https://www.businessinsider.com/f-22-pilot-describes-going-u...
Here's what a F-22 pilot (!) had to say about the F-35.
"It is challenging, even flying the Raptor, to have good [situational awareness] on where the F-35s are," he said.
Bowlds said that inserting F-35 aggressors into Red Flag made things "more challenging because there is a little bit of an unknown in terms of what they are going to be able to do."
Additionally, "red air detects are happening at further ranges," Bowlds explained. "It inherently poses more of a threat to allied blue-air forces than older aggressors," such as the fourth-generation F-16s.
The F-35s "have better detection capabilities kind of against everybody just because of their new radar and the avionics they have," he said. "It definitely adds a level of complexity."
1) it was ahead of the rest of the world when it came out
2) it spent a lot of time fighting older MIGs
Which is to say, the circumstances requires to get a real peer fight for a US plane are quite rare. Thankfully!
"...Stealth designs minimize an aircraft's radar signature, delaying and sometimes even preventing detection, but because of the physical requirements for tactical jets, stealth fighters can be easily spotted by certain low-frequency radar bands.
In fact, it's not even uncommon for air traffic control radar to be able to spot stealth fighters on their scopes. And we're not just talking about when these aircraft are carrying external munitions or fuel tanks, rather, even in full-on "stealth mode," F-22s and F-35s aren't as sneaky as you might think."
- https://www.businessinsider.com/radars-can-see-best-stealth-...
"...The F-35 can only tolerate supersonic speeds at high altitudes for short bursts before it sustains lasting structural damage and the loss of stealth capabilities..." - https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/five-problems-with-amer....
