[stormcrowsx]

The F-15 is one of the most successful air superiority fighters in modern war history. It is not a dog fighter, its a huge aircraft with a lot of power and a high service ceiling. It got to be such a good air superiority fighter due to its ability detect and fire missiles at aircraft before they could. So I don't think the F-35 needs to dogfight, it just needs to be less detectable and a better detection system than its adversary.

I agree with the drones though, making cheaper drones and having a large quantity of them seems like a better strategy. A single plane can only carry so many missiles.

[gaius]

But the mission of the F35 is not air superiority, the RAF are using the Typhoon for that role, the US are using the F22. It will need to dogfight for self-defence when it's e.g. CAS mission gets interrupted by enemy aircraft, then it will be toast.