This Thing Is a Flying Pig

[SteelCurtain]

An excellent analysis, especially regarding the differing requirements. The fact that the airplane is being asked to operate under three entirely different doctrines, and operational guidelines, means that it will be inherently more inefficient in each role; it must carry dead weight for the other roles (the USAF version will have heavier landing gear to sell the plane to the Navy as well, although the AF has no need for that build).

In aerodynamics, every pound counts. This plane is underpowered and has too much wing-loading.

Well, to be fair, they were designing three different planes, which was the majority of the problem. The landing gear was not the same on all three variants, the wings were not the same, but the fuselage/engine was. They had to design two completely separate avionics suites, the AF and Navy could share one, but the USMC would need a completely different one for the STOVL variant. The Navy was never happy about it, as when you fly over water, having one engine is not the best thing in the world. The Pratt & Whitney powerplant was supposed to be more reliable than any two GE F404's put together. But that didn't make the pilots any more comfortable.

Still, with a Hornet costing $30mil, and a F-35 costing $110mil, it's just hard to swallow all that cost for the last 10 years for a new jet that has one engine, less payload, but stealth and new avionics.

We're better off patching the software on the F-22 and forgoing STOVL capability.  And if the Marines want better CAS, let them dig up the best plane for that work, the AD-1.

The Marines need a new plane more than any of the services. That AV-8B is older than dirt, and the controls are stupid and counter-intuitive. Plus, we have a whole fleet of LHA/LHD amphibious assault ships that are built for STOVL capability.

ETA: I know the Skyraider was awesome. But could you imagine the outrage if they scrapped the F-35 project and brought in a prop plane from the 40's? It would be comical, to say the least. With a couple of enthusiasts cheering on the sidelines and volunteering their airframes.