Todd Akin and Secretary Gates on F-18

Secretary Gates doesn't talk about the Navy much. He should be asked more questions like this.

Something about this discussion bothers me. I am not, and am unlikely to ever be, a fan of the F-35C. As I was walking around the USS Midway Museum on Tuesday night I kept noticing all the one engine aircraft. The Navy has been down this road, and while lots of studies have been published by the aviation industry to prove single engine aircraft have only "slightly" higher crash rates than multiple engine aircraft, those studies never reveal how many multiple engine aircraft have had an engine failure and yet the aircraft is able to return home.

Lockheed Martin would like everyone to believe the F-35C is the future of carrier aviation. Many naval pilots would like to believe it. ADM Mullen would like everyone to believe it. Maybe, but the X-47B is a more likely choice. If the F-35A and F-35B are having serious problems, just wait until they start testing the F-35C seriously (which has not been done btw).

This "we need stealth aircraft" nonsense misses the point. The F-35C will never be stealthy if it is carrying a payload. Stealth, if it exists, will come from the magic of the EA-18G - and that is something nobody talking up the F-35C ever mentions.

Navy Times has a copy of the Navy 30-year aviation plan here (PDF). Is the report informative? I think it leaves a lot to be desired - like a detailed plan.