You said it yourself:

It is the whole difference between the multirole that needs to come back to base and land to switch from one type of mission to another and polyvalence [ omnirole ] that allows one to operate in-flight at the same time in all the different mission types.

Since the Raf would have to land in order get a pod and do LGB, it is not an omnirole either.

By your standards the F-35 is a class above the Raf due to it ALWAYS carrying all the needed sensors (ESM, AESA, IRST, FLIR, jamming, laser designator, etc) to perform every mission in it’s repretua without switching equyipment.

IIRC its datalink capabilities do not compare well with the F-35, the F-22 can’t share its radar data with other friendly assets. Other than the pilot getting on the radio that is.

The F-22 is scheduled to get the same datalink (along with the B2) that the F-35 has (MADL). Until then, the F-22 can share it’s data with others via a BACN aircraft that will translate from the F-22’s native datalink (IFDL) into MADL, Link16, or another appropriate protocol.

I think he may be referencing the lack of IRST and EODAS and maybe an active 360 jammer.

The DEW Line chimes in on T3:

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2010/11/darpas-t3-rise-of-the-triple-r.html

Multiple people reporting the same story does not change the fact that Wheeler is the source.

Besides, the DoD has a horrid track record for OVERESTIMATING the cost of the F-35, hence the LRIP4 example.

Final JDRADM contracts have not been signed, just component development ones.

I wonder why DARPA would be funding a duplicate program that is covers the same goals as JDRADM?

Edit—

DARPA T3 Program Office
http://www.darpa.mil/tto/programs/t3/index.html

There are many internal components (structurally) that keep a B from becoming a C. Not sure how far along they are.

What LRIP were they part of?

Tail Hook = Pilot Porn