You may see that you come to way too many variables to cover when you
are dealing with all possible scenarios. What war are you planning to
fight. In Iraq and Afghanistan right now old retired A-4's, A-6's, and
F-4's configured with advanced targeting pods could do just as good as
anything else including the JSF - but the "why" is heavily dependent
upon the fact that there are not sufficient threats (yet) showing up
that would hurt them or any other TACAIR asset that flies and operates
on mission above 5000 feet. Move over into Iran and with the SA-20 and
SA-15's things would change.


wrote in message
ups.com...
I wonder if Navy's expeditionary (land-based) squadrons would use
F-35C, or also be equipped with F-35B? It seems there is more inter-
service rivalry in this argument than actual reasoning.

However, I guess USAF F-117A pilots in Desert Storm would not tell
that internally-carried 2,000-pound BLU-109 or GBU had been obsolete
for them, especially in the first days of the war. Then, in such
situations, again Marine guys in their STOVL F-35Bs would have to rely
on their Navy F-35C or F/A-18E/F/EA-18G counterparts as far as deep
interdiction and SEAD are concerned.

Best regards,
Jacek