Most Capable Fighter

Totoro

Major
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As far as I know over 40 Raptors, not counting test models, are already produced. It was an early series on which they also did some additional testing but they have started to assign them to USAAF squadrons this year. With ongoing production, by this year's end there may be close to 50 Raptors serving in USAAF. Full production will be 3 F22s a month.

Also, numerous sources cite that J10 is in service, in 20-40 numbers.

As for F14D, yes it's mighty capable but A) Phoenixes have been put out of service, all F14Ds now use Amraams and B) by 2007 even the last Tomcat will be put out of service, as well. It may not look like a smart move on USN's behalf but i guess that's politics/budget constraints for you. Plane's time has come and passed.

Finally, I don't understand why most of you put Superhornet behind f16 and the like. Yes, it's a slow and not as manouverable aircraft and it'd get creamed by most in close combat but it has great avionics and one helluva radar. In BVR combat I'd definitely put it above even newest f16 models.
 
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chinawhite

Banned Idiot
here is something you should know.

5 tips for a stealthy aircraft

1) Low RCS due to shape. This is probably the most simple modern way to make an aircraft stealthy. All new aircraft make use of this, by taking away right angles, and reducing the reflective surface of aircraft.

internal arms bays

2) Low RCS due to materials. THIS is the most important aspect. It is what seperates the US aircraft from the rest of the world. The thing is, there is absolutely NO WAY TO GET AROUND THE PRICE. It is simply the most expensive part of making a stealth aircraft, and also the most important. The materials and manufacturing techniques are just very expensive. This is what drives the price of stealth aircraft up. Now, if the US had so many problems building the Raptor after using these techniques on the F-117 and B-2 (not to mention other stealth aircraft that never even made it into service), how does China realistically keep the price equal to (much less under) that of the Raptor with no prior experience?


3) Thermal Stealth. Again, they could change the aircraft, but how much money are they going to sink into this aspect of the aircraft. It has no indications of any kind of thermal reduction, much less heat reduced engine configuration with a cooling system while also allowing for 2D thrust vectoring.

4) accoustic stealth. The engines are not in any way designed to dampen a sonic boom (and niether are the Raptors from what I know) so this aplies to niether aircraft.

5) Visual stealth. Paint schemes can cover this of course, but so can shape (as the BOP proves with it's shadow reducing shape). Niether aircraft shows any sign of this, and I doubt very much that China would invest so much money into this when they have yet to come out with a single aircraft based on radar stealth.
 

sumdud

Senior Member
VIP Professional
The F-14D Bombcat is in fact in existent, but being booted out by the Hornets.
I don't know about the supercruise, but I amd not surprised if it does. (I can supercruise on my mig-29 simmulator. :) )

I think the most capable combat planes are in an order similar to this:
Rafale
F-15
Mirage 2000
Flankers
F-16
Panavia Tornado
F-18
JAS-39
MiG-29
J-10
F-4
F-14
 

tphuang

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
VIP Professional
Registered Member
you need to be more specific with the variants of each of the planes you list.

for example:
su27m (su-35) > j-10 > su-27sk
mig29OVT > J-10 > mig29 basic
 

SABRE

Junior Member
FriedRiceNSpice said:
What fighter is the most capable in service today? For this discussion, only aspects of a pure fighter will be taken into account. For example, naval attack and interdiction will not be relevant. Here is a list of possible choices: Su-35, Su-30 MKI, Mig-29, Eurofighter Tycoon, SAAB Gripen, Dessault Rafale, F-16, F-15, F/A-18, J-10.
For the sake of discussion, the F-22 and F-35 are not in service yet, so do bring them up.

I once asked similar question from an military aviation expert. He said thats the most ediotic question he has ever herd. He told me to divide the groups of the fighters. Not all are same. (that was ediotic of him since i was asking best fighter all round :D )

Air Superiority Fighters:

1. Sukhoi Series (Su-30,35,37)
2. EF-2000 ( & its not Tycoon its Typhoon :D )
3. F-22
4. F-15
5. F-14

Some of these AirSuperiority fighters have good ground attack capabilities e.g: Sukhois but their classification does not change.

MultiRoles:

1. F-16
2. MiG-29/35
3. Mirage2000 Series (2000,2000-5,2000-9, 2000-5 mark2)
4. JAS-39 Gripen
5. F-35

The multiroles have good air combat capability but they do no match to the air superiority fighters even though they can smoothly combat out them.

Now your question should be. Which is best multirole fighter & which is best Air Superiority fighter.

My opinion is:

MultiRole = F-16
AS = F-15.

But if u r asking best all around than its F-16s.

Reason: Proven in Air to Air proven in Air to Ground department. The most produced fighter, the most upgraded fighter & only fighter which has gone through so many phases of upgradings that its generation keeps changine. Started 2.5 gen (with Block 10) & now 4.5th Gen (with Block 60E/F).
 
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walter

Junior Member
FriedRiceNSpice said:
What fighter is the most capable in service today? For this discussion, only aspects of a pure fighter will be taken into account. For example, naval attack and interdiction will not be relevant. Here is a list of possible choices: Su-35, Su-30 MKI, Mig-29, Eurofighter Tycoon, SAAB Gripen, Dessault Rafale, F-16, F-15, F/A-18, J-10.
For the sake of discussion, the F-22 and F-35 are not in service yet, so do bring them up.

If you are including J-10 and EF Typhoon, then it is only fair to include the F-22. The typhoon is still undergoing operational evaluation, as is the J-10, and the F-22 will be officially operational early 2006. Of course it is a more interesting discussion ommiting the F-22, I just wanted to point out the operational status of those other two in comparison.
 

walter

Junior Member
rommel said:
The F-14D also has the capablity of supercruise at Mach 1.2, for this last one, i'm not sure, i only heard, maybe someone can tell me ??

some fighters can supercruise in a clean configuration (ie no weapons load). I do not know if this is true for the F-14. However, this is useless for combat, unless it has fired all its missles and is turning to run.
 

tphuang

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SABRE said:
I once asked similar question from an military aviation expert. He said thats the most ediotic question he has ever herd. He told me to divide the groups of the fighters. Not all are same. (that was ediotic of him since i was asking best fighter all round :D )

Air Superiority Fighters:

1. Sukhoi Series (Su-30,35,37)
2. EF-2000 ( & its not Tycoon its Typhoon :D )
3. F-22
4. F-15
5. F-14

Some of these AirSuperiority fighters have good ground attack capabilities e.g: Sukhois but their classification does not change.

MultiRoles:

1. F-16
2. MiG-29/35
3. Mirage2000 Series (2000,2000-5,2000-9, 2000-5 mark2)
4. JAS-39 Gripen
5. F-35

The multiroles have good air combat capability but they do no match to the air superiority fighters even though they can smoothly combat out them.

Now your question should be. Which is best multirole fighter & which is best Air Superiority fighter.

My opinion is:

MultiRole = F-16
AS = F-15.

But if u r asking best all around than its F-16s.

Reason: Proven in Air to Air proven in Air to Ground department. The most produced fighter, the most upgraded fighter & only fighter which has gone through so many phases of upgradings that its generation keeps changine. Started 2.5 gen (with Block 10) & now 4.5th Gen (with Block 60E/F).
you have way too much confidence in the su-27 series. EF-2000 and F-22 and even F-15 will destroy it.
 
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