And a 100 mm (or a 150mm 6inch) mortar mounted in truck outside the fence could get the F35 with a few 100.00 shells.
Remember Pearl Harbor. The enemy didn’t attack the way they were “supposed to”.
“And a 100 mm (or a 150mm 6inch) mortar mounted in truck outside the fence could get the F35 with a few 100.00 shells.”
Point 1: Mortars aren’t anti-aircraft artillery.
Point 2: The F-35S will likely fly mostly at night if we can force the operational tempo (although IR does mitigate that if available).
Point 3: F-35S will mostly be paired with Small Diameter Bombs that are launched from 30+ miles away, from high altitude. AA guns would never be close enough for a shot.
‘Remember Pearl Harbor. The enemy didn’t attack the way they were “supposed to”.’
F-35s and stealth should be effective for decades. There are radars that can “see” stealth aircraft, but they aren’t useful for targeting, they’re too imprecise. Further, such radars can’t be carried by aircraft, they use long wavelengths and thus require large antennas. Radar guided air-to-air missiles are in even worse shape due to their small size.
It’s all down to IR missiles, and those can’t see through clouds. Also practical plane-mounted high powered lasers are coming soon, and those will blind IR missiles with almost no effort.
Or a half-dozen jihadis with a $5,000 SAM and one with binoculars. Spot jet contrails, point everyone that way and let ‘em rip, pilot now has a biiig problem.