Modern Vertical Takeoff and Landing Fighter Jets

[Gerrard]

Did wonder if there were still any F14s about. I'm pretty certain I read something that it would be used for CAS and therefore a direct replacement for the A10 (Harriers also have the same role).

Just read in the Times today that MoD does not reckon the JSF will be ready for the new carriers in 2014. Personally, I doubt the carriers will be ready by then either, so it should cancel out nicely!

Also read that wiki link a little bit. The last entry sounded interesting. Energy directed weapons a possibility, like soild state lasers!

[Salazaar]

I doubt the A10 will be replace for some time as its more of a CAS (Close Air Support) Aircraft for ground forces.

Surely the MQ-9 Reaper will do that job? It's already made it's first kills in Afghanistan! This is the same plane the government want patrolling the skies over the 2012 Olympics!

[Dreaming]

Heh sometimes I think I secretly want to be a pilot because every night before I go to sleep without fail I imagine flying a plane in a clear sky miles above the ground. Sorry, my 2p . Childhood dreams *sigh*.

My favourite is the tornado

[Matteh]

so much money on killing!

[Optical668]

Surely the MQ-9 Reaper will do that job? It's already made it's first kills in Afghanistan! This is the same plane the government want patrolling the skies over the 2012 Olympics!

I think theres a serious lack of weapons armament bewteen the two aircraft. The A10 can carry rockets, bombs, missiles & its got a 30mm fart cannon is well. The AC-130 Spectre Gunship is a more likly aircraft that would replace the A10.

[[GSV]Trig]

AC-130 would be too big and slow I would of thought, the A-10 is excellent at its job as were the other aircraft in the list I made, its just a differnet world these days...

[Stringent]

Can't beat a Warhawk ...

[Salazaar]

AC-130 would be too big and slow I would of thought, the A-10 is excellent at its job as were the other aircraft in the list I made, its just a differnet world these days...

The A10 never truely managed to fulfil its designed role since the Soviet Union never invade Europe with its millions of tanks. Almost a shame really!

[Rave]

The A10 never truely managed to fulfil its designed role since the Soviet Union never invade Europe with its millions of tanks. Almost a shame really!

Yeah, pity that.

[Betty_Swallocks]

Well lets hope the F35 is better than the monstrosity they put in BF2. You could get shot down by the UAVs it was so rubbish.

I used to work on Harriers back in the '80s when I was stationed in Germany. I actually had a flight in one of the T4 two seaters. Absolutely unbelievable experience.

It was like the best rollercoaster ride in the world multiplied by about a million. I so envy the guys who fly these things every day.

It infuriated me the way that we, as usual, took short term economics over long term manufacturing capablity and just basically gave the Yanks our unique aircraft just because they promised to let us build some of it. Our aircraft industry was the best in the world at one time but now we've given almost all of it up.

At one time we would have been able to build the Typhoon all by ourselves rather than having to share it with 3 other nations.

[Gerrard]

At one time we would have been able to build the Typhoon all by ourselves rather than having to share it with 3 other nations.

That would have made life a lot easier. As it is, there's a lot of comprimises that had to be made so all nations are happy. For example, Germany has to have a fire extinguisher on theirs, but we don't. We have pins in our ejections seats (there's a handle at the side that does the same job), but the other 3 nations don't. It just goes like that, lots of little comprimises. However, I heard (no doubt a rumour) that UK Typhoons are superior when it comes to EW as BAE hasn't shared some of the ECM stuff.

[Fatboy40]

Hmm my fave plane is....

SR-71 Blackbird - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2nd comes to...

F-14 Tomcat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I win

All blown away by this...

Image:MiG-31 Firefox.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

... if it was real

[retroborg]

After giving it a 2nd thought, the original opinion on the F-35 might be flawed.
One should not believe the superiority of the craft so quickly, there was serious reliability concerns due the complex nature of pivoting engine jet, it’s significantly cheaper than the F22 for a reason, although the manufacturing process is amazingly efficient. From an air defence point of view 30 very good planes are better than 8 excellent ones.

In my opinion the F22 still has the edge in terms of air superiority, but even the F22 was outclassed in some areas by the YF-23 blackwidow (cancelled project). Stealth is great for bombing and tactical strikes but when it comes to dog fights stealth planes aren't invincible.

The F-35 (whenever it comes out), regardless technology which is incredible, it is not an A/A oriented fighter. F-35 will be like F16-18 (=multi-role), while F-22 is like F-14-15 (=A/A). In a dogfight of the same generation, A/A has a big advantage over multi-role.

In other words, in a dog-fight situation the F-35 against & the F-22 and the following Russian prototypes:
Mig-35
Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut (S-37)
Sukhoi Su-37

All that stealth and high-tech the F-35 is carrying wont mean jack-squat and it would end up in flames before you know it!

That simple!

Su-37 performing the Cobra manoeuvre.


S-37

[Gerrard]

Stealth is overated. Most modern radars have little trouble picking up these aircraft, maybe at a slightly reduced range, but still outside missile range. It's only because we've been using them against countries that that use old second-hand radars that they've been effective. We were happily tracking the F117s in the Gulf Wars, much to the annoyance of the Americans!

The current effectiveness of aircraft is measuered against the Mig35. Using simulations, I believe the figures for kills/deaths were (when I last read it a couple of years ago): -
F22 9:1
Typhoon 4.5:1
Rafale 1:1
F15/16/18 < 1:1

The F22 was designed as an air dominance fighter, but it is relatively easy to convert it to multi-role just by sticking a TIALD pod and some bombs on it. The Typhoon is the same. Originally designed to intercept Soviet bombers, when the threat was gone, they decided make it multi-role by allowing it carry AG weapons. It should still have the same charactistics as it's original dogfighter design, just changed the software to allow the extra weapons.

[kalniel]

One should not believe the superiority of the craft so quickly, there was serious reliability concerns due the complex nature of pivoting engine jet, it’s significantly cheaper than the F22 for a reason,

Are you implying the F35 will be less reliable than the F22 because it's cheaper?

In my opinion the F22 still has the edge in terms of air superiority, but even the F22 was outclassed in some areas by the YF-23 blackwidow (cancelled project). Stealth is great for bombing and tactical strikes but when it comes to dog fights stealth planes aren't invincible.

The F-35 (whenever it comes out), regardless technology which is incredible, it is not an A/A oriented fighter. F-35 will be like F16-18 (=multi-role), while F-22 is like F-14-15 (=A/A). In a dogfight of the same generation, A/A has a big advantage over multi-role.

In other words, in a dog-fight situation the F-35 against & the F-22 and the following Russian prototypes:
Mig-35
Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut (S-37)
Sukhoi Su-37

All that stealth and high-tech the F-35 is carrying wont mean jack-squat and it would end up in flames before you know it!

I think Gerrard's figures made the point, but it should be obvious that the F22 isn't just about stealth. It can easily do pointless 'cobra' manouvers if you really wanted to - anything with positively angled vectored thrust and semblance of control at high angle of attack can. Heck even the Eurofighter could probably match the AoA shown in that picture

[yamangman]

Yakovlev made an VTOL aircraft some years ago - the YAK-41. I think it only entered service with the Russian military. Wasn't the most successful aircraft ever.