I just read now that only 35% of F-35s are actually flyable at any one time. That means that a country would have to buy about 3 times as many planes as are needed due to maintenance issues and lack of parts availability. Talk about a scam of the highest order.... Not only is the F-35 the most expensive fighter ever built, it is also probably the least reliable. I know when we had the Chinese balloon flew over Alaska, they sent an F-35 from Eielson AFB in Fairbanks to get it, but for undisclosed reasons, the f-35 was unable to shoot it down, and an F-22 from Elmendorf inn Anchorage had to be sent to shoot it down. I don't get it. It has now also been determined that the "stealthy" F-35 is not so stealthy if it flies in poor weather or flies through clouds, as moisture seems to allow the Russians--and presumably the Chinese--to see the plane on their radar and antiaircraft defenses. It does appear that these panes are good sensor platforms, but they don't appear to be much good for anything else. According to reports, the munitions-carrying capacity and bombload are far less than the F-16 or F-22. Biggest con-job ever?