Galrahn at Information Dissemination dissects this article from the Naval Proceedings about the future of naval aviation.
Short story: fewer F-35C purchased, continued production of the F-18E/F, and development of 'truck'-like, not-so stealthy naval UAVs. The 35's escort and guide the payloads of the latter two; those operate more and more in stand-off mode. He thinks US carriers will have no more than one squadron of F-35s each. The cost savings are substantial.
Worth the read if you like this sort of thing, and Galrahn has a good grip on the issues. |
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