There are serious concerns with the F-35, primarily in range and weight. The A and the C each have issues, the B is really in trouble, IMO. Do we really need STOL? Have the Marines ever used that capability from a remote strip? The B can't vertically takeoff, too heavy. It can only vertically land, and that's on a very well prepared surface. Forget highway strip, it will melt the asphalt. The B also can't land vertically with munitions that it returns with, again too heavy...really? Its so heavy, because if its required STOL gear that it has no range. We can save billions on that project alone.

A Harrier expert can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think:

Current marine corps use of the Harrier already deals with most of the limitations you attribute to the F-35B. The whole Marine corps aviation program off amphibious assault ships depends on STOL, so unless they're going to abandon that, then they need STOL. That's really where the STOL requirement comes in, not so much for remote strip ops.

Currently, the Harrier doesn't take off vertically with a combat load.
It also doesn't land with munitions because it's too heavy also.

The remote-strip mission would be applicable during an invasion scenario. It's part of USMC doctrine for expeditionary ops. Do we still need to do amphib invasions? That's a higher-level issue. Maybe the B mission could be handled by carrier-based aircraft instead.

But the day-to-day application of STOVL is to provide strike/fighter capability to the Amphibious Ready Groups. This is a legit requirement since the ESGs often operate far from any other support. STOVL allows them to provide CAS to their ground forces, and self-defense if needed. An ARG is a lot of people and hardware, and could be vulnerable to red air in some circumstances. Lack of STOVL would alter ARG capability, and that's not an insignificant part of our global forward presence.

You could even argue that AV-8Bs are too limited, particularly in the fighter role, and that the F-35 is actually a long-needed fix to that shortfall.

On paper...last utilized when?
Exactly! Which begs the question, do the Marines really need an air arm besides helos. That should get the Marines responding!:eek::D
What do you know! LOL!;)
So perhaps we can save on Marine dedicated boats too.

In Iraq. I'll find out the year, but within the last 10 years.

When was the last time we delivered a tactical nuke via a fighter?
Does that make it obsolete?

ABSOLUTELY! :D
If one believe in the concept of the MAGTF - then of course there has to be all functions of Marine Air.
We'll leave the rest at that ;)

If you study your history - the support given from the sea during the last 10 years of war answers that question.
Go back further and see what having a MEF off the coast of Kuwait did with the Iraqi defenses.
Go back further and the Harriers (though it pains for me to admit!:))
A little further back - well a long time now - and we can look at the success of STVOL during the Falklands of course.

As ALL know that have read my comments on the F-35B before - I'm no fan.
I think it will be a failure.
I personally didn't see the Harriers forward deploy with the advance during IOF, but rather stay right there in Al Jabar. I thought they would move forward to the southern Iraqi airfields taken if not operate from FOBs or those highways strips like they practice in Camp Lejuene - BUT THEY DIDN'T (as far as I know at least - Harriers experts feel free to provide other evidence); but even I have to give them the successes they have earned and, at least in a planning stages, the requirements for the aircraft.

Nobody does CAS like the Marines! Nobody.

When the grunts call for Air support, thry can always count on their Marine Air buds to be there.

Yeah, for about 5 minutes until the Harriers bingo out, with their one GBU-12 :p

FWIW the best CAS platform out there in the last 10 years is a toss up between the A-10 and F-15E. Suphornet would be a close contender if we didn't have to keep going back to the boat to make recovery times and could hang out on station for the entire duration of the TIC.

2012 and they were effective.