If F-35A is stopped and an F-35D – the A model stretched – program started it wouldn’t hurt my feelings. Would be nice to see an F-35E – the C wing on the D model and optimized for air superiority – program started, too.

The KC390 design should be seriously courted by the U.S. and they should put a fork in the C-130J. Its time to move past the Herc. Brazil gets Rafale. The U.S. gets the KC390 license.

With a mere 4-6 second gap between command to drone, I can see the value of moving away from manned fighters for basic air patrol. They don’t eat, sleep, or drink on the job. They do routine and repetitive tasks extremely well. And for air policing, you wouldn’t need something much larger than an F-5. Without the pilot and his controls, an F-5 sized airplane could pack quite a bit of gear.

F-35C will be a very good plane. It is given a lot of flak for political reasons, but it will not be anywhere near the shortcomings of committing to an all Super Hornet force. No, the Super Hornet had it’s day and is getting it’s last gasp order. It’s time to lay that proverbial horse to rest by not committing to any more than they have already done. Full speed ahead with the F-35C!

Not to steer from the OP, but did the RN certify ASRAAM for the Sea Harrier which would offer a HOBS capability?

I wonder how much of that increased cost projection is built on the turnover of the baby boomer generation with the baby boomer bounce? There is a huge shift in the age of the average worker in the shipbuilding business across the U.S. and the labor costs are killing us. The younger engineers want to get paid like their baby boomer counterparts, which is unsustainable. And the baby boomers want to come back to work as contractors for more than they worked in the unions. The older generation doesn’t want to give up the keys to the house so to speak. (The bank collapse and subsequent stock market spiral really did these older worker’s pension in.) And nobody on either side of the fence will say ‘no’. That causes a real problem with affordability of projects, scaling labor costs beyond the normal 20% mark and skews schedules. Its not a problem just in the shipbuilding industry, its across industry.

Twin gyroscopes guided the action of its fins (they maintained directional control as it climbed to its apex) and a PIG or a radio command controlled the timing of its descent. For all practical purposes it was a free flight rocket.