firepower are much more important.
I was at Edwards in Flight test when the F-16 won over the F-17. The 16 won, but there were some interesting politics involved. The ‘17 morphed a bit and become the Hornet, which is indeed a very capable machine.
As for the F-35, methinks the performance per buck ratio is not optimum.
C-17: Gone.
F-15E: Nearly so.
F/A-18E/F/G: Going, going...
Soon Boeing will be out of the defense business it inherited from their purchase of McDonnell Douglass.
Maybe they need to engineer an F/A-18 Silent Hornet?
The French are offering very lucrative deals to buy and/or license produce the Dassault Rafale. India wants the plane, especially since India may have to end up buying a lot more planes due to problems with the joint Russian-Indian stealth fighter project.