Popular Mechanics: New Report Says the Navy Should Ditch the F-35C And Buy Drones Instead
Canceling the F-35 will save money and increase carrier striking range, the Center for New American Security think tank argues.
We know all about the troubled and controversial development of the F-35. But now, one military think tank is suggesting that the U.S. Navy would be better off forgetting the billions invested in this plane entirely. A new report by the Center for New American Security suggests that the Navy should cancel the F-35C, its carrier-borne version of the Joint Strike Fighter, and replace it with killer drones.
Retired U.S. naval aviator Captain Jerry Hendrix, author of the report, argues that the range of current carrier strike aircraft, and the upcoming F-35C, are insufficient for modern threats. New advances in Chinese weapons necessitate the ability to sit farther off the Asian mainland in order to keep carriers out of harm's way. A carrier air wing built out of new drones rather than the Joint Strike Fighter and older manned planes would be cheaper, larger, and—most importantly—have a longer striking range.
WNU Editor: It is not going to happen .... too much has been invested in the F-35C
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