Agreed as well.
I'm waiting for the day when info gets out on how an F35A does vs an F16 is dissimilar A2A training. Some info out there says that in a combat config (not air show clean), the F35 matches or even beats the F16 in terms of accel, climb rate, instantaneous turn rate, as well as sustained rate/radius. Some info says it doesn't. This forum if you search it will yield many links for/against this. I will say that even if it comes close to the F16 in terms of BFM/ACM capability, then there really shouldn't be a whole lot of complaints IMO. 108 mil isn't all that much more than the Typhoon, Gripen, Rafale, SuperHornet, and so on. Especially when you consider the sensor fusion (the most important issue in terms of combat capability from what many pilots have said), and oh ya, that whole low observable thing.
It'll take time to tell. From watching the F35B high tempo ops testing going on right now, the F35B seems to be working in terms of at least being able to generate sorties at the rate it is supposed to, at least so far as what "they" are telling the public.
A friend of mine who has flown a ton of modern fighters flew the Gripen at the Empire test pilot school in the UK, and has many good things to say about it. A great jack of all trades, plus it's very, very small and hard to see in close in fights. Good radar(AESA optional now), decent payload/range, price, but most importantly, sortie generation capability. Due to the simplicity/maintenance of the Gripen, it can really crank out the sorties, easily doubling the CF18 Hornet my friend has 2500hrs in he says. That means 50 fighters in broad strokes = 100 in time of war when high sortie rates are needed, at 50% the cost of the next closest gen 4.5 fighter.
Anyhow, as much as the F35B is slagged - compromised the capabilities of the A/C model, USMC doesn't need a Stealth fighter, too hard on the decks of various Assault ships it's supposed to use, etc etc - the potential is there if the USA makes wise decisions in the future that the sea control/power of the USA will increase measurably by having the ability to pop 20+ advanced Stealth Fighters in the F35B on another 10+ Assault class ship types. IMO this could really add a lot of capability to the future striking power of the USN. Possibly. Again, it'll be interesting to see how it all works out. I think anyone who compares the F35B with the Harrier though will say it's a huge leap forward for the USMC, but at a very high price.
The UK is another issue as well, what with the 2 big bird farms they are building. Recently Russia has been playing footsies with Argentina, offering them Su24s at a ridiculously low lease rate, and other fighters as well. All there is down there to counter this is 4 Typhoons stationed there permanently, of which 1 or 2 = in maintenance cycle often, which means there is a 2-ship in the Falklands at best..at that's it. Not saying there is going to be another fight over the Falklands, but having 2 CVs with F35Bs or Cs would be a very smart deterrent at least.
