[BroJoeK]

PIF: "one thing among many many that will and cannot change is the plane’s limited range.
It is a tanker queen; shoot down the tanker (Chinese strategy) and the plane is useless."

Here are some publicly reported combat radiuses:

• 340 miles F-16 Falcon
• 450 miles F-18 Super Hornet
• 530 miles F-22 Raptor 530
• 540 miles F-35B Lightning STOVL (Marines)
• 725 miles F-35A Lightning CTOL (Air Force)
• 730 miles F-35C Lightning CATOBAR (Navy)
• 1,200 miles F-15 Eagle

Of course, the F-15 is not carrying bombs and that would make a difference for the others listed here.

[PIF]

You missed the point - all the other planes are not “stealth” so carrying an external tank is not going to make that much difference in radar cross section. The F35 on the other hand takes a major hit even with a conformal tank.

The 35 can only approach or loiter near enemy territory without the tank and there in lies the limitation, so it needs a tanker ... often.