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Cruise missiles are $1m a piece and exist in precious quantities. In the previous conflicts, we'd only used them to soften up the air defense network, then send

Cruise missiles are $1m a piece and exist in precious quantities. In the previous conflicts, we'd only used them to soften up the air defense network, then send in the B-2's to take out the rest of the air defenses once its safe for them to fly. Once the B-2's are done, then its only safe to bring in regular fighters, choppers, troop transports, tanks, and bombers. I'm not sure how the F-35 fits into this. One of the issues with the B-2's is that our fleet is tiny and they're super-expensive to run and carry limited ordinance. I suspect they may take some pressure off the B-2's with their mixed role.

Ras_ 11y ago
F-35 is the stealthy sensor platform that can go closer to identify and target. Unlike F-22 it does air to ground as well. It doesn't necessarily have to be the platform that does all the shooting. It can spot for non-stealthy planes further back, or for land/sea based platforms. Basically the killer app of F-35 is providing better situational awareness to the whole coalition force operating in the area. It's much more valuable as a force multiplier than on its own. Super Hornet and the rest of that generation can hold their own 1v1, but they don't provide a similar benefit to the rest of system. It remains to be seen whether F-35 makes even EW jets like Growler obsolete. I suspect that the added human workload part of EW (F-35 doesn't have two seaters) is harder to overcome than developing suitable pods. They will be carrying cruise missiles too. Because $1m is quite a bit less than $100m (the plane).
deleted 11y ago
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