So, this has a lot more to do with how procurement works than some master plan on the part of the armed force. The F-15 was designed as the fighter, but as the process dragged on it became more expensive than anticipated, forcing a smaller order, which drove costs up further. So, the Air Force wanted a lighter, cheaper airplane to “flesh out” the fleet. Enter the F-16.
I’m murkier on the F-14/F-18 relationship, but I believe it’s a similar story, with the F-18 being the lighter, cheaper one. The F-18 is also a dual-role aircraft, capable of filling a ground attack role better than the F-14, which makes it beloved of the marines.
All of these planes have many different versions; for example, while the F-15 was designed solely as an air-to-air fighter, there’s a variant that specializes in ground attack. And I get a chance to use one of my favorite tidbits. An F-15 can carry 8 tons of bombs. A B-29 Superfortress (WW II era heavy bomber) could carry 10.
Today, the Air Force is buying a complex, capable aircraft in the F-22, which is becoming much more expensive than anticipated, leading to smaller order which drives costs up further. The remainder is left as an excercise for the reader.
Online, I’ve only got a cite that’s a geocities page, which is garbage as a reference, but is here anyways.
F-22 anyday, not only do you have supercruise, and excellent maneuverability, but you have stealth. Cant really shoot, when you dont know where they are you know… lol
Gun fights are stupid anyways… Anyone who gets into a gun fight with a jet nowadays… Sigh obviously doesnt know how to use their plane right… Because either you, or the other pilot will be dead by missiles.
F-14’s are good, but not THAT good anymore.
F-15E’s are the latest and greatest Air Superiority fighters… Still… No match for the new F-22.
Years ago, I read a profile in a military magazine about the top Air Force wing. These were the guys who flew in mock dogfights against every other fighter wing in the Air Force. I don’t remember which wing it was, but they were a reserve unit from the Dakotas who did it while flying F-4s! :eek: That’s right, reservists, flying a Vietnam era plane were able to take out the best modern aircraft in the USAF!
Yep. The 119 Fighter Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard,(The Happy Hooligans) based in Fargo. IIRC, they also won the contest several years later while flying the F-16.
Off topic a little bit, they were also the first planes to fly air cover over Washington, D.C. on September 11.
As much as we romantisize guns in a fighter plane realize that for US planes the AIM-9 missle has more kills than guns and all other missles combined. It’s a close in weapon so requires good dogfighting skills while being very superior to guns.
I don’t think they practice ‘dogfighting’ as such. Modern attack helicopters are armed with stingers, as well as cannons, generally. With helicopters, the first one to spot the other guy and fires first usually wins. There’s not really a romantic ‘dog fight’ aspect to it.
Yep. 33% greater fuel capacity over the F/A-18C/D, longer LERX’s, all sorts of room for more avionics (Hence, the Navy is going to be modifying a few into a ‘F/A-18G Wild Weasel’ configuration. New, larger, airframe, that happens to look A LOT like the Hornet.
Granted, I am only as accurate as Discovery Wings!, so…
The F-22 is equipped with the M-61 20mm gatling gun, just like the F-14, F-15, F-16 and F-18. Cite
The F-15E is not an air-superiority fighter, it is a fighter/bomber.Here’s an F-15E - odd load-out for an air superiority fighter… . The F-15E is heavier and has added drag from its conformal fuel tanks than other F-15 versions. The “latest and greatest” F-15 variant that is an air-superiority fighter is the F-15C. Cite.
It’s not really like that at all. The f-117 has no ability to take on fighters, while the F15 is a dual purpose aircraft that’s still very capable of taking on other fighters.
Fair enough and you’re quite right. I didn’t mean to understate the F-15 capabilities. I was thinking more along the lines of the aforementioned F-15E.
Nobody has mentioned that the F-22 has thrust vectoring, making it more maneuverable than any current fighter. I’d pick that, especially for the slower dogfights using guns. Here’s a quote, from here:
“The most obvious (difference from other jets) is the slow speed, high angle of attack region where the F-22 is still completely controllable while an F-16 (Fighting Falcon) or F-15 (Eagle) is completely uncontrollable”
Thrust vectoring. I thought the Harrier could do that to some degree thanks to its STOL (VTOL?) capabilites. Or is that not as a manuverability thing and just take-off and landing.
Damn! aeropl beat me to it!
From what I’ve seen on Discovery Wings and similar channels, the thrust vectoring of the F-22 is supposed to make it ridiculously agile.
