Without repeating the expert commentary available at Air Power Australia, can a mug pilot tell if the JSF (F-35) is really a fighter of practical use for airspace domination?
I think so.
The airframe is small. Small airframes are associated with limited fuel capacity and thus range. A small airframe won't carry a lot of bulky, heavy weaponry plus heaps of internal fuel to fly fast for a long way. Wouldn't that be expecting too much?
Wouldn't a small airframe be struggling to carry much weaponry internally? If you stack it up with external stores (weapons/fuel) won't it be slow and unstealthy?
Over a long service life wouldn't the loss rate of pilots and airframes be higher with a single engine? No? But aren't they saying that the engine will run at elevated temps compared to current engines? Might this not suggest lower reliability. Sounds reasonable.
Wouldn't a super hot tailpipe tend to suck in heatseakers as the pilot ran for home with a low fuel problem? No one is claiming this to be a fast aircraft. So....isn't it likely to get run down on the way out of an engagement? Some of those Sukhois get crackin', I believe.