[IronDuke99]

One further point on my last post. The gentleman speaking in the video, a former Royal Marine, suggested that area air denial could lead to even Western troops getting as little as 20% of expected air support or less.

The F35 (initially supposed to be an affordable multi-role aircraft) has a flyway cost that is never likely to be much less than US $100-120 million per single aircraft, depending on it being an 'A', 'B' or 'C'. Add to that the cost of often very expensive Western Precision guided munitions and, of course, an expensively trained pilot.

F35 has, mainly frontal arc, stealth technology (if it carries no external weapons, that means it cannot, even when based relatively close to the enemy, as in on a Carrier, carry a great deal).

Now I ask people to consider, in terms of simple common sense, what level of losses would be acceptable with this, very expensive, aircraft. Or, to put it another way, how good does an area air denial SAM system need to be before using F35, and losing some, becomes a game not worth the candle?

Lets say, for the sake of argument, a F35, loaded with smart weapons and an experienced pilot is worth $150 million (strictly just in money terms). Is an objective worth, perhaps, losing one? Three, five or even ten of them? Is that likely to include supporting an infantry company? Me, I have my doubts.

Doubts made stronger by hearing Crab (sorry RAF) officers talking about going 'down town' in F35 ( as a mere trog I always thought that term had very little to do with doing CAS, but a great deal to do with the old RAF 'independent air force' story).
Just some thoughts.