Air Force STOVL Loses Some Airspeed:

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The Air Force was enamored of buying some of the short takeoff/vertical landing version of the F-35, Keys said, but has lost some of its ardor for the idea. While the aircraft would have been useful for deployment to short strips, widely dispersed, it pays a hefty penalty in range and payload. A final decision hasn’t been made, Keys said, nor does it have to be for some time to come. The STOVL F-35 is the last to start coming off the assembly line, and the Air Force will have time to evaluate the conventional takeoff version before committing to another type, he said.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org