The program is still in effect but is now in the middle of the Nevada desert where it will require much more effort to repeat the sort of 'tailhook' engagements that led to the move away from Miramar.

That number you posted Rabs was combat aircraft without supoprt aircraft included. The following numbers are taken from the Air Force fact sheets:

F-16C/D: 1280
F-15: 522
F-15E: 217


From Wikipedia:

F-18 (Both Models): 1048 received

The Marine Corp has at least 87 Harriers, possibly more.

Lastly the Air Force has one squadron of Raptors, with delivery to be finished by 2008.

Not counting the Raptors or Harriers, harriers are primarily for CAS, the United States military has at least 3067 fighters.

The Americans would run out of missiles?!?! I doubt it. Either way, this is about the Su-33 Vs the F14, not about China Vs. USA. They are both fine aircraft, very powerfull and well armed. The Sukhoi is much newer though. I would have to say it might be a bit better. The Su-37, a close relative, recently recieved a 6 pag covrage in the IAF(Israeli Air Force) Magazine. This article had the Su portraid as an exellent aircraft, which is not too surprising. After all, it is a very good family of aircraft.

Originally Posted by Rabs

Like many of my statements on this board your statement is completely absurd.

i would actually call basing your argument on a single source rather absurd

when you visit china and its airforce bases, you'll know what i mean

chinese airforce fighters, albeit most of them being obsolete, number in the tens of thousands

j-6s and variants alone are nearly 2,000 strong

This getting off-toppic. Open a toppic about chinese air-force hardware.

Getting in a little late here...

Originally Posted by Rabs

on a side note, Does anyone know if the USAF dog fighting program at Miramar is still operational. If so what planes do they use. Sorry thinking of the F-14 brought back Top Gun memorys.

According to this transcript of a Navy video, they're flying Tomcats and Hornets on the Blue side and F-5's and F-16's on the Red side. (Note: the transcript says "A-5 Tiger", but I'm almost 100% positive that's a typo -- should be "F-5 Tiger".) Looks like they've dropped the Skyhawk on the Red side, and it looks like they'll drop the Tomcat on the Blue side soon.

As someone else already mentioned, Fighter Weapons School (aka "Top Gun") is now based at NAS Fallon, NV. Also, it's a Navy program, not an Air Force program. The closest thing the Air Force has to Top Gun is Red Flag, which is based at Nellis AFB, NV.

since when did the russians hav carriers? the us has like only 4? or 5? now. the F-14D is better than the Su-27K. though it'll b gone by 07. F/A-22 and F-35's. carrier based yets r somewhat pointless now that new fighters hav a larger fuel tank and hav enough range to fly like half way aroudn the world. and since when was this a carrier based forum?