Strategy Page, Feb 2, 2012

choi

(1) Kill The Harrier And F-35B.
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htmurph/articles/20120202.aspx

Quote:

"Operating these aircraft from forward airbases is not used that much anymore because getting fuel and other supplies is much more difficult and expensive, and smart bombs eliminate the need to have jet fighter-bombers based so close to the front lines. In effect, the smart bomb, especially the GPS guided ones, have eliminated most of the advantages of the vertical takeoff jet. What combat aircraft need now is endurance (which vertical takeoff jets lack) to stay over the battlefield until a smart bomb is needed down there. Cheaper aircraft, like the F-18E can do this more cheaply and effectively.

"The Harrier has the highest accident rate of any current jet fighter. This is largely because of its vertical flight capabilities, which give it an accident rate similar to that of helicopters.

(2) USN Begins The Big Fade
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/articles/20120202.aspx
("most of these metrics [to compare navies] favor the USN. * * * The US lags in the number of warships, largely because so many nations can only afford smaller warships, often including a lot of patrol boats")