Marine air chief: Review ordered by Mattis will prove need for F-35

The head of Marine Corps aviation predicted that the review of the F-35 ordered by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will likely end up validating the need for the fifth generation fighter.

Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, the Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation, said his office is participating in the review ordered by Mattis that measures how an improved Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet matches up against a Lockheed Martin F-35C. The Marine Corps is mostly buying F-35Bs, which can take off and land vertically, but will have four squadrons of the C variant, which can take off and land on an aircraft carrier.