New Secretary of Defense James Mattis released a memo this week calling for a review of the F-35 program and to compare it to the operational capabilities the F-18 Super Hornet.

Today the Marine Corps’ Deputy Commandant of Aviation, Lt. Gen. Jon Davis said the review will include Marine Corps aviators and aircraft.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., Lt. Gen. Jon Davis said the review, commissioned by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Jan. 26, would study the two aircraft “apples to apples” to determine whether the 4th-generation Super Hornet can fill the shoes of the brand-new F-35C.

“Really, it is — looking across the mission sets — does a Block 3 Super Hornet match up, compare to an F-35C,” Davis said. “It’s for the carrier air wing of the future.”

“I probably have the most experienced F-35 pilots in the department of the Navy on my staff right now,” he said. – Defense Tech

Representatives of Lockheed Martin who manufacturers the F-35 and Boeing, who manufactures the Super Hornet will be allowed to make their case for their respective aircraft during the review. Lt. Gen. Davis stated that while the review will be thorough and complete he senses that the evaluation will ‘validate’ the need for a 5th-generation aircraft.

Featured image of a U.S. Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II aircraft is escorted by two Marine F/A-18 Hornets as it flies toward Eglin Air Force Base, Fla by Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago, U.S. Air Force, via Wikimedia Commons

This article was originally published on Fighter Sweep