The U.S. Marines want to pay less for their F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and the corps' aviation planners say costs can be slashed if the Air Force and Navy bought some of their F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (Stovl) variants. "I can't say they have agreed, but we want them to," says Lt. Gen. John G. Castellaw, deputy commandant for aviation. "We think it's a big battlefield. Our argument is that the Air Force's C-17s need a 3,500-ft. runway, but their F-16s and F-35As need about 7,000 ft. If they're going to be really expeditionary, we'd suggest to the Air Force that they get a fighter that can operate from a runway no longer than used by the C-17." The Navy also could benefit from buying Stovl, he says.
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