sferrin wrote:
You're missing the point (again). If it comes to hauling larger weapons the F-15 beats the F-35 hands-down. This is not even a question.
My problem is:
The only payload hauling advantage in the high-end fight is standoff; the end of the INF treaty pretty
much ends the need to do standoff from fast jets.
1. TELs are cheaper to own and operate,
2. TELs have better pre-launch survivability
3. TELs an reload faster
4. the SRMs for the weapons themselves don't incur the cost and other penalties needed to
handle the under-wing/high-speed/high-altitude release environment from fast-jets.
5. TELs are a weapons system previously operated by the Air Force