OK, you've got a point here! The air threat for the fleet is not very
significant now (practically no threat from Iraq and Afghanistan's air
forces), but that could change instantly with every encounter with
North Korea, Iran or China.

But still I think that saying F-35C is going to be a pure fighter and
F-35B only a striker sounds like a big exaggeration to me.

Best regards,
Jacek


Diamond Jim wrote:

Oh really! When did the need for a CAP over the fleet disappear? Don't you
still need a BARCAP to protect the attack aircraft, no matter how unlikely
opposition from air to air is? Just because an aircraft such as the F-35 can
perform both missions, doesn't mean that it can do both at the same time,
with 100% effectiveness. If the aggressor can make you jettison all or part
of your bomb load, why that defeats the attack doesn't it?

Remember such pearls of wisdom from the past as these and many others;

Lord Cardigan the Russian battery at the end of the valley is the object of
attack. The reply of Lord Cardigan was, "Very good, sir." To the Light
Brigade he then gave the word of command, "The Brigade will advance."

General Custer said "Leave the gatlin guns with the supply wagons; they are
just slowing us down".

OK lads. Over the top and lets go get them Turks! (Gallipoli)

Well if the radios are out because of static, send the warning to Pearl
Harbor by Western Union.

We don't need guns on fighters; missiles will do the job now.

"The foam coming off the tanks isn't a problem for the shuttle".