re: #485 Targetpractice

The Navy has long memories, and remembers what it was like trying to turn a light bomber into a fighter jet. It just don’t work. This time, they’ve got the exact opposite problem, trying to replace dedicated bomb trucks with the Air Force’s latest toy jet. Stealth is of limited value when the mission profile calls for lugging large amounts of heavy ordinance. And the Navy flies twin-engine aircraft for a reason, and it’s not because they look pretty.

The F-35B (the VTOL/STOL version) will be faster and safer than the AV-8B Harrier. The Navy needs a Harrier replacement, which is part of why they are sticking with the F-35.