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......You haven't yet explained your post about the AIM-120 thermal seeker.
I never stated nor remotely suggested AIM-120 has a thermal seeker. Midcourse it can be command guided or it can fly to a waypoint using internal inertial guidance. Terminal guidance is purely active homing RF.
I am curious.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.....why is the F-35 especially adept at tracking its own missiles and, second, how does it do that passively?
I'm NOT talking about the command guidance, which is currently only one-way anyway. F-35 has the ability to track the missile(s) it shoots both via its own radar and via its passive IR system. No other aircraft can do that. And both the RF and IR pictures are linked to other F-35s in the fight to maintain a more complete and more accurate air picture that is updated at a much higher rate than any other aircraft.
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.
My use is similar to yours. Specifically, once one has built up an air picture, as time passes that air picture becomes increasingly stale and uncertainty about what the situation is now vs what it was increases. Uncertainty can be removed/mitigated by updating the air picture with fresh AND accurate data. In short, the pilot loses situational awareness without constant updates of the air picture, which he/she must build up manually. The F-35's sensor suite and datalinks provide more data at higher rates than any other aircraft, including the F-22. In addition, the system's ability to fuse the raw data from multiple sensors makes the data more accurate and the F-35's ability to display this data to the pilot in a meaningful and intuitive manner is unmatched, even by F-22. In short, the F-35 pilot remains more situationally aware of the entire air picture and uncertainty of the air picture is mitigated if not eliminated entirely.
And finally, current US (USAF, USN and USMC) air doctrine is to fire weapons at 3 to 30 miles and avoid the furball. I can't speak for other nations. A big part of that engagement envelope is within visual range and the AIM-120 is most certainly a capable weapon anywhere in that envelope. So the characterization that when fighting visually stealth is no asset because only IR missiles will be used is just plain false for two reasons:
1. Radar guided missiles are most certainly used in visual air engagements
2. F-35 stealth is about a LOT more than just RF. F-35 has a lower IR signature than F-22 in nearly every aspect other than tail on. So yes, stealth most certainly matters even in a visual engagement.