The USAF has now discovered a fact of modern life that was first discerned by Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton:' that C = the speed at which your indiscretions are blasted around the planet.
Reviewing the comments on the thread started by Dave Fulghum, though, the question that occurs to me is this: How will the world's fighter marketeers, who knock Jesuits into a cocked hat when it comes to lining up arguments pointing to a predetermined conclusion, play this? A few thoughts:
Everyone who isn't JSF, including F-22 capaigners, will renew their attacks on JSF's current missile limits:' four internal AMRAAMs, no internal AIM-9X.
Boeing people will be trumpeting the fact that they have two in-production fighters with working, export-ready AESAs.
Raytheon and Northrop Grumman will be pushing their new retrofit AESAs.
Rafale people (once they have gotten over the imputed slurs on the French warrior mentality) will be pointing out that they were 'sucking up the trons' in order to cue up IR MICAs with Spectra and launch silent attacks, while simultaneously tossing cows at the invading English knyggets. Didn't notice the IR MICAs on the Rafales at Red Flag?
The Gripen guys will observe that if a MiG-21's small size makes it bad news, do you want to go up against a MiG-21-size jet with an AESA and a load of Meteors?
And so on. Let the games begin...
"(Via Ares.)