The Navy says it needs more tactical and strike aircraft on aircraft carriers

The U.S. Navy remains committed to its plans to buy the carrier-based variant of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet and declare it ready for initial combat use by 2018, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michelle Howard said on Tuesday.

Howard said there was no doubt the Navy would need tactical and strike aircraft based on aircraft carriers, and it was counting on the F-35 Lightning II to carry out that mission.

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert said earlier this month that the next fighter after the F-35 would likely rely less on speed and stealth than current aircraft, saying "stealth may be overrated."

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