[duncan_bayne]

Serious question: at what point in the entire F-35 development process was that _not_ true?

[Marazan]

Right at the start the F35 programme looked like the sensible choice and the F22 was perceived as a ludicrous expensive pointless prestige project.

Then the F35 got Christmas treed to death.

[icelancer]

Well, the F22 is still fairly pointless, isn't it? The JSF/F35 is a joke, obviously as well.

[Marazan]

The F-22 is the best high altitude air superiority fighter in existence. It's ludicrously expensive and it is ludicrously over capable for the actual missions it flies but it did completely achieve it's role specification.