[AKAKBUCK]

Originally Posted by Muck

Well that remains to be seen. I'm guessing that if all the end users didn't think it was up to the job they wouldn't be on board the program. But keep in mind that it was designed primarily as a bomb truck rather than an A2A platform. So air to ground is what it's supposed to do.

If wikipedia can be beleived:

The F-35 is being designed to be the world's premier strike aircraft through 2040. It is intended that its air-to-air capability will be second only to that of the F-22 Raptor. Specifically the F-35?s requirements are that it be: four times more effective than legacy fighters in air-to-air combat, eight times more effective in air-to-ground battle combat, and three times more effective in reconnaissance and suppression of air defenses. These capabilities are to be achieved while still having significantly better range and a smaller logistical footprint than legacy aircraft.