1. Fighters ‘with the likes of the Meteor’ will eventually include the F-35 (right now it doesn’t include the EF or Rafale either).
2. Your scenario ignores the possibility of the escorts being LO. Which if they are will have the first shot opportunity against the interceptor.
So the escorting fighters have weapons with longer ranges than the Aim-120D but shorter than the Meteor. Your whole result is predicated on the choice of weapon, with the aircraft’s capabilities playing a minimal role.
The F-35s may be in firing range of the escorts but that doesn’t mean they’ve been detected, let alone tracked. That’s the advantage of a VLO aircraft.
When (rather than if) it shoots, the ‘bad guys’ will be more worried about a clutch of AMRAAMs heading for them than a flight of interceptors heading away.
First thing the escorts will do spotting the incoming missiles is undertake evasjve action. By the time they’re done with that the F-35s will have left missile range. And what it lacks in supercruise capability it makes up for with gobs of internal fuel, for those still desirous of a lengthy tailchase.
It carries over 8 tons of fuel internally. More than the F-22 IIRC. I can’t see any user being ready to sacrifice two internal hardpoints for more fuel.
As you very well put in one of you come back comments.. what if the “opponent” is LO or VLO as well. Would you not agree with me that this whole approach on 35 goes out the window?
Let me put it this way.. Can and F-35 successfully intercept another F-35? Can it shoot it down (BVR)? If you tell me yes, then that means that there is a sensor suite that can detect VLO targets, and if it can shoot down another F-35 then there is a missile (BVR) that can shoot down a VLO target.
Having just admitted that to ourselves then the only thing left is to acknowledge if the exhibited arrogance related to the F-35 is founded on the belief that no one else will get to have another VLO plane or another sensor suite that can pick up VLO planes or another missile that will be capable of hitting VLO targets from BVR or a combination of the above.
Because if any of the above materialises then the situation changes rather drastically, doesn’t it?
I mean clearly the USAF itself doesn’t recognise the role of the F-35 as an equal to the F-22 which means they presume the F-22 is a notch above in “killing” performance. Is it inconceivable then that someone else will make a weapons system that will be on par with the F-22 and hence superior to the F-35? What then?
To take this into past facts.. between the F-16, F-15, F-14, F-18, MiG-29, MiG-31, Su-XX and Mirage-2000 there was not really a clear cut head and shoulders above the rest winner that would dominate the lot.
each had strengths and weaknesses that if played at appropriately pretty much, each fighter type could and would hold their own in a fight, BVR or not.
But what about the near future?
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