Ken,
You're overlooking the fact that it works both ways. You may not need to manoeuvre so hard to get a firing solution with HMS and other off-boresight features, but neither does your opponent. And you still need the g/turn rate/energy to defeat the bad guy's solution. Take the argument to its extreme (purely for illustrative purposes), do you think you can fly in straight lines shooting jets way off boresight and survive?
Off boresight is not new, we've been doing it for decades. It's an advantage if you're the only player in town that has it. Don't think it changes the laws of physics though.
Originally Posted by KenV
IF your opponent has significant air defense assets (and the training not to mention the will to use them effectively)
Are you suggesting that we plan on NOT going against a foe that has any of those qualities? If that is the case then either the F-35 is not necessary or it is inadequate. It is certainly starting to become more obvious that its air-to-air capability is very weak.
you send in air-superiority fighters (F-22 Raptor?) to sweep the skies before you send in your attack assets, or as escorts to protect your attack assets
Fine if you have Raptor, or indeed any other Air Superiority assets available. The Royal Navy is getting F-35 as its only fast jet. Are you now saying that it won't do the job for them?