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Yep, they’re betting on standoff weapons and having ROE that actually allow their use in that role. When was the last time US pilots were cleared to engage BVR without positive visual ID on their target?

Yep, they’re betting on standoff weapons and having ROE that actually allow their use in that role. When was the last time US pilots were cleared to engage BVR without positive visual ID on their target?

If you look at the F-35 there's a little diamond-shaped glass enclosure under the nose. That contains a pretty powerful TV camera (part of the FLIR/Targeting suite) that can look out and allow visual identification from MUCH further away than the Mk.1 Human Eyeball. Pushing out "BVR" limitations to about the same range as an AIM-120 ...

The F-14 Tomcat had a similar camera with TCS. And the later model F-4 Phantoms (E) models had essentially the same thing with TISEO.

Another thing is that the F-35's radar might be powerful and sophisticated enough to actually render a good image of an approaching bogey from BVR distances. There are some declassified B-2 radar-rendered images out there on the 'net that are actually pretty close to decent black and white photos.

“When was the last time US pilots were cleared to engage BVR without positive visual ID on their target?”

Desert Storm. F-15C’s would troll for MiGs with their sensors ahead of a strike package (usually at night when you aren’t dogfighting anyway). With AWAC’s support they had pretty good ‘situational awareness’ as to who was a good guy, and therefore who was a threat. From what I’ve read there was a suggestion that once the F15C’s radars lit-off they could positively ID the MiG’s before firing.

Now all this works when you have the full array of assets in-theater AND the other side is flying Soviet/Russian stuff (as opposed to say French or US-build stuff). What happens if we lock horns with Turks flying F-16’s?