Originally Posted by
LateArmLive
It's still a subsonic launch platform with no real survivability against a peer state adversary. Yes, you could make it worth with huge cash investment, or you could continue investing in current capabilities.
Originally Posted by
frodo_monkey
Couldn’t agree more - yes you could ‘bolt it on’ relatively easily, but proper integration takes a lot of time and a huge amount of cash; at the end you’d still only be left with a BVR-equipped Harrier. Better to spend the money on more F35s.
The air threat from offshore has a wee problem with a substantial population with an independent streak, good education, lots of CMS, and a bevy of MANPADS. Air assets are going to be going fishin'... brand X has a big swim to make. CAS at the beachheads will be a high risk but high reward caution to the other side, but the boat people will be also busy with ducking portable missiles and ATWs. Presumably the guys that make most of our electronics have been watching YouTube and might have some novel ideas thanks to the lessons gifted by Vlad's vacation in Eastern Europe. High value assets like battleships make great targets, as do airports etc. to have any air assets, VSTOL seems to add some options and frustrations for a relatively low overhead. Being parsimonious, the AV8 is a fair price point for a cat C stores item. Much prefer brand X working on their economy and on biohazard prevention; F-35s didn't do much against CoViD.