The problem with being reliant on keeping the fight BVR is that political considerations can preclude engaging targets without first having a visual ID (see USAF in Vietnam for example) and you don't want to be forced into visual range if you are flying an aircraft that is inadequate in that area.
Hopefully the F-35 well be fixed before it is really needed, another example of a total failure that was eventually fixed was the F-111.
It will be very expensive to fix.
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