So the question I have is, how realistic is it that we will find F-35's in a visual range dogfight? I thought the whole idea of stealth technology was to avoid visual range dogfight.
Now I'm no pilot, but I read a report where a US Pilot flew a Mig 29 and he said a good pilot in the Mig 29 would probably chew up a F-16 mainly because the gun on the Mig is slaved to the radar and you can actually lock up the gun. Again, just something I read and I don't know how solid that is. For visual range engagements, the Russian aircraft are quite formidibile, but I still think it's going to come down to the quality of the pilot...and the big IF of ever getting into a visual range dogfight. I don't care how good an aircraft is, I wouldn't want to get into a visual range fight with an F-16 against a US pilot. It's probably the ultimate dogfighting aircraft.
And I would think that the F-35's radar would allow someone to avoid detection from 4th generation fighters until the point to where they can choose when and where to engage in a visual range fight.
