I think, the Grippen is the best option for the small NATO countries as they are not going to lead any serious conflict and in most cases they would act more on political than military support to the USA.
Now regarding the “5th generation capabilities”, the only ones exclusive to Lockhead are the VLO (F22) and LO (F35), I don´t expect a huge path ahead regarding sensors fusion in any of these two when comparing with Rafale or Typhoon (or latest Russian aircrafts). F35 is probably the best one for Netcentric operation, but I am highly hesitant it would be a dominant aircrafts for small air forces unable to provide AWACS support, strong logistics … F22 is clearly superior when regarding AS. The combination should be very efective for the USAF but I think that an Air Force relying only in the F35 would face serious problems when facing any serious threat (any 4th generation based oponent force).
Something i don´t understand on the american 5ths is the lack of IR systems, since it force them to emite with their radars if they lack AWACS support and they don´t wont to go blind. I know their radars are quite complicate to detect, but still it looks like a drawback when comparing against almost any other modern aircraft.

Lybia wasn´t big deal, but served to prove that both Rafale and Typhoon serve well on tipical 2nd/3rd world countries hammering NATO missions. With Rafale showing integration for more AG weapons and some precision problems as the Damocles pod seems not to be that good. As for typhoon, it perfomed very well but is still behind regarding AG weapon integration, just free fall bombs AFAIK.
I am highly hesitant regarding the claims that SH couldn´t do the job, but it seems that Rafale started operations before the tommy hammering. I think the French were eager to check their Rafales.
Regarding Denmark, I think they would keep with F35 with typhoon, SH, and Grippen as main contenders and I don´t think Rafales have many chances since for a similar concept aircraft Danish ties with Germany and UK are stronger.

Irtusk – e-z read version:

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2012/October%202012/1012slow.aspx

Madrat – The heat’s gotta go somewhere. Remember what Scotty used to tell Captain Kirk….

interesting article, but if it´s as optimistic in the whole as it’s here “… and it’s considered a leading competitor in South Korea’s and Singapore’s upcoming fighter contests. Spain is considering a buy as well.” I wouldn´t believe much. South Korea is very likely going for F15 SE while Eurofighter might be close but not enough, F35 es almost discarded AFAIK. I don’t know about Singapore, but Spain might keep “considering” it for long, as the F35B is the only option for it’s Navy and they would certanly like some stealth capabilities for the air force as well, but the country is budgetary broke and the armed forces are struggling to pay for the projects they are already in (including delays in Eurofighter deliveries), close future doesn´t look brighter since a second bailout is probbaly coming.

So its not such a great comparison (with the Rafale no doubt).

That and nuclear strike must be bottom of the priority ladder at the moment?

Typhoon can’t fire nukes either! I think that is a plus tbh.

Picking up on another point though. If the RAF like their LDP to be on the centreline fuel position, then surely that increases the value of CFTs for them?

From the original eurofighter partners only the UK has nuclear weapons, and they seem to relay only in their subs lately. I don´t think that selling abroad an aircraft with nuclear capabilities is a very clever movement for anybody but it seems even worse when you have previously choose not have it.
On the other hand if you can launch cruise missiles like Taurus or storm shadow from your platform i don´t think that supposing that those have a nuclear warhead the requirements for those nuclear launchings would be very different.
Rafale will sell their Rafales to India and it was said they were going to be sell to the UAE and Brazil as well, but i don´t think they would be selling ASMP-A missiles.

Regarding anti-shipping, in Spain this missions are carried by F18s and Harrier harpoons at the moment and i wouldn´t discard f18s Taurus being use in that role as well. For the typhoon the prioirties in integration for the close future seem to be METEOR and TAURUS missiles, and then very likely harpoon or other antiship missile, but i don´t see this happening before 2015 since spanish confidence in F18 for this roles is huge and there are some budgetary limitations at the moment.

navy mig29 has no chance against j31 now that we confirm it is a navy aircraft

kill and land! lol. is so stealth that they don´t need to to retray the landing gear for killing mig29s! 😀