We need the same kind of innovation in the jet fighter sector as we're seeing by SpaceX in orbital launches.
The F-35 is a disaster because it was designed by committee and has ended up being good for nothing. The body is wide because it had to accommodate the vertical takeoff jet and nozzle and the wings had to be short. This makes it horrible for dog-fights, a fuel consumption pig, unable to loiter over an area, unable to provide close air support.
The fact that it's stealth is debatable too. There have been instances where low frequency radar has been repurposed to detect stealth aircraft like the F117 shot down over Serbia. Basically nothing can hide from L-band radar (1 to 2 Ghz).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxDSiwqM2nw&feature=youtu.be
Pierre Sprey is the designer of the F16 and the A10.