Frankly, the Telegraph article is pure twaddle. The F3 is cleared for ASRAAM and AMRAAM in addition to Sidewinder and Skyflash. The missiles fielded by the RAF in the Falklands, over Iraq and on QRA over London are operating decisions based on many factors. The AOP, currently under development (and going well) will improve the AMRAAM capability of the F3. To date, the RAF have never fired an AMRAAM off an F3 in trials. The only such trials have been conducted by BAE SYSTEMS, and there were no wingmen to endanger. In any case, the trials were a complete success. As I said, the Telegraph is talking through its jet-pipe, and not for the first time on defence matters
I suspect that a disgruntled SHAR advocate is behind this fiction. I dont want to get into that debate, but bad-mouthing the F3 will not reverse a decision taken after the best advice available was digested. That does not mean, of course, that the advice was good, merely the best available. If you have ever worked in the MoD, you'll understand.
Meanwhile, the chaps are very impressed by ASRAAM. The Service firings of this missile were extremely impressive.
Given the weapons suite and JTIDS the F3 is a formidable platform.