Originally Posted by JSFfan
well thank you for your opinion. I'll take onboard that you think it's "very difficult for an F-35 with its narrow band reduced signature to get anywhere close to Chinese targets."
Would you like to validiate it with a link?
You just don't get it, do you?
Everyone with 101 radio knowledge knows the size matters in respect to wavelength and RCS.
Why?
Because, (an)isotropy of a radio return (and scatter) depends on the size of the antenna (reflector), which are aircraft features in this case (wings, fins, intake mouth, etc.)
There's no fighter sized aircraft in this world, stealthy against low freq. radars, although the F117's geometry made the most progress in the class.
So yes, F35 is probably the stealthiest NATO manned aircraft after the F22, but it doesn't mean, EVEN BY A LONG SHOT, it can penetrate enemy airspace unobserved.
Read this link to get a clue what are strategic radars capable of doing today (some are even mobile!).
WILKENING-EUROPEANMISSILEDEF.PDF - download now for free. File sharing. Software file sharing. Free file hosting. File upload. FileFactory.com
About APA's figures...they conditioned their calculations with generic RAM, so actual material may produce differences in the final result.
Finally, about your claim one can't calculate RCS from a 3D model...
How do you think LM came up with the initial layout for the F35, in the first place?
I suppose you believe they built and scrapped actual plane after plane, until radar showed KPP values, right?