Stealth planes using SAMs

What kind of tactic could be used to optimize stealth fighters with SAM launchers? If the stealth fighters have the proper datalink they can send the order to fire a salvoe of SAMs well before they are in AMRAAMs range. The USN wants to do that with the F-35C using the NIFC-CA network, but it could be generalized.

As an example of tactic, the stealth planes could loiter 50km apart 75km behind the SAM launchers. When they detect enemy targets coming in at low altitude, they turn towards the target flying at minimal speed to reduce the closing speed and their IR signature, and order the launch of a salvoe of SAMs, 2 missiles per target. They might have enough time to launch a second salvoe of SAMs. After the missiles have reached their targets, they can engage the survivors with their own AMRAAMs and quickly escape.

If the stealth plane doesn’t use its own missile, it doesn’t have to open its bays so it keeps its stealth at all times. Also it doesn’t take the risk of disclosing his position with the IR signature of its missiles at launch.

The SAM needs to be network enabled and ideally the stealth plane would not have to use his link-16 directly. Like there could be a MADL/link-16 Gateway on a ground station. The missiles would be guided by link-16.

Another situation where a fighter can use SAMs would be when the enemy plane is fleeing at high speed and the fighter’s missile don’t have enough range to catch up with it. In that case the fighter can launch a SAM from a launcher in front of the target if one is available.

The technology seems to be available to do that. With the high cost of stealth planes and their limited missile capacity it would make sense to invest in that kind of networked engagement. An AWACS could be used to guide SAMs, but they are vulnerable to long range missiles ( SAMs and AAMs ) and have a very high cost.