Well, if not the F-35 then what? If they think that they can start from scratch and build another fighter more cheaply, they’re delusional. The smart thing to do would be to re-open the F-22 lines, but I don’t think they’ll opt for that either.
Unfotunately, the cost of manned fighers probably makes their future pretty dim in the West. Hey, maybe we can import our fighers from China? [/s]
The problem with the option of re-opening the F-22 lines is that we have tons of export customers lined up for the F-35 (allies galore), and we’re not willing to export the F-22. If we kill the F-35 a lot of countries are going to be riled.
The Joint Strike Fighter is a multi-service aircraft, and the F-22 cannot fill that role.
If the JSF is outright cancelled, then the alternative is:
1) Continue to build F-16s, modernized with AESA radar and perhaps incorporating some of the F-35's advanced Infrared Search and Track technology,
2) Contine to build F/A-18s for the Navy with similar AESA and IRST, and
3) Politely inform the Marines that once their Harriers, recently augmented with the purchase of the recently retired UK Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Harriers, have reached the end of their life, they are out of the S/VTOL business. The Marines would then return to the pre-Harrier days of operating fixed wing aircraft from Navy carriers and from land bases. The Marines can acquire more AH-Z SuperCobras for close air support operations from Navy Amphibious Assault Ships.
Or, heaven forbid, actually navalize the Apache...