Posted on 01/23/2010 1:09:38 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
During recent exercises, NATO Air Forces carried out several training combat engagements known as DACT, Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training, involving different types of aircraft. In this situation, where the air dominance is a matter, the Eurofighter Typhoons turned out to be the leading air-to-air fighter jets.
Once again, the outstanding performance of the Eurofighter Typhoon was evident in a dogfight simulation. The 111 Squadron of the Spanish Air Force as well as the 493rd Squadron of the U.S. Air Force were deployed for training in Gando Air Base, Gran Canaria. The Spanish Squadron attended the training with a total of six Eurofighter Typhoons. The U.S. Air Force deployed F-15s.
In an interview on the exercise, Major Juan Balesta, the 41-year old Commander of the 111 Squadron stressed that a two-ship formation of Eurofighters involved in a dogfight simulation “against” the F-15s enjoyed full control of the engagement. The Typhoons managed to smash a formation of eight F-15s which had the role of the attacker with the first Eurofighter jet managing to "shoot down" four F-15 fighter jets. The second Eurofighter managed to disable three F-15 jets. Eventually the pilots were using the Eurofighter Typhoon to full capacity and taking advantage of its enormous capabilities. Trump that
(Excerpt) Read more at defpro.com ...
F-22
I agree
Perspective?
F-15 first flew in 1972
Eurofightr 1st delivered aircraft was in 2003. This represents a 30 year difference in technology, which as we all know increases exponentially over time.
Seems proper to compare the Eurofighter with the F-22 and not the F-15 which is relatively obsolete.
But didn’t this administration back away from the F-22 production saying it was too expensive? Vote ‘em out!
They did and you are correct, the morons must all be gone as soon as possible
Even the E model is older than the first Typhoons. Another reason why anything less than 300 Raptors is irresponsible.
The 493rd flies Cs out of Lakenheath. I’m surprised they can still certify the airframes on them.
I don’t know what block version the Spanish EF2000s are.
The public’s complacency on the U.S.’s aircraft really bugs me. Now that the 2018 bomber has been killed, I suppose we’ll expect the Buffs to keep going another 40-50 years. Good thing the Phantom IIs got used as QFs, or they’d probably want to save money by reactivating them, too. :P
Beating 40 year old F-15 was their goal?
In testing, a single F-22 wipes out multiple F-15s or F-16s without breaking a sweat. Teams of 2-3 F-22s take out double digit teams of F-15s/F-16s.
It’s not even a matter of superior acrobatics—the F-15s and F-16s don’t even get to play. They’re the most advanced fighters on the planet, and they get killed before they even know the F-22 is airborne.
The F-22s have to radio them to let them know they’re dead. In one report I read, the F-22s can actually catch up to the F-15s and F-16s, “kill” them, and stay undetected as they get close enough to jump into the F-15’s/F-16’s field of vision.
Break out the old A-1 Skyraiders aka “Spad”. What the heck. Cheaper to fly than a jet and it was a hell of a ground attack airplane. Might be more green than a jet, too. Now there’s a real plus. Probably not with that big old radial engine, though.
Yeah, they were a great plane.
Seems proper to compare the Eurofighter with the F-22 and not the F-15 which is relatively obsolete.
Your right , but could it be that the pentagon didn’t want the F-22’s capabilities to be widely known.
I just rolled into this discussion. For someone who knows little about these things, I’m amazed at the absurdity of the author.
It’s like saying, a team of old timers, made up of Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Stan Mikita and Bobby Orr etc...were soundly beaten by the Peoria Rivermen hockey team.. (minor league)...
Let me say up front that I’m a big F-22 fan and think we need to buy more of them. Enough to replace the F-15C fleet on a 1-1 basis.
HOWEVER, something that needs to be pointed out here is that exercises like this are always highly scripted to present specific scenarios. All we know is that a couple Typhoons ate a larger number of F-15s alive, apparently starting from a defending position.
What we DON’T know are all the other elements of the scenario. Were the F-15s using US tactics, or were they playing the role of MiGs/Sukhois using the tactics of other nations? If the F-15s WERE using US tactics, were they using them to the fullest, not holding anything back? Were they using US technical goodies to their full advantage?
A few years back the USAF was trumpeting an exercise where a bunch of F-15s had been pretty much waxed out of the sky by Indian Su-27 derivatives as “proof” of the need to buy more F-22s. Speculation was the exercise was pure, in-close ACM where the F-15s never got to turn on their ECM, turn their radars to full power, didn’t have AWACS support, etc. IOW, a knife-fight situation that would rarely exist in a real-world conflict (doesn’t mean we shouldn’t train for it, btw) where the Su’s better maneuverability gave it a distinct advantage.
That will take care of any Eurofighter problem. Currently the Eurofighter has an all-aspect IR missile, and the pilot simply needs to look at his target to achieve a lock-on. F-15Cs without the HMCSS have to point the nose of the aircraft at the target to achieve missile lock.
That's quite a disadvantage, as we found out after the reunification of Germany when MiG-29s wacked our F-16s.
If the F-15 was a car it would have antique tags.
When our guys fly against foreign allies, they are not allowed to display all their tactics.
A Raptor would turn every one of them into huge heaps of expensive salvage.
LLS
Definately something to praise and jump for glee about.....not. Personally, given the money invested in the 2003 Euroefighter, I would be quite pissed if it was beat by a 1972 F-15. =.=
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