SNIP

The F-35C will have good export prospects. One rumor has it that the
USAF purposely limited F-35 wing area so that only the F-22 had the
low wing loading to be a top class dog fighter so that program would
not be jeopardized in favor of an F-35.

The result is that the high wing load F-35 does not offer good dog
fighting abilities to nations that can't afford are can't be given an
F-22.

An F-35C adresses this issue.

It's possible. But I doubt that either choice in wing area (USAF or USN)
was determined based on relative maneuvering capability versus F-22.

R / John