Considering most of them use the same messaging protocol evolved from AIM-9, probably not so much. And MICA feasibility was already studied. MBDA once had ideas to push them out on non-French fighters. The high price made it untenable.
You cannot honestly say EJ200 is better than M88.3 when neither one implemented all the cutting edge techniques. The EJ200 is the better back end and materials technology. The M88.3 has the better front stages and goes a bit beyond the EJ200 with its extra bypass. Neither engine is a peer of F135 technology.
Gripen NG can use AIM-9X, ASRAAM, MICA IR*, and Python V. It’s also able to use AIM-120C7, Meteor, Derby, and MICA*. Plus it’s able to use a wide variety of OTS standoff weapons. It might not be first day capable in an offensive campaign, but there is little doubt about it’s ability to deploy in the field and to provide defense in depth. It’s perfect for smaller air forces unable to afford $200 million designs.
Realize that the bid is cost of materials and labor rather than a traditional overall bid. The overall total price is pretty much the same for all parties involved, they only have wiggle room on getting costs of materials and labor down in order to improve profits. More or less the baseline contract is a crud pie that you swallow initially then try to upsell from there. Not much different than how the government was buying products during WW2.
Damn, people, quit being so thick. This is one of the few valid posts KGB has actually contributed around here… even if he misunderstood the signing was to demonstrate an intent and not a purchase.
Pretty obvious the F-15K offshoots are better than anything else listed. MiG-31 is my pick for running counter-air sweeps. If the US or Israel actually used the F-15K offshoots without export handicapping I’d be sure to cite it instead.
I’m thinking that they could significantly reduce overall size from several perspectives using a much lower volume engine. The original MiG-21 was around 13,000 lb st thrust wet and could push through Mach 2. Smaller engines can reach that thrust at far lower volume, weight, length, and width. And modern electronics would make them only about 400% more capable at 65% of the original’s weight.
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