via Reuters.
A senior military official said it did not make sense to cancel the Navy variant outright, since that would drive higher cost of the remaining airplanes to be purchased by the Air Force and the Marine Corps, and could unsettle international partners on the program.Read the entire article here (just a rehash of yesterdays news).
Make no mistake about it. For the first time the unvarnished truth about the F-35 and the Navy was just said publicly.
Long story short?
The Navy doesn't want it. The program is nervous about costs. The program is worried about losing partners. So everything must die so that the F-35 can live.
My prediction? More proof that Navy leadership will continue with as low a rate production as possible to keep the shit wagon going. They will push all purchases to the right when they're able and in the end the F-35 will never be an important part of carrier aviation.
This airplane is the modern day F7U. It might look futuristic. It might even be kinda cool, but it will never be a suitable airplane for its proposed role. Like the F7U the F-35 will be left on the beach more times than it makes it to the ship.
Note. I would pay good money to know who the "Senior Official" was that made such a matter of fact statement. I'd also pay good money to know if he got reprimanded for the crime of daring to speak the truth and not spewing the program office talking points!
