Eurofighter, Gripen, & Rafaele
 

OK, OK- it's a slow day.

Eurofighter, Gripen, & Rafaele. Which one has the best overall capabilities/reputation?

Personally, I like the way the Gripen looks best, not that that means anything. I guess I'm asking, if you are in the market for a tactical jet, out of these three, which one would you buy?

Neither. Why pay $ for an unproven jet when you can buy a Block 60 Viper or a Strike Eagle (depending on how much cash you have and what your mission requirements are).

If your decision is apolitical (rarely are defense purchases apolitical...most politicians care where the jobs/cash is going), go for the proven and capable fighters.

I think Saudi is the only non-builder of the Eurofighter who has purchased the jet, and that's probable to diversify their portfolio (read hedge against some political pressures).

I think the Grippen has a few small contracts. The Raffale has yet to be sold outside of La France.

That's my two Euro Centimes :cool:

I know politics plays a role in purchasing.

As far as I know the Gripen has been purchased by Hungary, South Africa, the Czech Republic and ordered by Thailand. It is a more "mature" system.

I'm just curious if any of these fighters stands out above the other two.

This isn't really an answer to your question, but had an interesting chat with some German Tornado pilots. With the US dollar so weak, an F-22 would cost them about as much as a EuroFighter! Of course, we're not selling (and shouldn't IMHO).

The common dig at the EuroFighter I hear is: "It's the best F-16 money can buy"

OK, standing by for barrage fire.

Well from my perspective at Farnborough 2004 - just watching their demos, the Saab put on a much better demo than the EF and Super Hornet and Viper IMO.
But the Lockheed guys were making fun of the Eurofighter...saying it was a great 1980s aircraft.... :-)

One of these days I'm gonna make Farnborough! I don't doubt your observations and probably would have agreed with you had I seen it also. It's tough to size up the superior fighter from an airshow. For the record, I've always thought the Blue Angels had a better show than the Thunderbirds (sorry to my T-Bird bros, I still love ya, it must be something about that configured aileron roll the Blue Angels do after t/o), but from my knowledge of both aircraft, I'd rather ride the Viper into combat. Now if I had to land on a boat afterwards, my answer would change.

You know the Swedes took a lesson from the Super-bug and have built and flown an uprated Gripen with more fuel, bigger engine and more stores, right? It is not your father's Gripen.

I had a chance to work with the civil side at SAAB and those guys know what they are doing. I was surprised at how small the Gripen is.. but it is a very capable machine. And for countries with a limited budget, it makes sense.

When one looks back at the SAAB machine, they can not be counted out whether we are going back to the world's only fighter with a reverser (Viggen), the double delta Draken, the fat but good performing Tunan and the somewhat F-80 looking Lansen. Good solid performers...

What was the loadout that year at Farnborough for the EF, Rafaele, and Gripen? I know the Rhino has 8 or 10 Amraam strapped on it for its FMS demo configuration and it still does the full up demo that the TACDEMO teams use here in the states. I'll have to ask the demo teams getting back from the UK what their thoughts were. We just had the French Rafaele's here on det. The guys that got 1v1s with them had mixed reviews. Once again the pilot makes the difference in fighting the jet.

True on the airshow demos, but most were dedicated to exploring low speed handling and manueverability. The Super Hornet kept demonstrating its high AOA and how it can "push over" along its CG and accelerate.
The Eurofighter just did a standard show...and the Viper seemed kinda standard too..although it demo'd some nice tight turns......the Saab was pretty impressive.

The Red Arrows kicked any US demo teams *ss, BTW. Of course, Brit airshow rules are different. The Arrows formed above a scatted layer (which became a BKN layer), and flew a from loop through holes in the clouds.

The Brit Harrier demo was awesome. 4 ship in trail. They turned toward the audience. The center two moved forward and bowed. Their exhaust was directly above the metal fence where photographers and audience folks were....needless to say they didnt get a good shot. I was laughing at the blast they endured. Never see THAT at a US show!

It was cool. My Sq is there now. Lockheed treated us WELL.

Typhoon, definitely.

I recently saw them both a couple of times and I would have to agree with you.

Funny how loyal we are to our fighters huh? If nothing else - I like two engines.

USMCFLYR

with the kind of money they put into it, it should be :D

It shoud be............cool on a poster?

I know I am merely a 'heavy driver" who flew -38s and SOF aircraft and am, merely a tactics dude...but everything I have seen and heard and read regarding the Typhoon is...... it is a great airplane...if it was 1994.

Like I said...even the LM guys were making fun of it.
Actually..what a test pilot (whom I was standing next to during one of the Typhoon demos at Farnborough 2004) said was "Ya know what we call that at Lockheed?................A TARGET!"

Yeah, it would have been a great airplane 15 years ago.

Just like the Raptor would have if it would have been fielded on time.

Hell, the F-15E was a cool airplane 15 years ago, too.

Raptor is a quantum leap from previous fighters...a true 5th Gen Fighter (and arguably the only 5th Gen Fighter)
15E, Block 50/60 Vipers both great jets but 4th Gen
Typhoon/Eurofighter? I dunno, maybe Gen 4.2 or so and I think that's generous. Really, I'd rather have a 15E or a couple of Vipers for the money.

even if it's not an option, I'm gonna say raptor ;D.

On-topic, typhoon (out of the 3)

As for me(Knowing squat about fighters) i would take anything built by lockheed over any eurocrap any day. Just because.

you are wise beyond your years

Two fighters....Panavia Tornado also has thrust reversers.

I stand corrected.. thanks for the fact check.