AI Air Defense

[Wdll]

1 x EF-35B Ferret SEAD EW=11
4 x F-35B Lightning II Fighter-Bomber EW=8
2 x F-35B Lightning II COIN EW=8

And you still failed? Weird. Perhaps just bad lack. Then again I don't trust F-35, in game or in real life. It feels like a black hole sucking money with doubtful usage against anyone with more than one Radar.

You don't call:
3 x MIM 23B HAWK
2 x Pantsy1-S1
6 x SA-6 Gainful
12 x Igla-1 MPAD
4 x Type 86/88 SPAA
2 x Cobra AA
overpowering?

What is????

I would probably not buy the Igla or the AA guns, but the rest are fine when it knows you will probably use your superior airforce. Don't forget that each point spent on that is a point not spent on land forces.

I totally agree ... and this is EXACTLY my point.

What is your point? That when the enemy has strong air defense and you can only send a couple of planes at a time, you have a good chance of failing? Doh!

Or that the AI simply uses so many points in air defense as to not let you do whatever you want over the skies? If yes, then basically it does the smart thing since anything less would let you(as the player) to do whatever you want.

Simple solution I mentioned earlier. Either use good stealth force or more planes. If you can't, then don't use them at all. It makes sense.

Use them when it makes sense. Just because you can use airforce it doesn't mean you should or that it will work.
I am quite good at using planes by now and 90% of the time I find myself in trouble is when I decide taking a risk, ie too few planes.
I have won battles and campaigns, against humans just using the airforce, and I have lost air fleets in a couple of turns due to bad choices. It's all part of the game/battle.