Wow this thread delivers! Nothing like an argument to get a broad spectrum of opinion.
The Raptor is an extension of a correct mentality that weapons systems should be designed to cover every contingency to a extreme degree.
Ah I see. Interesting. So in a way you're saying since the rest of the performance was so far above everything else you might as well have TV as well. And the performance is especially provided by going very fast efficiently. I presume supersonic manoeuvring is very much limited by pilot G. There are some stealth implications of manoeuvring without moving surfaces, correct?
You can't find the requisite info to intelligently discuss it on the internet or in commercial circulation no matter how hard you look, unless you take a fairly specific set of courses at a limited number of universities, and even then you won't know anything about the tactical implications. If you possessed that info, you wouldn't be discussing it anyhow.
You're right about the tactical information Eagl, that's not even easily inferred. However I don't want to alarm you chaps in your locked bunker but stealth technology isn't that complex to work out. There's a couple of essential scientific papers which if you read a couple of times and especially look at 5 gen aircraft to see how it's applied you very quickly put the design possibilities and restrictions together. With radar only the other way of course is to look at radar reflectors and then do the opposite
Us non-bunker people and academics not working in that field don't have the test equipment of course (although I do have a microwave oven) but that's a refinement level really. Principals are known.
Supersonic intake design, now that's a really tricky one. I'm twenty papers in with six months part-time work and still solutions are not intuitive.
Without divulging and classified information can I ask you one question though? Do you have a lift like in 'Spies Like Us'?
Because I have no idea what I am jabbering on about 
Standard.
