please see faq Our F-35 needs to be a fully combat capable variant.

[Hentai Paisen]

If ED is already willing to develop an F-35 then we absolutely must get a proper variant with a fully fleshed out loadout of SDBs, JSOW, 120D, etc. as well as a 9G capable A variant. The 2B F-35 that's being thrown around as the target is the first F-35 with ANY combat capability and is extremely limited. A 2B F-35A would be limited to 7g only and doesnt even come close to representing a proper F-35 with its limited loadout options and lack of sensor fusion. There's absolutely no reason to not make a more modern variant considering they're already going to be guesstimating quite a bit about even the earlier variants. Might as well go all in and give the customers the most possible value for money.

We should voice our desires early before F-35 really gets underway so ED knows what we want. The F-35 is all about its sensors and advanced weapons.

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

They already nixed the statement that it'll be a 2B and state that was a mistake to cite.