Wow, scaling down Gripen for T-X. Now that will be interesting. Well if this happening, Lockheed-KAI T-50 will not be the only supersonic trainer for T-X bidding.

The article infers not a scaled down Gripen, but rather a focus on design for a trainer based on Saab’s world class expertise. I’m thinking it will be a conventional design and in the T-38 weight class.

HMS Sheffield was neither dumb nor blind. Her automatic defenses were not triggered because the IFF system accepted the missile’s parameters and thought it was a friendly object. The revelation that codes to disable the fuses were provided by the french was made by the prime minister emeritus herself and is no longer secret. An unarmed warhead will still explode if its casing remains intact and something besides the trigger sets it off. HMS Sheffield proved the rocket motor alone can burn steel and create a catastrophic event without the warhead detonated.

The exocet that didnt detonate wasnt armed due to improper launch altitude.

Original claim. We know from later disclosures the RN had a formerly undisclosed way to disable the fuses on Exocets. The French government supplied the codes for the Argies missiles. Only certain warships had the capacity to send out the signal, Sheffield being one. The Glamorgan did not.

The T-50 flies with neutral pitch (like all stealth planes) whereas the Su-27 flies in a slight positive angle of attack, hence the latter having a nose that isn’t in perfect alignment to the body. Don’t get me wrong, the T-50 has demonstrated high angle of attack maneuvers, but to sneak up on a target it’s not going to do it because maneuvers like that compromise stealth.

I was under the impression they were equipped with the SPS49 and SPS55 main radars?
The youngest US hull is already 25 years [/url]

You would be correct. I was not just thinking the wrong Spy version for a frigate (SPY-1D is the correct one), but I was confusing the Arliegh Burke class destroyer with the Oliver Perry class frigates. The Olivers lacking SM-1/2, Harpoon, and ESSM – or even one of them – seems like their combat value is dubious. I have a strong feeling they are in varying levels of disrepair as the USN budgets left many ships operational even while key components were broken.

I am honestly not sure what you are saying here. The Iran/Iraq war, Desert Storm, or the no fly zones? Mig-25s were killed during each and under a variety of circumstances.

The only opponent the MiG-25 flopped against really was the F-14 of IrAF. The MiG-25’s shot down in GW2 were largely vulnerable because of the situation and in scenarios where they had initiative or even footing they held the line with high speed slashing attacks.

I have zero doubt the Russian versions were better suited to the scenarios and the same zero doubt that MiG-31 was even more of a threat, especially line abreast flights of fours or more.

MiG-25’s followed back to base and killed on approach to home are not really comparable. MiG-23’s have also been downed and claimed to be MiG-25’s. Add in the Iraqis feared pilots leaving for the border so they took off under low fuel conditions.

I don’t think a MiG-25 is untouchable from Typhoon. I wouldn’t want to take that bet as Typhoon was geared for altitude and speed, too.