
marauder2048 wrote:You can't summarily reject other techniques just because you aren't conversant with them.
Not really. I'm just doing what you are doing. Ignoring the rest except in your case, you're ignoring the most plain & obvious thing.
marauder2048 wrote:Even the F-15SE wasn't claiming any meaningful infrared signature reduction.
Not sure why would the F-15 want to do so when its engines are already significantly less hot. Its like saying the A-10 should claim no 1 for IR signature because of its turbofan engines. Everyone already knows that as a fact except maybe the magic plane rah rah band. On the rest of the plane, why can't legacies use low-E paint?
Of course the F-35 needs brilliant thermal IR signature management. Its running the hottest engine out there. If they didn't do anything, the plane would be more of a lighthouse than it already is.