So what is the point of this thread - should we have bought Concorde instead of the F3 or what?
Maybe the performance of the interceptor is only relevant where it is necessary to fly close to or with the target. Modern weapons, radar and data systems enable lower performance aircraft to successfully engage higher performance aircraft.
Nevertheless, it is a lot easier to do the job if you have a performance advantage as we used to have in the days when the fighter was specified to have superior performance to the bomber. Now it seems we have to rely on technology and pure skill to get the job done.