Hmmm,
Lots of interesting points and questions.
F-3 chaps. I hear your blow through argument. It is (was) all well and good if you don't (didn't) suck up a weapon in the face just prior to it and the other guy's turn and stern WEZ don't (didn't) come and get you afterwards.
F-35 types. I like the notion of not being seen - but can you really not be seen by anything? Because if you can someone can launch at you. And given the length of time this programme is taking we are giving the opposition enough time to develop things as out landish as fighters launching on link tracks provided by surveillance or even IR sensors...ground, air or space based.
So whilst you can probably rely upon beating a Fulcrum who is using the I and J band to try to find you - are we really convinced that those exploiting other parts of the EM spectrum will have the same issues?
Courtney - whilst I completely agree with your BVR thinking it seems a shame to spend so much on this aeroplane, and in particular making it LO and then operating it in a legacy mindset which will (think tropopause
) result in every man and his dog being able to see the thing.
Turn performance you say. Give me 9X and a Joint Helmet and I won't even bother looking in the tactics manual for what your figures are!