I recently went to an Airshow in Scotland and was blown away by the owsome speed of the Eurofighter, but is it a better aircraft than the F16, Sukio 29?
2006-10-19 02:06:47 · 10 answers · asked by BRYAN D 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
I love some of the inaccuracies in the posts above. Firstly, ground attack capability was not an afterthought to attract export orders, Typhoon was always planned to be a multi-role swing fighter. For operational reasons the air-to-air capability took priority, as some of the customers had an urgent need to replace some of their fighter force - Italy is the prime example here, who were forced to lease fighters to cover a short-term gap in capability, initially Tornado F3 and now F-16. The full ground attack capability is now being added incrementally but, even 'out of the box', Typhoon does have a useful GA capability.
Secondly, 'obsolescent', really?!! Yes, Typhoon is now in service with units in all four countries, the RAF are in the early stages of working up their fourth Squadron, 11 (F) Squadron. The USAF found out exactly how 'obsolescent' the Typhoon was when two F-15s from Lakenheath 'bounced' a couple of Typhoons in the early days of trials from Warton; they very swiftly found their won tails comprehensively waxed! Obsolescence is a relative thing, I have seen camera gun footage from an EE Lightning clearly showing F-15 and F-16 fighters - at the time they were cutting edge yet, with the right pilots, an early '60s design could still sometimes get the better of them.
Probably the only aircraft that can outfly Typhoon easily will be the F-22, but even then it's going to depend on the pilot; comments about the Russian flight tactics miss the point that most of those can be done by the latest Western fighters, including the later F-16s and the French Rafale. Eurofighter Typhoon has flown in exercises with the F-22 but, significantly, there have never been any reports of the results! Could this be that the USAF was already rather embarrassed by the Cope India exercises?
So let's not be naive. The USAF can afford the luxury of a dedicated fighter (the F-22) and a dedicated fighter-bomber (the F-35), most other nations will need to look at a swing-role fighter; Typhoon is probably the best in that role in the world today, notwithstanding the excellence of the later F-16 models.
2006-10-19 21:18:47 · answer #1 · answered by AndyG45 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is newer and more advanced than both the F16 and the Su29, but then they have both been in service for almost 20 years now.
It is however not better than the latest generation of US fighter aircraft such as the F22 Raptor.
It is a good aircraft but it has taken such a long time to get from the design to the production stage that by the time it enters service it was/will be obsolesant (not sure whether it has reached front line units yet).
2006-10-19 10:13:31 · answer #2 · answered by PETER F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While Typhoon may be better than the F-16 and MiG 29 or SU-27, it is no were near being the best fighter-bomber.
It's ground attack capability is new to the design and somewhat of a late addition to try and win some foreign orders (Italy).
F-35 JSF is a much better aircraft, incorporating stealth technology.
As far as European aircraft go, I prefer the Saab Grippen!
Overall, the very best fighter around is the F-22 raptor!
2006-10-19 14:57:47 · answer #3 · answered by frankclau 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The eurofighter is a very fascinating aircraft.
But I have reason to believe that the MiG-MFI or the Su-30MKI are better aircraft than the F-22.
My fav aircraft is the Avro Arrow.
2006-10-19 16:03:02 · answer #4 · answered by Spamble 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's a fantastic aircraft - I don't know if it's the complete best though...being funded by 4 nations has meant it has faced delays and continuous problems from the start...but having seen it at air shows and displays I believe it's one of the best out there..
2006-10-19 18:00:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The aircraft is yet to be tasted in a combat situation how ever it takes 20 on-board computers just to keep the aircraft in level flight as it is the most unstable aircraft in the world, the more unstable an aircaft is the more manoverable it is.
2006-10-19 13:47:15 · answer #6 · answered by ab_zg 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
absolutely. Well of course sukio 29 can do things no other plane can. But eurofighter is the best of the best!
2006-10-19 09:08:49 · answer #7 · answered by giwrgoulakis 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Its the best fighter short of the F22 raptor
2006-10-19 09:48:27 · answer #8 · answered by bolounit1 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It has to prove itself in combat before it can join the ranks of the F16, F15, Tornado, etc.
2006-10-19 11:32:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The eurofighter is the best plane ever built. it has great speed and a lots more but it is preety expensive
2006-10-19 09:10:01 · answer #10 · answered by IoWnYoUsObAd 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