The top Marine, USMC Commandant General Amos is trying to do some damage control after getting his F-35 advocacy thrashed by the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).
It was Amos who advised U.S. Department of Defense boss Panetta, to lift the probation on the F-35B STOVL. That did not work out so well. Amos was responsible for Panetta getting the rug pulled out from him by the chairs of the SASC.
Great advice Amos. Great work at keeping the boss out of trouble. Not.
Amos has another problem with his F-35B STOVL advocacy. The jet is operationally useless for any future U.S. conflict. The F-35 is too weak to stand up to high-end threats and for anything else, it is too expensive to operate compared to existing solutions. It is doubtful that 7 tons of fuel per sortie is any kind of solution for an austere base.
Given the reliability problems with the F-35B, it is doubtful that it will ever see its above 90 percent mission capability rate. This is a key performance perimeter (KPP).
Amos can't be bothered to answer the question;"Can he see a situation where the USMC would fight in a major war (not a Libya side-show) where U.S. aircraft carriers were not present?"
As Lex posted in 2010, the USMC also has an attitude problem. Note the end decision by the then USMC general in question was reversed some months later. In any event, a two-seat Super Hornet makes more sense for the USMC.
We do not need STOVL at any price. The USMC is bigger than that. We also do not need mindless advocates like General Amos, doing fool's errands like the F-35B STOVL.
I suspect the budget woes, along with the ills of the F-35 program, will make Amos advocacy irrelevant.
Amos can increase his knowledge here, here and here.
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