You know PR3D4TOR
I don't know even where to start. Your logic contradicts even basic physics.
The F-35 can visually identify targets at BVR ranges using the DAS optical system. Back in the day the F-14 could also visually identify targets at up to 60 miles using its AAX-1 TV camera slaved to the radar.
Do you know what weather is? Have you even noticed what weather is in Europe for example most of the time?
Even at clear skys of summer Middle East visibility of 60 miles virtually never exist.
Or maybe you think F-35's enemies will always fly at 30,000 feet?
The current production model the AIM-120D has a range of 180+ kilometers (presumably against large non-maneuvering targets)
Do you even know how missile range is calculate for publicity? At high altitude against head on target that comes close whe you fly at high speed towards the target. i.e. most favorable conditions. In reality it does not even comes close to that:
http://www.x-plane.org/home/urf/aviation/text/missiles/aam.htmlYou write that story...
You inspired me
ICEMAN'S WAR
by PR3D4TOR...
Edited down to reality by Artik
Now I'll add several fixes to your story. I'll do a small correction:
Eight
dual seat Super Vipers each carrying a maximum load of fuel,
ex-Indian LITENING G4 pod, two anti-ship missiles, two AMRAAMs and two
MICA IR (at least call them properly - French missiles %#^$^%)....
The range is dropping fast on the target brackets. 42 miles.
The Colonel's WSO directs his LITENING pod to the a single airborne target while the colonel concentrates on flying and penetration. The sky is crystal clear above the low clouds the pod easily detects the huge IR signature of 28,000lbf turbofan F-135. WSO zooms in and visually identifies the lonely F-35... easy meat....
A fraction of a second after the last AMRAAM left the rails "Betty" jettisons the spent wing pylon launchers along with the two remaining Sidewinders. "Iceman" is willing to forgo their future use in return for making his F-35 stealthy. A sudden jolt shoots through the F-35's airframe as explosive bolts blow the pylons away. A startled "Iceman" pulls his F-35 into a sharp climbing left-hand turn and punches out a couple of chaff canisters.
Unfortunately for "Iceman" The Colone's WSO watches the fat lightening II using his IR pod. He detects the lunch of 8 AMRAAMs and the inconsistency between the radar and the FLIR - for an experienced WSO it is clear what Iceman tries to do. He warn the formation the F-35 got stealthy and that enemy AMRAAMs in the air
At this point the story radically changes the direction.
Now when Lightning is stealthy and not operates his radar, Colonel sends 4 of his vipers to the cloud cover - without radar IR information F-35 can't send updates to AMRAAMs - so these birds are safe and pushing towards the fleet. All the pilots and WSO are warned of incoming missiles that should be in in about of 30 seconds are getting ready - ECM turned on, chaff being released. The tiny radars of AMRAAMs stand no chance to the latest Indian ECM (that was actually developed by ELTA).
Iceman turns back. He has no radar lock warning being sure that his stealth protects him. He does not realize that he was watched by IR Pod all the time. The Colone's WSO watches the target providing vital information and helps the Vipers above the cloud to perform classic bracket maneuver splitting the flight into two sections. Distance get closer and now 4 pilots above the clouds and WSOs watch the sky for the dark image of F-35 from 15 miles in classic VVR combat.
While performing evasive maneuvers Iceman has lost some of the SA. Now he back to the sensors and realizes that the track of 4 vipers was lost of 4 are still in the air now he is overloaded with information trying to gain back his SA. He misses 4 vipers performing a classic bracket, being overloaded he plays to the Vipers hands. Now he is in VVR with 4 Vipers, one pair on his 6 and another on his 12.
Unfortunately we don't know what happened next. Iceman never come back and all 16 anti-ship missiles were eventually lunched.Later the FLIR image of last moment of lonely F-35 attempting to save the fleet was published:
As an aftermath of the attack:
- USS George H.W. Bush was damaged by an attack of 8 Vipers and had to withdraw from the operation.
- New 6th generation concept of an aircraft was designed that would become true BVR plane instead of legacy 5th generation that still kept some of the VVR capabilities for ID.
- Boeing promises that 6th generation F-66 would do true BVR right unlike legacy 5th generation. It would cost only twice as 5th generation but would be 10 times more efficient.
- Navy plans to replace a fleet of 200 5th generation F-35C panes by 20 extremely efficient F-66C planes to allow cost savings.
- Space agency now requested that F-66S variant would be able to operate in space in addition to F-66B VTOL operations. Army requested it to be able to replace all aging Abrams tanks as well by F-66AT. Marines decided to drop their V-22 in favor of AVF-66 as troop transport and fighter in one. C-17 would be dropped in favor of F-66AC as transport aircraft.
- Boeing still have some minor problem that should be resolved soon in next two decades
