Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Wait! The USMC is cutting F-35 numbers. Does that mean the F-35C is about to get canned?


I posted a snippet from an article by Flight Global about the USMC cutting the number of F-35's it's buying.
“The Marine Corps will reduce the Primary Aircraft Authorized per squadron of F-35B and C aircraft from 16 to 10,” says the USMC.
The Marine Corps had planned to buy a total of 420 F-35s (353 F-35Bs and 67 F35Cs) by 2031. The service did not respond to request for details on how much its programme of record would be cut, but Cancian says the reduction numbers can be inferred.

“This would imply buying about 120 to 130 aircraft fewer,” he says.
120 to 130 fewer aircraft?

I've advocated for the USMC to at least cut the F-35C from the order books.  With Berger going all in on the China fight does it make sense for the Corps to embrace the sea battle from the shore by buying many more anti-ship missiles (we'll talk about the rebirth of the Coastal Defense Battalions soon) while at the same time still buying the C version?

I don't think it does.

If they continue with the C buy then that means that the F-35B will take the full brunt of the hit.

I just can't see that happening.

So if its a mixed cut that means the F-35C is gone along with about 60 F-35Bs.

Yeah.

What's going unsaid is that the Marine Corps is about to give up its carrier mission.

PS.  Forgot to say it.  THE DEATH SPIRAL IS HERE!!! LOL!!!

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