Both China and Russia have developed impressive stand-off munitions, air to air missles, and SAM's. They can also track stealth fighters like the F-22.
The worst part is that this stuff could hand up in the hands of Iran.
Don't think they can yet effectively track the F-22,let alone have the means of downing it at long-range.
Not to denigrate your post too much, but the fact is that "To Track" = "To Make One's Self Into A Target".
However they might as well be paper planes against the Raptor.
The main thing to realize is this. The Raptor is not 'just' a Stealth fighter. Actually in my opinion stealth is just ONE of several things that make the Raptor supreme. What stealth is is an enabler ....it enables the Raptor to do things at a totally different level. Basically turning Houdini into Merlin.
But the thing is this .....even without stealth the Raptor would STILL be the most lethal platform flying. Yes, even without stealth. For one its kinematic perfomance is simply off the charts. A Raptor can release a JDAM at high altitudes and supercruise speeds, in effect making the JDAM's range far greater than it could actually be. Added to the kinematic perfomance this means that the Raptor could target a double-digit SAM battery, release the JDAM, and be out of there before the SAMissile could reach it (since it could do all this while at the extreme range of the SAM's radius of interception).
Then there are the sensors. The AESA radar carried by the Raptor is a beast. Actually it cannot even be compared to the one used by the F-35 JSF (in terms of range, modules, and wattage) ....and note that the JSF's radar is also an AESA. Add to this that the Raptor's AESA is LPI, meaning that it is actually very hard to know that it is even targeting you.
Then there is the weaponry. While Russia (I won't say China since most of their stuff is merely clones of Russian or Western stuff) has some very good missiles, and thus China will probably have them as well, the thing is that the Raptor also carries some of the best missiles in the world. The AIM-9X (which with the Raptors helmet-cued targeting system and agility, and the missile's off-bore ability, would make any short-range engagement with a RAptor highly imprudent), and ofcourse the AMRAAM (which by itself is highly lethal .....BUT THEN ADD the Raptor's kinematic performance, which would give the AMRAAM a significant boost, and also add to this the Raptor's sensory suites, and the AMRAAM goes from being a terrifying missile into becoming the veritable hand of god in aerial engagements!). Actually the Raptor would probably never have to use the AIM-9X .....the AMRAAM would do all the work because there would be almost no chance of a foreign fighter getting close enough to necessitate the use of heaters ....and anyways, the use of heaters (short-range IR missiles) has nowadays become highly dangerous since so many countries are already using IR missiles that have large no-escape zones, off-bore ability and helmet tracking (think about the Ruskie R-73, the German IRis-T, the Euro ASRAAM, our AIm-9X, the Israeli Python 4 and 5), meaning that we are quickly approaching a time when a short-range engagement between aircraft carrying next-gen IR A2A missiles will basically be tantamount to mutually assured destruction (as in MAD ....both planes will shoot each other out of the sky)! And anyways, no pilot wants to close in like that. Most would want to simply destroy their foe from BVR.
Anyways, my point is this. Even if you took out the Raptor's stealth it would still be better than anything else flying there. The Eurofighter would have a far better chance, but the Raptor would still be number one.
And with stealth ....well, let's just say that China is $h!t out of luck! They will not even be able to match the Raptor 2 decades from now.
Yes yes yes, I've read the Chinese and Pakistani forums that say how China is coming up with a stealth fighter that will be 'better' than the Raptor, or how they can shoot down the Raptor because they know how the F-117A works (even though comparing a F-117 with a F-22 is like comparing a Bobcat with a ravaging man-eating Lion), but all of that is pure cr@p. The Chinese (and Pakistanis) love to brag, in the process spewing forth all sorts of nonsense.
Bottom line: China may have impressive SAMs (once again, from Russia ....whether or not they have Chinese names), and I am sure these will become more 'impressive' as they either buy/steal/clone technology (and their industrial base IS getting ever more sophisticated by the YEAR). True, this technology will eventually work its way to Iran. But the fact remains ......that technology would have a difficult time keeping up with the Eurofighter Typhoon (at least when the Tranche 3 version comes out). Goodness, Chinese fighters would probably not even know what hit them if they faced off against French Rafales!
And against the F-22 Raptor .....well, let's just say even Death would be surprised when those Chinese pilots started popping up in Hades WAY before schedule. Simply put, don't listen to Chinese propaganda. It is even worse than that of the Soviets during the Cold War. While the Chinese are capable (they are not Iraq during the Gulf War 1 era), and their capability is increasing by the year, they ARE NOT any match for the cutting edge when it comes to US military hardware and software.
Goodness, they are not even near-equal to theRussians. The Chinese have been having big issues developing an aircraft jet engine (they re working on their WS-10). So much so that they had to simply buy more engines from the Russians. While there has been some progress on the WS-10, you cannot expect a nation that has difficulties in such an area to suddenly start shooting down Raptors enmasse!
