Of course they do, vertical take off or landing is exactly that.
Yes it is, but the same aircraft if not fit with a means to propel thrust vertically will not be able to do so and even with the means these aircraft don't hover unless those means are employed atm.
You are buddy, I am telling you what the reality today is and currently there are more land forces that might add VTOL fighters than naval forces, because at land they have the crucial advantage of not requireing dedicated air strips to operate.
Most naval forces on the other hand, that also operates dedicated aircraft carriers, won't go for the F35B anymore and the few that operates only smaller LHDs or SVTOL carriers to will only order a small number of fighters if at all (the cost/capability ratio of the F35B is pretty low).
Thanks for the enlightening vision of reality. let's see apart from USMC and RN forces that may go fo F-35B are Italian, Spanish, South Korean, Australian navies (at-least they'll have STOVL capable ship) apart from that Japan may choose to go for a STOVL destroyer in the future mainly due to PLAN Carrier proliferation and may be in the distant future If economy allows even Thailand may buy.
Also considering the Russian developments they may be interested in developing the lighter version of PAK-FA (which I think MiG will produce, by the way any new info on this aircraft) along the same lines as JSF viz with a STOVL version (not sure if they'll go for STOBAR or CATOBAR) and if that happens I'm sure China will jump to the opportunity and we might even see a JV b/w them.
The cost/capability ratio is low for any STOVL aircraft as compared to its non STOVL version.
Yes, so only because they had decided to go for SVTOL carriers in first place, not because they would have any benefits by using the B version rather than the C version
They've had certain experiences in the past where they found STOVL tactics very useful but were limited by the size of their carriers air-groups hence they decided to go for a larger STOVL carrier.
IF
the modification of the carrier would had been cheaper, they would had gone with the C for sure.
Firstly when you talk about carriers it goes without saying that everything is very expensive even keeping one in "reserve/extended readiness".
I think they were only considering F-35Cs when F-35B development had gone of the track, once that was corrected everything fell in place. And even then they only considered modifying Prince of Wales not Queen Elizabeth and several other navies using newly (soon to be) inducted STOVL ships around the Globe had F-35B failed there would surely have been another development for STOVL capable fighter and even with F-35B it's safe to say there will be another STOVL capable aircraft.
Also Queen Elizabeth Class ACs have been designed from the start for easy conversion to CATOBAR capability ie. one of the reason why France is/was interested in the design for Future French AC.
Nope, don't confuse India with the US. We don't have any areas of interest that would make amhibious carrier groups needed. Sea control in the Indian Ocean is provided by our aircraft carriers, not LDPs (which is what IN wants, not LHDs and by far not with ski-ramps)
OK dude I smoke a lot of pot but I'm definitely not confused, this is definitely not "The USA", this is India
My Beloved MotherLand, in fact I'm pretty sure our current leaders don't even have areas of interest within the country (apart from whichever LS or VS constituency they are elected from) all their interest lies in the Swiz Bank. But if things change (which is going to happen sooner or later) India may develop such Areas of Interest in the Indian Ocean. And even if we don't have those "Interests", sooner or later we are going to need to develop Credible Amphibious Assault Capability that's why I hope they change their requirements from LPD to LHD and purchase Mistral.
As for what you may be saying in context to the current pacifist rule that has remained for so long well come Modi things may change.
And What people of my country are very fond of saying nowadays "ab ki bar, Modi sarkar"
and on a finishing note my little 2 year old Bhanja says "har har Modi, ghar ghar Modi"
. Good bye
.