Comments by "Arthur Mosel" (@arthurmosel808) on "Covert Cabal"
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First, the F35 was to be the F16 to the F22. A cheaper, simpler fighter bomber with less air superiorty capability than the F22. When cancelations caused the per unit cost for the F22 to rise, it was eventually cancelled. The F35 had a redesign at that point into an aircraft capable of air superiorty. It also had to meet a number of mutually incompatible requirements, as a result there are three very distinct versions, so that only 60% of each are compatible. Worse again reductions in purchases caused costs to rise, added to the redesign costs. So, three aircraft that actually are different enough that each could have its own designation are all called F35, which no longer represents what the original design called for. Go back and check on the F111 which was intended to do everything. It was too big for carriers though, too large for air superiority, it did finally find a role as a bomber. The idea of one plane for everything failed in the 1930's, failed with the F111, and has made what would have been a good general purpose fighter into an an aircraft too expensive for its original purpose.
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