Interestingly, even though it will probably not embed simulated shipborne or remote base operations (that are what the F-35Bs, in spite of the limited range and internal weapons capacity, was somehow designed to conduct) the Marine Corps will expand the role of the 5th Gen. aircraft in RF, covering also EW and CSAR support tasks.
A RF mission is usually made of 20-25 adversaries: not only aircraft, but also ground-to-air threats, moving and unknown threats etc. In other words, the old fixed scenario has become much more “dynamic” requiring a real-time “combat battlefield” coordinator.
Therefore, the most recent RF scenarios aim to develop the ability to fuse all the combat capabilities. In this context, the F-35 brings to the package the ability to penetrate deep into the most complex and “unknown” environments providing the “overall control” of the battlefield. The F-35, as well as any other modern aircraft with similar sensor fusing ability, can also work in a complementary fashion with the 4th generation fighters, sharing the information with all the other “players” while providing its own amount of fire power to the team.
Stealth technology (capability to survive and operate effectively where others cannot) combined with 5th generation features (i.e. superior information management), were pivotal to achieve the overall RF’s mini-campaign results.
But no SpecOps involvement, Terrorist Attacks....Airborne Air Field seizures allowed by Opposing forces?
Just a very narrowly designed scenario that affords the Good Guys a chance to test their new kit and tactics in a controlled environment?
Are the Opposition allowed to wage war based upon known and suspected capabilities of potential enemies like the Russians, Chinese, and North Koreans or combinations of potential combinations of enemy forces where the "Bad Guys" might prevail no matter how the Friendlies operate?
I remember when Exercises were scripted and we found out how bad an idea that was....then there was far more ability for the "Bad Guys" to be....Bad Guys with freedom to be good at what they did and that model paid off handsomely.
As Red Flag morphs......is it regressing in seeking a desired outcome over being a genuine test of the gear and crews to determine weaknesses and failures?