December 3, 2008 at 11:46 am
Are the USMC/RAF/RN going to use the F-35B so the aircraft can land (and take off vertically) – in the battlespace – on unprepared/rough airstrips?
And why aren’t the USN using the F-35B? Is it simply range? And if so, don’t CATOBAR aircraft have to caryy massive fuel reserves anyway – in case of ‘go rounds’ and aborted landings?
And also why not just use the F-35C instead of the F-35A in the USAF, for example does it matter if a carrier based aircraft operates from land (like the European/Aussie/Canadian etc etc Hornets, for example – Why was the F-18L not used?)
Jay
UK