This says a lot about what we already knew about the F-35.
While the F-35 was (originally) billed as an air superiority multirole fighter, the design by committee approach resulted in a machine that is not great at anything. The AF knows this, and that's why they're filling in with the f-22 stopgap until a true next gen air superiority fighter arrives.
The F-35 will serve as a case study of how not to run government contracts. Woefully over budget, behind schedule, and doesn't meet the original requirements (iirc congress±the military even relaxed the requirements at some point).
While the F-35 was (originally) billed as an air superiority multirole fighter, the design by committee approach resulted in a machine that is not great at anything. The AF knows this, and that's why they're filling in with the f-22 stopgap until a true next gen air superiority fighter arrives.
The F-35 will serve as a case study of how not to run government contracts. Woefully over budget, behind schedule, and doesn't meet the original requirements (iirc congress±the military even relaxed the requirements at some point).