The F-35's cost is destroying Western Air Forces...

This is a must read people!  Stephen Bryen  A tidbit...

For Israel, there are other considerable gains in buying the F-15SE. It is an evolution of an aircraft already in inventory, which means all the logistics and support systems are already in place. Pilots are already well trained on the platform and have experience in combat, meaning that the capabilities of the plane are well known. And the F-15SE costs less than half of what the F-35 costs, meaning that Israel can get much more punch for the buck than the F-35 offers. Indeed, the F-35’s main contribution to air forces around the world is that it is so unaffordable it will shrink every air force that buys it. This must cause delight in Moscow as well as Beijing.

Cost is the real achilles heel of this program.