by igorski » Thu Mar 17, 2005 3:12 pm
I've just read through this entrie thread, most interesting, the way i understand things currently are as follows:
Typhoon is roughly equivilant to F/A22, with the raptor having slightly better sustained turn rate (in the order of a few degrees/second faster) thus proving that the Typhoon dosnt really NEED thrust vectoring.. and begging the thought of what could happen it they were included.
However! The F/A22 has a unit cost of around twice that at Typhoon, making it very costly, especially to export, and Typhoon IS stealthy, perhaps not to the extent of F/A22, but it has got stealth incorperatred in the design. Also, typhoon can go vertical, when lightly loaded it has a thrust to reight ratio of > 1
Russia does have some good aircraft.. no ideas on numbers, but the latest versions of the flankers, fulcrums etc are not to be sneezed at, however Typhoon and presumabley FA/22 are designed to defeat these currrent aicraft, and their projected developements and/or replacements.
Numbers are useful, if the aircraft in question has long enough range, radar range and missile range to engage the opposition, now i'd assume that to some extent the typhoon, FA22 and other next gen aircraft will be able to engage aircraft such as Fishbed, earlier Flankers, and Fulcrums etc... before they even knew they were there.
And just to give the ruskis a fair deal, the SU47 or whatever its being called .. *the new FSW one* lol, it looks good, and with FSW design should be manouverable, but the object theses days is to shoot down your enemy from long range, and avoid a dogfight at all costs.. so its good to have manouverability as a backup, but a good set of BVR (beyond visual range) missiles and radar is a good first choice of capability!
hmm what else.. F15 is big and old, but still good until FA/22 is fully in service, then it will be outclassed I think, the F16, being small and very manouverable will be good for a while longer I think, same for F/A18.. I cant believe they want to Replace the F14 with them though!!!!! No way is the FA18 to the same standard as F14!
F35, a worthy replacement to Harrier I feel, the harrier will be THE original effective V/STOL aircraft (yeah there is a a russian one by Yakovlev i think, but is it to the same standard as Harrier?.. and it uses lift jets!) but I think the F35 is a good design.
Ok better stop there... just my thoughts for now.