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It would make no sense for the supercruise requirement to specify a Mach number only with no other conditions, I'm willing to bet the USAF also set out an associated endurance figure. So the Raptor, while easily fast enough, may have failed to meet the latter considering that its internal fuel capacity is not actually that impressive (less than the F-35A/C, IIRC!).EDIT: Well, seems I've been well and truly beaten to it I think the Mach 1.6 figure is merely a performance requirement, not necessarily the actual capability of the aircraft, so in theory it could be faster. As for the inlets, at least in terms of fundamental limitations DSI intakes should not be that restrictive as the test installation on the F-16 was flown throughout the entire envelope (which would imply Mach 2.0). However, as erkokite says the F-35 just doesn't seem to tick the right boxes, at least from a superficial point of view.Like LO, I have also been told (don't remember where or by whom) that supercruise was not a stated requirement for the Typhoon - other performance requirements combined to define an aircraft which would be capable of doing it.
It would make no sense for the supercruise requirement to specify a Mach number only with no other conditions, I'm willing to bet the USAF also set out an associated endurance figure. So the Raptor, while easily fast enough, may have failed to meet the latter considering that its internal fuel capacity is not actually that impressive (less than the F-35A/C, IIRC!).
EDIT: Well, seems I've been well and truly beaten to it
I think the Mach 1.6 figure is merely a performance requirement, not necessarily the actual capability of the aircraft, so in theory it could be faster. As for the inlets, at least in terms of fundamental limitations DSI intakes should not be that restrictive as the test installation on the F-16 was flown throughout the entire envelope (which would imply Mach 2.0). However, as erkokite says the F-35 just doesn't seem to tick the right boxes, at least from a superficial point of view.
Like LO, I have also been told (don't remember where or by whom) that supercruise was not a stated requirement for the Typhoon - other performance requirements combined to define an aircraft which would be capable of doing it.
