How broken up will some StrategyPage posters be when the F-35 program office finally reveals the F-35 elecronic warfare suite will include not only state-of-the-art ESM but also state-of-the-art ECM, ECM that will include not only the very powerful X-band jamming capabilities that will be found in the APG-81 AESA radar, but also include both on-board jamming and towed decoys? If that day arrives, then so much for the F-35 "only" having an RCS of something like 0.002dBsm using "only" passive stealth (which of course already won't be the case in X-band). Won't it be funny if everyone sees that the formula for success with the F-35 is VLO + ECM = nearly invisible to RF? I admit I'll be disappointed if this doesn't turn out to be true... but I also admit I'm going to be ROFLMAO if it does turn out to be true.
Keep your eyes on Electronics & Integrated Solutions, which both makes the latest ALE-55 towed decoy and also happens to be "responsible for the F-35's electronic warfare suite and is also providing advanced, low-observable aperatures and countermeasure systems." |