U.S. Navy Debates STOVL JSF Futu

On 4 Maj, 06:33, Henry J Cobb wrote:
The Super Hornet carries exactly as many 2,000 bombs internally as the
F-35B, zero. So it offers no advantage in this area.

I rather meant that a single guided 2,000 lb bomb in the internal bomb
bay in a dense SAM/AAA environment could be very important. Otherwise,
if something to be destroyed is an aircraft shelter or hardened
command post you can send there neither F-35B nor F/A-18E/F, but only
F-35C or at least EW/strike-configured EA-18G.

Easy prediction: More F-35B delays and the Marines are forced to equip a
few carrier based squadrons with Super Hornets on a temporary basis that
then extends out over a decade.

-HJC

The last schedules I heard of we
- 40 carrier-based Navy squadrons, including 22 F/A-18E/F and 18 F-35,
- 360 F-35C for the Navy and 320 F-35B for the Marines.

So, if the Navy really fielded so many squadrons with CVN-JSF, again
more Marine squadrons could return to UDP. I am not sure about the
possibility of Navy-to-Marine F/A-18C/D transfers, however...

Maybe somebody here has any more ideas?

Best regards,
Jacek