The same could be said for the Super Hornet. Which, is also available in a Highly Capable Electronic Warfare Model. (i.e. Growler) Plus, did I add that its cheaper than both the Rafale and Typhoon. (and share the same engine with the LCA MK2);)

Very true, but at the end of day, its just an F/A-18 and theres a few reasons why its cheap and with the US seeming not to wanting to share certain tech with India as it is, let alone with a electronic warfare model…Well, that in itself is enough for it not to be worth considering. And its far from the most advanced airframes around, the Rafale and Typhoon’s offer the better growth/upgrade potential. Not to mention, those two European types are offering a lot more than the US is even willing to. Eurofighter and partners offering more than what the French are by the looks of whats already been stated & reported.

Don’t forget, India are going to be operating the chosen type for the next 40+ years, same engine for LCA MKII or not, its not enough to go for the one that operates a particular engine. They want a hell of a lot more than that.

The points with Typhoon AtG capability are 1) they are late (no stand off weaponry, recce, anti-ship no ESA radar etc) 2) even fully developed (if they ever are which remain to be seen) the typhoon cannot hide that AtG was an afterthought.

For instance with 2 storm shadow or Taurus it can carry a single 1000L tank while a rafale can carry 3*2000L = 6000L. It is 6 time more ! the same story is true for other AtG configs (LGB etc). That is why the rafale or a SH are more multirole by “essence”. The lack of external store flexibility (for bulky one to accommodate with fuel tanks) for the Typhoon means that it will always impact its operational performance as a striker.

It means that the Typhoon would bring less AtG capability than a tornado and would be a step back while a rafale is a step forward for both AtA and AtG.

Also I think that the argument that the Typhoon doesn’t do AtG because the Tornado does is spinned by some. The truth is just that the tornado is much better for that role and offer a wider range of weaponry. But then you need two aircrafts : one for AtG and one for escort while a true multirole aircraft is self sufficient in this conflict.

Ok, so you’re taking about a ‘fully developed Typhoon’, right. First off, yes, some things are late for the Typhoon, but what other aircraft have entered operational service with the full bells, whistles & gizmos? I’d like to see any. Even the Tornado took a few years to get where they are today, same said for the Rafale, F-16, F-18, F-15, Mirage, Jaguar, Harrier etc, you name them, they’ve all taken time to develope through out the years, so we can say they’re late developers too.

Now I’d like to point out the bold bits: The Typhoon was designed to be a multi-role fighter from the start, argue against it if you wish but at the end of the day, its fact. The other fact(s) are is that they – consortium members – wanted to concentrate on the Typhoon’s A/A capabilities first then concentrate later on on its A/G capabilities. This was for a number of reasons and the most important one being was the lack of a modern air superiority platform, UK having the Tornado F2/3, Germany with the Mig-29, Phantom, F-104, the latter for Italy as well as a few Tornado F3s and F-16s later on & Spain not having much to wright home about. So yeah, you can see why they wanted the Typhoon’s A/A to be a priority.

About the ‘fully developed’ Typhoon you mentioned. No matter what you put onto it, its always going to carry 6 A/A missiles at the very least. Even with an A/G weapons load of say for example: Short list;

– 2 Storm Shadows, 4 Paveway IVs, 1 centre EDT, 2 CFTs
– 2 Anti-shipping missiles (take your pick), 4 Paveway IVs 1 centre EDT, 2 CFTs
– or if you’re having a bad day and want to take out a long column of armoured vehicles; 6 Brimstone launchers – or possibly even 8 – ,(3 missiles per launcher), 1 centre EDT, 2 CFTs. Thats 18 anti-armour missiles you have on board and a possibilty of 24!

Those options with at least 6 A/A missiles and with a lot of fuel on board. Sorry but, call it what you want, thats one hell of a multi-role capability. “Lack of external store flexibility”? I think not!

Your last point: No, not really. As of now, the Tornado is more of a capable A/G platform than the Typhoon is, I don’t believe nobody has said otherwise. If you want to do a recce run, use a Tornado. If you want to take out a column of armoured vehicles, use a Tornado. If you want to to launch a stand-off cruise missile, use a Tornado. If you want to take out a radar installation, use a Tornado. It has all these kind of missions covered. If you want to take out a particular air threat, use a Typhoon. That has that kind of mission covered, thats all that is needed at this point of time and if the need arises to bomb a particular stationary target and the GR4s are busy, get a few LGBs and a couple of designator pods out the shed & stick them on a couple of Tiffys, no problem. Get on with it, get back home & put the kettle on.

