Right now I am working on a project that requires sending ascii commands via serial to control a machine (i.e, turning a machine on off, change speed, etc.). The whole thing will be controlled with a touch screen GUI interface. 

The problem I am running to is the amount of time it takes to load a jar, which is ~15 seconds on a model B+. This time was measured with a test jar that contains only two buttons, nothing else.

Seeing as JDK8 for ARM no longer supports JavaFX, I am searching for alternatives. As I see it, here are my options:

1. Create a frankenstein JDK, combining JDK8 for ARM and OpenJFX.
2. Switch to Swing (not sure how much this would help, if at all).
3. Learn another language such as Python (which I have no problem with).

What can I do do achieve a quicker launch? How much of a difference would it make if I switched to the Model 2B? 

Keep in mind, the only things I need on the Pi are be the ability to run the app itself with touchscreen support, the ability to send serial, and ssh.