re: #722 Targetpractice, Worst of Both Worlds

The F-35’s the USAF’s new toy to replace the F-16, nothing more. They needed another toy to go alongside their F-22s. The Navy sure doesn’t want them and the Marines may be seriously regretting not just coming up with a new variant of the Harrier. Even the Royal Navy, who was supposed to be the next big customer for the F-35B, has sprung on the cheaper F-35C and redesigned their new carriers accordingly.

And the F-35 is a step backward aerodynamically compared to the F-16. The F-16 was built using Energy-Maneuverability Theory to be a light, quick, fast interceptor. The F-35, comparatively, is a turkey.