I've been following the F-35 program since my time in the Air Force, and I keep coming back to one question: is it truly combat-ready for high-end threats, or are we just too invested to admit its flaws? The latest reports show only 30% of the fleet can fly missions at any given time, yet Congress keeps funding upgrades. Some argue that any fighter with advanced sensors can dominate the skies, while others say numbers and reliability matter more than tech specs. I'm genuinely torn because in a real conflict, sortie generation rates might decide everything, not just the aircraft's theoretical capabilities. What do you think matters most for modern air superiority — capability or availability?