John to your last, I would say it depends on the aircraft being flown due to the electronics onboard. One
must remember "
stealth" goes beyond just it's radar cross section. I'm going to it simple and use what I've read up to this point.
In an environment (
Sweden) where I know the Russians are operating
S-300/S-400 SAM Systems there's less than a handful of Jets in the world I would trust in potential combat environment as noted above, and the
GRIPEN E/F is onE of them.
Two I'll knock out for all the "
hoopla" that surrounded them and they are Chinas
J-20 and Russia's
T-50 (Used to be
PAK-FA).
The
J-20 it seems isn't as stealthy as first thought, and there are questions concerning it systems capabilities and reliability to include the powerplant.
If there was to be a foreign contender to the
F-22 it would've been the
PAK-FA/T-50 joint venture between
India and
Russia that I reported on
extensively for years in here.
Basically with everything else Russia was trying to accomplish with their defensive needs, something had to give and it was the
PAK-FA/T-50(And you might've heard about the
T-14 as well!?!) they wanted to cut most of assets that would've
truly have made this jet only the
2nd 5th GEN fighter in the world behind the
F-22.
And
NO the
F-35 doesn't have
true Super Cruise, because it has to go to "
afterburner" first and it can only sustain "
Super Cruise like" capability for around
150NM.
Super Cruise has been one of long standing 6-8 requirements to be met by a truly
stealth jet. You might as well "
Be on Broadway" with those bright
LED (
Neon just so not today.) lights.
So back to
PAF-FA/T-50, India had warned Russia for more then a couple of years that if they didn't "
reset" to the original concept of the joint venture (Stealth) they would withdraw from the the program. And so they did.
This next then should tell tell you a lot,
India is now flying the latest version
RAFALE and
Russia with the
T-50 is in "
limbo" with it. An old saying comes to mind...
Don't bite the hand that feeds you. India's hand healed quickly.
So I wish to leave with an article I would've rather have posted but just found today from a well industry respected source, talking about Canada, Sweden and Russia,
GRIPEN E/F, Stealth and in the first para a remark about the
F-35 and more.
https://skiesmag.com/features/saab-gripen-e-dark-horse/
USAF
4th GEN being around for a couple of more decades and how we're making them better...
https://www.airforcemag.com/article/...s-in-the-Game/
I've done enough damage for one day, take care!
Regards,
Pat
Re: Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.
Threaded Mode