>>64425210
Just like they don't realize the F-35 can do mach 1.6 with a full internal combat loadout and fuel load, or completely clean. The F-16 may be able to do mach 2.0, but that's completely clean in a slight dive, after a couple minutes of full AB use. Once it hits mach 2 it has to refuel or land as that speed run used all of its internal fuel. But, put a center drop tank and a combat loadout on that F-16, and it will max out at mach 1.3. Same with the F-18 Hornet and Super Hornets. Mach 3 top speed looks good on paper, but it doesn't always translate to capabilities during wartime when you actually have to carry weapons, enough fuel to complete your mission, and sensors be it EW or targeting pods to also help complete your mission. Stripping all the paint off your fighter, taking out all the avionics not needed for an A-to-B speed run, and carrying just enough fuel to make the speed run and get back to the closest base is only good for bragging rights. Same with how Russia does with their air show prepped fighters to show how much more maneuverable their fighters are to US fighters. The problem with this is that they use specially prepped fighters that have all AOA, speed, and control surface movement rates and limits turned off, the engines tuned to kill, all avionics not needed for the air show taken out to save weight, and just enough fuel to do the air show and land right after, with the very best pilot the Russian military can find with basically unlimited flight hours and training funds thrown at him. With the F-22 and F-35 air shows, you get a war prepped fighter, with all the limiters on, all the avionics installed, stock engines, 50% fuel load, and a pilot that's competent, but not really anything special. Those F-22s F-35s could go to war right after the air shows unlike the Russian air show fighters. And any trained pilot can do those maneuvers in their own F-22 and F-35 in combat, unlike the average Russian pilot and their war prepped fighters.
