USMC should drop the F-35 and V-22 — and perhaps the F-18 while it’s at it

Interesting. His opinion is worthy of debate and shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. Every system should pass the cost/benefit ratio test. I think that the Marines should have their own close air support pilots and let Naval Aviators focus on their own missions. However, is the Super Hornet the best choice for close air support? How about A10's. The Air Force is always trying to unload theirs and might give the Marines a real good deal. I imagine that A10's could be carrier based with some modifications.

When has Marine Corps' roots been about Naval Raids. It is about power projection, and strategic mobility. Inchon is probably the best classical use of the Marine Corps. The reality of maintaining Marine Expeditionary Units afloat, Maintaining Support structure, and force retention has been strained ever since the USMC reduction in force of the Clinton Administration.

Restructuring Marine Air and the USMC mission in total are two separate conversations. Most of the issues stem from funding and manpower. With 1/2 of our birds grounded it should highlight the funding side. F-35 was fraud, waste, and abuse from the start. They tried to do too much with one aircraft and we now have a mixed bag of variants stuffed into one package that could be obsolete by the time all the bugs are worked out. It was to be expected that once USMC got into SOCOM this conversation would begin, and that's likely why it was opposed by leadership. We need to maintain our current MAGTF structure of MEUs and MEFs. The MEB's are just a skeleton crew with a standing HQ element. The structure and mission are not the issue. It's a matter of trying to maintain the status quo after the manpower cuts post-Desert Storm and a gap in aviation due to lifecycles. It's surprising to hear this from a retired USMCR LtCol, because what it really leans toward is abolishing the USMC in phases. SOCOM is eyeballing the USMC budget.