
weasel1962 wrote:That's why the AV-8s would likely have to lug 2 x 300 gal tanks which would add ~4000lbs of fuel.
The context of the stated 300 mile combat radius for AV-8B was including the fuel tanks.
kimjongnumbaun wrote:The S-200 fires missiles that travel at mach 8 and carry a 478lb warhead. If you honestly believe that the F-35 was hit by this and survived to land back in Israel, then it can take a hit better than an M1 Abrams.
I don't believe an Israeli F-35 was hit by an S-200, but it is entirely possible for an aircraft to be damaged by an S-200 and return to base since we're not talking about a kinetic strike. It's a proximity fuse blast frag so not quite so black and white as did the missile hit or not hit the aircraft more like how close was it when it exploded, which direction were they flying relative to each other, etc. It could explode at a distance such that some fragments hit the target but the majority did not.