What is the best fighter aircraft?

Question

Name some planes close to its power/technology if you can.

The most modern and advanced fighter; does not have to have a prove history of success. I see some of you mentiong ME's and Mustangs.

The most modern and advanced fighter; does not have to have a proven history of success. I see some of you mentiong ME's and Mustangs.

Answer 1

All other things being equal, the F22 right now. Stealthy, fast, fuel efficient, highly manoeuverable, good ECM and active electronics. Right now I don't think there is anything else that could stand up to an F22 in a 1:1 engagement. In many to many it just continues that way, F22s are good at working together too.

Alternatives? The JSF may work quite well but it's early days. The Gripen, Eurofighter and Rafael are also better than the old favorites. On the Russian side the Su37 is worth a look, last I heard it had a tail mounted AI radar, so making it turn away doesn't deny it situational awareness like it does an aircraft with only a front mounted radar.

The old piston engine aircraft, despite the nostalgia votes, are nothing but low speed targets for modern fast jets. They don't need to get within gun range to kill them and the piston engine planes can't catch the jets.

The F117 isn't called the Wobly Goblin for no reason, it doesn't handle well. It also doesn't have a good air to air weapons fit or an AI radar. Not really a fighter.

There was a fighter version of the SR71 called the YF12A. You can't fly an SR71 over a modern military, they don't turn well at 85,000 feet and mach 3, so all you need is a decent modern fighter and some indication of the incoming track, then you loft a missle into their path and it's goodnight Vienna. To be a fighter you have to be able to engage other aircraft, all the SR71 can do is zoom past.

Answer 2

In an Air-to-Air role the F-22 easily takes it hands down for a number of reasons:

1. Its manueverability and thrust-to-weight ratio allows it to go supersonic without the use of afterburners. Its engines have adjustable nozzles which deflect up and down to add to the handling. The F-22 is just now being put in operational squadrons in the AF. As an aside, the F-15 was designed in 1974, the F-16 in 1976.

The F-22 is the replacement for the F-15. Its meant for more of a long-distance sneaky fight. The F-35 has similar features to the F-22 but its meant to be a standardized airframe for the USAF, USMC, and USN to replace the F-16, A-10, F-18, A/V-8.

2. Its radar and stealth features allow it to lock on, track, and shoot down an enemy fighter beyond the horzion. Its going to see the enemy fighter and get off a missile before the enemy fighter is even aware that the F-22 is in the area.

3. The United States has the best trained fighter pilots in the world hands down. The F-22 pilots are being transfered from F-16's and F-15's. The F-22 pilots come into the plane with at least 8 years of experience in another plane. Last I knew, new Lt's fresh out of the fighter training track arent getting assigned to F-22's. They are getting the older F-16s and a few are getting the F-15's.

For those who mentioned the SR-71 it a recon plane not a fighter. It was built for one reason only: Go fast, go high, take a lot of pictures. The SR-71 was pushed out of service by increases in Satellite technology. Interesting note on the SR-71 is that we bought the Titanium to build the plane from Russia...

The F-117 isnt a fighter either. Its a really just a small bomber. It's not meant to handle heavy g-loads imposed by cranking and banking like its F-15, 16, and 22 counterparts. The AF has actually had issues with airframes on the F-117s cracking from pilots pulling high g-manuevers in the plane.

Its closest non-US counterparts would be a MiG-29, Su-37, Eurofighter. Take one of those planes and equip them with a highly trained pilot and good avionics and good missiles and it might make a Raptor pilot slightly nervous.

All that being said, in a proven combat role, the F-15 has the best combat record. 104 Kills, 0 losses. (Half of those were by Israeli F-15 pilots)

Answer 3

IMO Mike has come up with the most sensible answer. Whilst the F-22 is undoubtedly technically the best fighter aircraft currently in production, in a combat situation a good pilot in a slightly less advanced fighter could well win out; look at the Indian AF in the recent Cope India exercises, and the old EE Lightning towards the end of it's career, still well capable of getting an F-16 into its gunsights!

F-22 is not the only aircraft that can 'supercruise' (go mach 1+ without afterburner), Eurofighter Typhoon can as well - I would be very surprised if the French Rafale and the latest versions of the MiG 29 and Flanker were not also supercruise capable.

Just one thought to leave you with. RAF Typhoons have been flown against F-22 Raptors in exercises. To date nothing more has been heard of these exercises which is odd, as you would have thought the USAF would want to demonstrate the effectiveness of the F-22?!! :-)

Answer 4

Su 37 (47). It has awesome combat maneuverability (it can do maneuvers no other aircraft can do) and excellent power to weight. Anything Russian is built like a tank.

I think the F-22 will be an operational nightmare in wartime with stray flak resulting in electronics malfunctions. Supercruise is no big deal, it has been around for ages (the BAC Lightning, the F-104, the Avro Arrow to name a few aircraft). It won't win dogflights. Neither will single-axis thrust vectoring. The design of the F-22 has been so long in coming (first flight 1990) that many of its features could be obsolesent.

Pilot skill is an important factor as well. In Vietnam, slower Mig 17s shot down more F-105s and F-4s than they should have been able to by taking advantage of the Mig's low speed maneuverability.

And Canadian flighter pilots have repeatedly taken highest honors over Amercian pilots at fighter meets like Tiger and Red flag.

Answer 5

I was under the impression that the British Harrier jump jets, performed so well against the U.S. Marines aircraft in a training combat mission, that they promptly ordered them for their own forces! and now manufacture them under licence. And they are not a very fast air plane at all! It's just that when they are under attack they have the ability to slow down rapidly! Thus putting themselves behind the attacking fighter, then shooting him down! They have very advanced electronic target tracking abilities which no doubt put the Argentinians at a distinct disadvantage! The Falkland conflict was a good theatre of war to see them in action! There were many enemy aircraft that came to grief going up against them! And the Marines no doubt have advanced their capabilities out of sight by now. Have a good day!

Answer 6

The one that wins. Really i dont think that the governments with the best aircraft fight enough for us to know. Personally i think that the F117 would be good since its stealth but its comparatively slow to others like the F-22. Maybe the SR-71 Blackbird since it flies so high but thats not a fighter.

Answer 7

This question depends on the terrain and mission you need accomplished. The F-14 tomcat was the best naval fighter. The F-15 is the best combat air superiority fighter.

Answer 8

There are too many to mention. Like the previous poster said, the one with the best pilot. But then again the best pilot can only do what the machine allows him to do.

P-51,38, 47
FW-109, ME-232
Japanese Zero

MIG 15
F-86
Mirage III
F-105
F-4
F-15,14

Any of the new gen fighters are too green and have not proved themselves in battle.

Answer 9

The new FA-22 Raptor.

Answer 10

stelth bomber
it can drop 300 bombs in a minute
it gos faster than 930mph