Originally Posted by KenV
Agreed. However, although the missile does not link back its location, the launch platform can track it along with the intended target. F-35s are especially adept at tracking their own missile(s) and can even do so passively. If the missile strays and/or the target maneuvers to avoid the missile the missile can be redirected and/or never have its terminal homing guidance switched on. And I agree that even in this situation, plenty of uncertainty remains. However, the F-35s combination of sensors and sensor fusion means the probabilities go up significantly in favor of a successful shot and successful kill.
I'm sorry, that is absolutely not true. There has never been any functionality such as that. Any more than AIM120 has a thermal seeker. Your posts are not making sense to me. There is no reason whatsoever why the F-35 should be any better at supporting AIM120 than, for example F-15. The command guidance is what it is, and it doesn't matter what platform that guidance comes from. The missile doesn't "stray" unless it has malfunctioned or lost guidance - in either case nothing is going to correct that; the missile is effectively defeated.
My use of the term "uncertainty" has nothing to do with what the guy in the cockpit thinks, it's to do with the mx search parameters when it decides to go active. Uncertainty is a technical term, not an expression of not being certain about what is going on.
Two of your comments there interest me. First, why is the F-35 especially adept at tracking its own missiles and, second, how does it do that passively?
You haven't yet explained your post about the AIM-120 thermal seeker. I am curious.