Like I say, just because the Typhoons haven’t dropped any A/G ordnance onto Libya, (or have they? What do we know…) doesn’t mean its a bad A/G platform.

Between the Rafale and Typhoon, I would rather have the former. Rafale has certainly proven its Omnirole credentials, while Typhoons don’t have anything A2G with Tornadoes doing the dirty work.

Just because the Typhoons aren’t doing any A/G work in Libya – not that we know of anyway – doesn’t mean it isn’t capable do to so. The way I see it is, they don’t need to be deployed in the A/G role when the Tornado GR4s are perfectly capable of doing this kind of work, this is what it does best, it’d be rather silly deploying the Tornado GR4s in the A/A role and the Typhoons in the A/G role. Just proves that these two particular aircraft play off well together, this is what the RAF has needed in many years and now they have this capability which is quite frankly, formidable!

Rafale has certainly proved its worth and I take my hat off to it. It deserves its praise but at the end of the day, it was designed to do this type of work as was the Tornado for its A/G capabilities, you wouldn’t expect them to do anything more or less.

IMO it would’ve been nice to see the Typhoon be deployed in the A/G role but like I say, theres no need for it when the Tornado, as of present, is the more capable aircraft for this role. Thats not to say the Typhoon isn’t any good at A/G, it certainly is quite capable being able to operate with the likes of dumb-bombs, LGBs, laser designator pod and has just successfully dropped the Paweway VI.

All and all, I very much doubt that this affects Typhoon’s chances in India. As one Typhoon pilot more or less put it; theres not much difference operating on CAPs in Libya than it is in the UK. Only difference is is that they’re more likely to actually shoot something down over Libya. Other than that, normal days work.

@Nicholas10, but overall Eurofighter offer a lot more to India. 😉

surely quadbike you could have looked at Rafale in Afghanistan over the past years and got excited about its A2G capability? Its not news that the Typhoon partner nations have hindered the deployment of A2G weapons.

But Quadbike, you wouldn’t be buying your Typhoon now, you would be buying it in a few years time, and everything will be hunky dory by then.

Having said that, I think its great that France and Britain are able to demonstrate how capable their aerospace and defence projects actually are :
Rafale, Typhoon, Brimstone, AASM, Storm Shadow/Scalp etc etc.:)

And if India chooses the Typhoon, the initial 18 for India are likely to be 2 seat trainers – for training purposes…obviously – and not the full blown, single seat, multi-role, Tranche 3s that most people seem to think. It’d certainly make more sense. Indian pilots, or any other pilots for that matter, aren’t that adaptable.

The situation in Libya is, if I can say this, a good start to their 50 year joint military relationship.

Don’t worry about them lot, Flygirl. They’re only miffed off because the closest they’ll ever come to flying a Typhoon is on a PS3 in their bedroom…Sorry, “command centre”.

Best of luck to the lass anyway, I understand why shes getting some attention, its such a rare thing to have a front line female fighter pilot. Its nothing against the male fighter pilots, they’re not being put into the dark in any way and I’m sure the male fighter pilots are just as proud to have her in the RAF. Especially if shes come from a Tornado background and I believe shes actually fully qualified as a Harrier pilot, too? Theres not many pilots in the world, let alone in the RAF that are/have been trained on three front line fighter aircraft – just kinda proves how good she is.

I wouldn’t say its a great achievement for her to be a Typhoon pilot, yes of course for her personally yes, but I mean for ‘A’ female in general, any female and male who naturally have the capabilities to operate front line aeroplanes are obviously something of a talented walk of life, just like Formula 1 drivers.

Theres 22 male F1 drivers in the world today and theres probably about 2-3 female racers who has the potential to effectively operate an F1 car. Its not because they can’t do it, theres just not very many of them, same said for fighter pilots.

Go into a pub and ask the guys what they’d want to be, a fighter pilot or an F1 driver, it’d take them 9 pints later and then claim they could beat Damon Hill and out-fight Douglas Bader. Ask the lasses and they’d just yawn, say they’re going to the toilets never seen again.