Eurofighter upgrades

[102first_hussars]

What we got here is an aircraft, that is 10 more advanced thatn the F-15 Eagle, and youre telling me that the USAF is only going to Order a total of 450 of these aircraft, whereas the F-15 EAGLE, was the most Advanced Air Superiorty Fighter of its time


That is Horse ****

Maybe The USAF has a monopoly on the world right now in terms of technology, since the fall of the Iron Curtain, there is limited need for such a plane

but the threat in the middle east is more than enough justification to put such an advanced peice technology into production

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

To be honest 200 to 250 is probably eneogh. The aircraft is capable eneogh. You wont need thousands of them. Yeah I would up to 400 to 450 but 1000's is not needed.

 

[Glider]

The danger is and its one that I have said before, is that for the last 25 years the F15 and F16 were the class act to beat. No one could touch the combination and they ruled the export markets.

Now the USA have the F22 and the F35. The F22 is to expensive and to secret to sell to anyone (recently the USA refused to offer it to Japan one of the few countries to afford it and banned the sale to Israel), the F35 can probably be beaten in a fight with the Eurofighter and would be hard pushed (maybe beaten, its to early to tell) by the Grippen and the Rafael.
Overseas buyers now have options and good ones at that. Don't get me wrong, I am confident that the USA will sell a good number of F35's , but sales will not match the numbers of F15's and F16's. This could have a major impact on your industry.

 

[Matt308]

the F35 can probably be beaten in a fight with the Eurofighter and would be hard pushed (maybe beaten, its to early to tell) by the Grippen and the Rafael.
QUOTE]

Eurofighter? Maybe. Gripen? Don't bet on it. F-35 would cream it. Lockheed didn't coin the term 5th generation fighter for nothing. Only after doing so, did all the other world fighter manufacturers adopt the term.

And give it time. F-22 will be exported. Eventually. Think China. I'm convinced that more will be built to address that threat.

 

[Glider]

Be fair I did say its to early to tell and it may well be hard pushed as opposed to be beaten.
Wish I knew what happened at the Red Flag.

 

[Matt308]

Glider, depends on the engagement scenario. If you are talking about a furball then things are a bit more on equal footing. But the F-35's strength is avoiding furballs and engaging BVR. With stealth, passive sensors, AESA radar and netcentric data exchange, the F-35 would likely destroy the Gripen before the Gripen could even detect the F-35. This concept has been proven over and over again as a viable force multiplier.

 

[Glider]

Agreed but the big question is the BVR scenario. When was the last time the USA allowed its aircraft freedom to fire BVR on a regular basis?

 

[Matt308]

Libya, GWI, GWII...

I hear ya Glider. Kinda like the argument during Vietnam about F-4 not needing guns. "If our planes are not capable of dominating a furball, is that proper planning". I think the answer is that the technology to make a highly maneuverable fighter is available to virtually all world states. What is the tie breaker is to ensure that the type of fight that makes equals of mice and elephants is avoided. This is where the BVR doctrine is the force multiplier and the the background for AWACS, netcentric data dissemination, stealth, supercruise and AESA attack capabilities. You avoid those scenarios that puts you on a more equal footing, and capitalize on technologies that are not available to your enemies. Eurofighter has most of those. Gripen does not.