"Michael" wrote in message
om...

Why has the AF chosen to jump fighter designations from 22 to 35?


The USAF didn't make that choice. An undersecretary of defense who was
clueless about the designation system screwed up. The X-32 and X-35 were
not prototypes, they were technology demonstrators. Whichever one of them
won the JSF contract, the resulting aircraft was to be designated the F-24.
(F-24 was next in line, the F-23 was the Northrop bid that lost to the
F-22.) When the winner of the JSF competition was announced the
undersecretary was asked what the new aircraft would be designated. He
screwed up, saying it would be the F-35 because the X-35 had won the
competition. Rather than make him look stupid the JSF officially became the
F-35.