From day one first blood was spilled between PVO vs air force engagement US has tried to break PVO in mid-altitudes using different formations, different maneuvers, different ECM, different decoys and still PVO stood firm, US than tried using planes at hi-altitude and hi-speed still to no avail than it tried breaking PVO units with low lvl penetrations with mix success depending on the adversary and high hovering AWAC like UAV would crush confidence of US air force generals stopping all talk in its tracks. Perhaps a combo of AWACS and ECM like UAV would make even more sense and for ECM weapon and trust even Al-31 would do meaning UAV the weight of MiG-29 will long 90 degrees angled wings.
I think that as a superpower US confidence can not succumb to the role of the night thief with only low lvl penetrations as for a major war it needs room to act and that can be achieved only at all altitudes as only some will severely limit its efficiency since ECM was deemed as inefficient given double digits PVO systems that started to emerge in the east and crushed their confidence hence stealth for the promise of a easy win and now when stealth is being blocked also they face dilemma what to do, press on with initial thought or risk facing laughter of the world for now exposed weakness in persistence which will of them tell more than combined all technical secrets stolen by China.