Yeah, I can see why you are upset. I mean they are supposed to copy America… that is what the bad guys are supposed to do. How can they do things differently! Don’t they know different is wrong. Why can’t they just be white like us instead of half asian and underhanded and evil…

Seriously, what are you talking about? Please don’t bring race into this thread as it has nothing to do with it. Besides, I’m not white. SFerrin just made a joke about the advantages that many people bring up when defending Russian fighters. We truly don’t know if plasma stealth exists do we? And many people havee dismissed the Cobra as ineffective.

Me personally, I think the Su-27 and it’s derivatives are some of the best planes out there period. I think Russia’s 5th generation plane will be great but right now they just don’t have the resources and money to make a plane as advanced as the F-22. Is that a bad thing? No, as it will plenty advanced for the people that will be buying it. We will see if they can incorprate low-RCS designs into this program but I don’t expect it to be on the level of the Raptor. I think we’ll see this plane fly around 2008-2009.

Impresssive. The Raptor pilots and mission commanders are finding ways to keep the battle in their favor. I bet they went WVR in maybe 10% of the engagements. Probably less. That’s the way I would envision using the F-22. Now if they went WVR, 1 or 2 Raptors maybe downed by a lucky shot like that SH had.

USA with the tie! Not bad despite some horrible calls for both sides.

I live near the Lockheed-Martin plant in Marietta so I see the F-22 every once in a while. Don’t let the pictures fool you, that is a big fighter. Loud too but looks amazing compared to the chase F-16s.

I also see F/A-18s, C-130s, and C-5s.

Here ya go. I’ll admit I can’t recall many others myself. Actually come to think of it I’ve seen one in a book with an Eagle and a Tomcat in formation in a 45 degree or so climb.

That’s an amazing picture. Just turned into my new background image.

I think we will see this plane back in the air in some way, shape, or form.

IIRC, the Northern Edge 2006 combat exercise started yesterday. Some of the Raptors from Langley are there to get some good air time. Hopefully some info leaks out out about how they did against the AESA Eagles.