Plane of the year.

[Viggen]

I would of voted for Viggen, but i voted for Gripen earlier.. :'(

[alyster]

I'm glad to present our plane of the year, which got 50% of the votes, which is 4 votes in total. And like you could see above, it's the F-14 Tomcat with it's good bye show. Since F-14 will be out of the loop now, then I wonder who'll win next year 

Happy new year to everybody!

- alyster

[lalanuni]

maybe the Su-30? coz it looks brutal and fierce enough! My vote belong to it..

[Raptor 1]

well...this is 2006 already but i still would love to tell you my opinion
it's either F-22 Raptor SU-37 Terminator

[Webmaster]

But Su-37 didn't achieve anything in the year 2005... except getting included on this website 

F-22 could become plane of the year 2006, keeping a pilot captured in his plane for 5 hours, and some other teething problems relating to a new aircraft entering service, I guess more will follow. Apart from all that, it is entering service fast.

Welcome by the way!

[Raptor]

I think the Raptor would snag the position this year. The trapped pilot bit was almost funny when i read the article. Once the teething problems are over, it could make as good a reputation as the Eagle.

The Typhoons lost in Singapore due to safety reasons. The F-15 had the most safety features, as opposed to the Rafale M and EF-2000. With our low manpower, we have to cinserve all the training that we get, so even if a pilot is downed, he'll still live to fly another day.

The book: LIONS of the SKY: Aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force states that 3 aircraft were shortlisted and the F-15 chosen, with the latest in avionics and technology...

[alyster]

I didn't even notice another year is coming to it's end. Should we have another vote?

[Webmaster]

The Typhoons lost in Singapore due to safety reasons. The F-15 had the most safety features, as opposed to the Rafale M and EF-2000. With our low manpower, we have to cinserve all the training that we get, so even if a pilot is downed, he'll still live to fly another day.

It must have been quite a shock then when Korea lost one of its first newly acquired, very similar F-15Ks, pilots killed, and had to ground its other examples until the investigation was finished?

As far as I have read, the Typhoon was turned down already before the final decision because it would not be able to meet the delivery schedule. Final competition was between the Rafale and F-15... but come on, safety features? Maybe if the competition was between the MiG-29 and F-15 that would be a valid argument. Or maybe you misinterpreted it (no offence, it happens), meaning safety features as in EW self defence suite? Then it would make more sense...

I still think it was a political decision, combined with the fact that it already operates a fleet of US fighters, especially those F-16s are still long from retirement.

[Webmaster]

I didn't even notice another year is coming to it's end. Should we have another vote?

Good idea, go ahead.

[Raptor]

It must have been quite a shock then when Korea lost one of its first newly acquired, very similar F-15Ks, pilots killed, and had to ground its other examples until the investigation was finished?

As far as I have read, the Typhoon was turned down already before the final decision because it would not be able to meet the delivery schedule. Final competition was between the Rafale and F-15... but come on, safety features? Maybe if the competition was between the MiG-29 and F-15 that would be a valid argument. Or maybe you misinterpreted it (no offence, it happens), meaning safety features as in EW self defence suite? Then it would make more sense...

I still think it was a political decision, combined with the fact that it already operates a fleet of US fighters, especially those F-16s are still long from retirement.

That's Korea. They crash for fun. Singaporeans are more stingy with the aircraft bills.  Just kidding no harm meant. No, it wasn't purely poitical. The decision wasn't wholely made by politicians. Though it's effectively that... The RSAF wanted to make sure that they hade spare parts that could be optimised in BOTH the F-16s and the F-15s. Another reason would be that the maintainence crews would also have to go through more training... and the user manuals, (i hear they're a pain to read) would be really different.