How did the per unit cost of an F-35A nearly quadruple? Not even considering that the B and C variants probably cost even more. To compare, an F-22 is $148 million and the Raptor isn't exactly the epitome of fiscal responsibility either.
Canada has until 2012 to decide whether to purchase, though $150 million has already been invested. It really would be smarter just to replace the fleet with F/A-18E/Fs or even just upgrade the existing planes to the capabilities of the F-18C/D blocks. Besides what are the fighters going to be used for anyways? In order of likely hood, most to least:
-Strafing a foreign fishing trawler
-Intercepting a hijacked airliner
-Defending against Russians
-Defending against Americans
-Defending against the Zentradi
Note that in 3 of the 5 scenarios AIRCOM is screwed anyways, F-35s or not.
However, I do advocate development of the VF-1; the Zentradi are a looming threat!
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