Which Air Force is Best?

[Gripen]

the whole program is stupid- i think the whole stealth principal is

there is no true stealth attack plane (the U2 could be considered a stealth, so is the Blackbird, but they couldnt blow stuff up)

the most stealthy plane normally (F-22 and JSF dont because they are stealth until they open their bomb bay doors) would have to be a Gripen or Rafale, with the Eurofighter close behind

[Gripen]

check out the Stealth: Why it dosent work topic in Modern Military Aircraft

[Valiant1]

you're right about the F-22 and F-35 not being stealthy once the weapons bay doors open up, but thats just split second because once those doors close, they can run and hide again to a different location.    I wouldn't call the other three fighters stealthy at all,  what I can say about the Gripen, Typhoon and Rafale is they were built for super maneuverability.  They may have some angles that reduce their radar cross section by a little, but not like the F-22 and F-35, both of which do have stealth quality.  
But also remember that both aircraft are built with external wing hardpoints, if the need arises where carrying more weapons to a target is more important than stealth.  I know the F-35 hasn't proven itself,  but give it a chance - this is what you're getting -
A supersonic vertical, short take off fighter/bomber capable of supermaneuverabiltiy, armed w/an internal 27mm Mauser cannon and the HIGHEST thrust engine available to any fighter - rated at 40,000 lbs of thrust.  That's more than the F-18C Hornet's 2 engines combined.  I would put my money on an F-35 over an F-18 in a dogfight any day of the week.  
I don't know if it was you who said it, but it's really the politics of our countries that dictate what they're buying for the defense.  Too bad.  

[Gripen]

if i was the boss of my military, i wouldnt buy the JSF

[Valiant1]

what would you buy - the F-15 Eagle, Su-27 Flanker, JAS-39 Gripen, EF2000 Typhoon?

[Gripen]

Fighter: Su-27, Gripen or Eurofighter
Attacker: SU-34, F-18 (as a ground attacker only)

[Valiant1]

I can respect that.  Hope to talk to you more....signing out. 

[Gripen]

oh

i meant with the gripen/eurofighter/rafale stealth is they have stealth capabilites, not great but better then nothing

Rafale Eurofighter and Gripen are poor mens Raptors!!

[Raptor]

Hmph. there was no RSAF in there. That's got the best PILOTS, even if not the planes

[Gripen]

a pilot is only as good as his plane Raptor

[Raptor]

Maybe. but say the Camels against the Albatroses in WWI. The Albatroses had incredible disadvantages. They shot down hundreds of Camels.

well, we've got good enough avionics, hope that does some credit. 

[Gripen]

avionics are a big help, but in a dogfight who honestly looks at the radar? Human eyes are better close range then any radar or whatnot