"VDKMS", thank you for the URL.

People are getting concerned because they thought the F-22 would wipe all oponents handily from the sky in BVR as well as WVR!
The reality is, the F-22 can (as expected) beat their opponents in BVR. I guess some people thought the F-22 would do to the Euro-fighters (in a knife fight) what the F-15s did the MiG-21s, etc. The Europeans got serious about designing their new fighters and the fighters appear to be well designed.
So the F-22 can beat the Euro-fighters in BVR, there is no disagreement about that. The Rafale and the Typhoon in WVR can match the F-22 (like a knife fight). I think that says something the about the quality of the F-22A's design, being positive.
I am interest in finding out what the T-50 and the J-20 are all about. More important is how the RuAF intends to use the new fighters? Will the new T-50 fighter will take over the MiG-29's role??
My only real concern is the PLAAF and RuAF have had several good examples to guide them, doing less of their own R&D. The PLAAF is down right shameless when it comes to copying other nation's weapon system!

The new Russian and Chinese planes will be very good. Unfortunatley they are designed to fight the F-22, so when they are in full service they will also have to compete against the repaecement of the F-22.

Russian designed fighter aircraft have always had good and bad points. Once we new their bad points their superiority was gone. Look at the MiG-29 vs F-16. The first encounters were disastrous for the F-16's but when they learned about the weak points of the MiG-29 the roles were reversed.

Originally Posted by AVON

"VDKMS", thank you for the URL.

People are getting concerned because they thought the F-22 would wipe all oponents handily from the sky in BVR as well as WVR!
The reality is, the F-22 can (as expected) beat their opponents in BVR. I guess some people thought the F-22 would do to the Euro-fighters (in a knife fight) what the F-15s did the MiG-21s, etc. The Europeans got serious about designing their new fighters and the fighters appear to be well designed.
So the F-22 can beat the Euro-fighters in BVR, there is no disagreement about that. The Rafale and the Typhoon in WVR can match the F-22 (like a knife fight). I think that says something the about the quality of the F-22A's design, being positive.
I am interest in finding out what the T-50 and the J-20 are all about. More important is how the RuAF intends to use the new fighters? Will the new T-50 fighter will take over the MiG-29's role??
My only real concern is the PLAAF and RuAF have had several good examples to guide them, doing less of their own R&D. The PLAAF is down right shameless when it comes to copying other nation's weapon system!

The T-50 will replace the Su-27 and it's entire family while MiG is designing a stealthy, light fighter to replace the MiG-29 and supplement the T-50.

If money and maintenance will not be an issue when comes to owning fighters, F-22 would be best fighter in air to air role.

Best fighter in terms of affordability, multi-role AA/AG, maintenance, spare parts, running cost, etc, then it will be the F/A-18E/F followed by Su-30MK and F-15E.

However, any country that gets involved in war especially wearing the wrong badge and happened to opposed any US allies, will more likely be subjected to arms embargo and economic sanction that left with no spare parts. No one, not even Russia and China would break the treaty and sell you anything. Therefore aircraft that requires minimum maintenance yet could still perform will be best fighter.

This is just what if situation, please do not be offended as per history and real happenings, things weren't like back then ever since the Vietnam war. Any of you might own a country, it is not wrong to think of this scenario. Russia is no longer superpower that could match the US today. It has the potential technology capability but without cash it could not develop new aircrafts/tanks/missiles, unless it could earn annual income like China. China has money but not the technology to develop new weapons on its own. Arms embargo and economic sanction imposed, you are doom like Argentina, Iraq, Serbia that eventually lost the war without capability to put up much offensive due to no new purchase. Syria and Iran too have limited access to selling their crude oil and new arms purchase. There is no rights to defend anymore for being at the wrong side.