Northrop’s fix F-35 & F-22 comms problem: Global Hawk drones

[madrat]

That's really great, isn't it? Maybe. Looking at it another way, the original design mission usage was too severe, resulting in over weight and over cost airplanes. And there is no guarantee the light usage so far will continue for the next forty three years. What happens if we get caught up in a seventeen year long war and mission usage doubles? But that can't happen, can it?

Kind of makes me wish the A-7's or A-6E's had been kept around in a small contingent to plod away over Afghanistan. Or maybe even adapt S-3 for carrying targeting pods and iron under the wings. Burn out the remaining hours on paid for airframes. Enough performance to survive crew served gun mounts and MANPADS shots. Actually fight the war on a sustainable budget.