F35 Couldn't Win A One Legged A**e Kicking Contest, page-4

Q

One of the greatest misconceptions about this aircraft, is that enemy will not be able to see it..

The F35 'stealth' factor will only mean that enemy firing systems will not be able to lock onto it until a certain distance, before which time, theoretically, the F35 has done the damage, turned around and exited the battlefield..make no mistake, enemy radar will 'see' the F35, especially when it is loaded with external weapons, but they will not be able to shoot it down with any degree of accuracy unless they can get something close enough to it that can see visually ID it

In theory, I believe that enemy forces would set up counter strategies to ambush the F35.. they may not be able to target the f35 directly with surface to air but once detected at a distance they could plan for it's arrival in contested space with squadrons of 4th gen jets located strategically that will be able to confront the F35 in exactly the circumstances the F35 is trying to avoid...face to face dogfighting whereby stealth is irrelevant


Of course, these strategically placed 4th gen airbases may in fact become the F35's first target but that would mean the enemy is alerted 'early' by an attack on it's perimeter.. the main objective of the F35 I believe is to pierce the gaps between perimeter forces and strike deep within enemy territory..basically a suicide mission if enemy fighters get scrambled early

This is my greatest concern for the safety of our fighter pilots because in it's current configuration, the F35 cannot get caught in contested space by enemy fighters.. it will lose and lose badly

It will be like taking a knife to a gunfight where the pilots chance of survival would depend entirely on sensor fusion accuracy, pin point target lock and a limited amount of air to air missiles whereby the F35 pilot will theoretically be able to see and shoot down, enemy aircraft from any direction.. lofty ambitions

If it had more power, the F35 could effectively ignore the threat posed by enemy fighters and focus on using the sensor fusion to relay critical information deep inside the battlefield back to mission control

Air dominance is not something we can afford to lose..