Maybe 2 decades from now China will be in a serious position to do that, but then the question is just what the heck will the USAF be fielding then? Ask yourself that.
However they might as well be paper planes against the Raptor.
The main thing to realize is this. The Raptor is not 'just' a Stealth fighter. Actually in my opinion stealth is just ONE of several things that make the Raptor supreme. What stealth is is an enabler ....it enables the Raptor to do things at a totally different level. Basically turning Houdini into Merlin.
But the thing is this .....even without stealth the Raptor would STILL be the most lethal platform flying. Yes, even without stealth. For one its kinematic perfomance is simply off the charts. A Raptor can release a JDAM at high altitudes and supercruise speeds, in effect making the JDAM's range far greater than it could actually be. Added to the kinematic perfomance this means that the Raptor could target a double-digit SAM battery, release the JDAM, and be out of there before the SAMissile could reach it (since it could do all this while at the extreme range of the SAM's radius of interception).
Then there are the sensors. The AESA radar carried by the Raptor is a beast. Actually it cannot even be compared to the one used by the F-35 JSF (in terms of range, modules, and wattage) ....and note that the JSF's radar is also an AESA. Add to this that the Raptor's AESA is LPI, meaning that it is actually very hard to know that it is even targeting you.
Then there is the weaponry. While Russia (I won't say China since most of their stuff is merely clones of Russian or Western stuff) has some very good missiles, and thus China will probably have them as well, the thing is that the Raptor also carries some of the best missiles in the world. The AIM-9X (which with the Raptors helmet-cued targeting system and agility, and the missile's off-bore ability, would make any short-range engagement with a RAptor highly imprudent), and ofcourse the AMRAAM (which by itself is highly lethal .....BUT THEN ADD the Raptor's kinematic performance, which would give the AMRAAM a significant boost, and also add to this the Raptor's sensory suites, and the AMRAAM goes from being a terrifying missile into becoming the veritable hand of god in aerial engagements!). Actually the Raptor would probably never have to use the AIM-9X .....the AMRAAM would do all the work because there would be almost no chance of a foreign fighter getting close enough to necessitate the use of heaters ....and anyways, the use of heaters (short-range IR missiles) has nowadays become highly dangerous since so many countries are already using IR missiles that have large no-escape zones, off-bore ability and helmet tracking (think about the Ruskie R-73, the German IRis-T, the Euro ASRAAM, our AIm-9X, the Israeli Python 4 and 5), meaning that we are quickly approaching a time when a short-range engagement between aircraft carrying next-gen IR A2A missiles will basically be tantamount to mutually assured destruction (as in MAD ....both planes will shoot each other out of the sky)! And anyways, no pilot wants to close in like that. Most would want to simply destroy their foe from BVR.
Anyways, my point is this. Even if you took out the Raptor's stealth it would still be better than anything else flying there. The Eurofighter would have a far better chance, but the Raptor would still be number one.
And with stealth ....well, let's just say that China is $h!t out of luck! They will not even be able to match the Raptor 2 decades from now.
Yes yes yes, I've read the Chinese and Pakistani forums that say how China is coming up with a stealth fighter that will be 'better' than the Raptor, or how they can shoot down the Raptor because they know how the F-117A works (even though comparing a F-117 with a F-22 is like comparing a Bobcat with a ravaging man-eating Lion), but all of that is pure cr@p. The Chinese (and Pakistanis) love to brag, in the process spewing forth all sorts of nonsense.
Bottom line: China may have impressive SAMs (once again, from Russia ....whether or not they have Chinese names), and I am sure these will become more 'impressive' as they either buy/steal/clone technology (and their industrial base IS getting ever more sophisticated by the YEAR). True, this technology will eventually work its way to Iran. But the fact remains ......that technology would have a difficult time keeping up with the Eurofighter Typhoon (at least when the Tranche 3 version comes out). Goodness, Chinese fighters would probably not even know what hit them if they faced off against French Rafales!
And against the F-22 Raptor .....well, let's just say even Death would be surprised when those Chinese pilots started popping up in Hades WAY before schedule. Simply put, don't listen to Chinese propaganda. It is even worse than that of the Soviets during the Cold War. While the Chinese are capable (they are not Iraq during the Gulf War 1 era), and their capability is increasing by the year, they ARE NOT any match for the cutting edge when it comes to US military hardware and software.
Goodness, they are not even near-equal to theRussians. The Chinese have been having big issues developing an aircraft jet engine (they re working on their WS-10). So much so that they had to simply buy more engines from the Russians. While there has been some progress on the WS-10, you cannot expect a nation that has difficulties in such an area to suddenly start shooting down Raptors enmasse!
Maybe 2 decades from now China will be in a serious position to do that, but then the question is just what the heck will the USAF be fielding then? Ask yourself that.