The E-2D is a rotating AESA dish.

And saved weight – important on the E-2D.

Wedgetail has 360° capability. As can be seen in the top photo the side arrays are on pylon (large gray antenna), the top hat fore and aft arrays are on the top (black antenna).

As per: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101124/text/101124w0002.htm#10112471000042

The 70000 Typhoon figure:

“The MOD calculates the full cost of aircraft per flying hour. The current rates for our fast jets are shown in the table. These figures include forward and depth servicing, fuel costs, crew costs, training costs, cost of capital charge, depreciation and amortisation. The Typhoon cost per flying hour reflects the build up of the fleet with small numbers of aircraft currently in-service. This cost will comparatively reduce as the fleet builds and is expected to be similar to our other fast jet fleets when we reach a steady state position.”

Also of interest:
Tornado GR4 – 35,000
Harrier GR7/GR9 – 37,000
Tornado F3 – 43,000

Thats important for the German Air Force as GAF does flightline maintenance with everything else by industry.

Any ideas on the Indian maintenance model?

They aren’t my numbers. They are from an article in World Air Power Journal Volume 35. I’d tell you the author, but I’m sure you can already guess….

Whats the formulae for converting between RCS and ranges again? I had it written somewhere, but cannot find it.

Something like (3m2/5m2)^2 x range?

A recent article on the F-15C mentioned how they fight different fighters.

F-16C – fight using lower speeds
F-18C – fight in the high speed regime
F-18E/F – stay out its high nose pointing arcs.

As for CAPTOR, radar antenna is 70 cm diameter.

Air Forces Monthly July 2000 – detected large cargo aircraft (commercial Airbus’s etc) at 200 nm (370 km) and 100 nm (185 km) for ‘fighters’.

I think the track range is 160 km vs 5m2. Can track at last 20 and probably 30+ (Blue Vixen is 28).

Edefense gave 160 km for 5m2 and 300 km – this seem like track ranges (see above).

Sain says radar was 50% improved over APG-65 (doesn’t specify what they mean).

Uses interleaved RWS, TWS and VS. Can TWS in entire 120 degree arc due to high scanning speed. Has automatic IFF and NCTR.

P1E/SRP 12 (a funded upgrade for Tranche 2 currently underway) will add terrain avoidance, sea search, and GMIT radar modes. Supposed to enter service in late 2012.

Eurofighter has acceleration from 200 kts to Mach 0.9+ in <20 seconds – also as 200 kts to Mach 1.0 at Low altitude in 30 seconds. QRA climb to 12192 m in 2 minutes.

Supercruise is Mach 1.3 (World Air Power Journal 38, page 67). With 50% fuel and 6 AAM supercruise less than Mach 1.4.

Air Forces Monthly May 2004 has turn ability Mach 1.6 @ 4-5 G. Turn radius is 3 km – given as Mach 1.5 @ 6.6 G.

Subsonic agility greater than Su-27 and MiG-29 (it’d frigging wanna be!). Only F-22 and Su-35 with thrust vectoring are better (nose pointing).

Supersonic agility close to F-22 instantaneous, although F-22 is better in sustained.

Edefense also had “Detailed figures are classified, but an unofficial source says that the Typhoon has about a 1-square-meter RCS. Such a figure is quite a good achievement, since it is only about 0.13% of the RCS of the Su-27/30/35 and about 0.2% of the RCS of the MiG-29. However, it is significantly than the F/A-22’s figure, which is reportedly in the region of 0.05 sq m.”

WAPJ 35 had 1/7th Su-27, 1/5th F/A-18, 1/3rd Rafale (yea I know, okay!).

Gives generic Flanker at 7.7 m2, 5 m2 for MiG-29 and F/A-18, and 3m2 for Rafale (okay leave me alone! ). I’ve seen MiG-21 with 3m2.

Germany gave the following figures at the recent India Air Show:
<280 defects per 1000 hours (expected 100-200 with more experience), 6000 hour life
F-4E was 39 inspections for 6000 hour life
MiG-29 – 3600 hours, 47 inspections
Tornado – 19 inspections for 6000 hours
Eurofighter – 14 inspections for 6000 hours
German AF does onboard and limited offboard maintenance. Industry does offboard – aircraft airframe, engine, ejection seat, etc. No duplication, fast operational support

ISTR the plan is take it ‘slightly above Mach 1.6’, so M1.6 should be the operational maximum.