And that would be a problem. As Flightglobal reports:

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the performance specifications for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will have a significant operational impact, a number of highly experienced fighter pilots consulted by Flightglobal concur. But the careful development of tactics and disciplined employment of the jet may be able to mitigate some of those shortcomings.

“This is going to have a big tactical impact,” one highly experienced officer says. “Anytime you have to lower performance standards, the capability of what the airframe can do goes down as well.”