If J-20 becomes a 5. gen a/c then IMHO both Typhoon and Rafale will struggle and most likely fail against the J-20 — assuming a simple scenario where neither side has access to AWACS or ship or land based radars, have missiles that are quite evenly matched, etc….
The near future Typhoon and Rafale (future Gripen for that matter!) will be true 4.5 gen fighters.
Lokes definition of 4.5 gen fighters:
1. Strongly reduced RCS compared to earlier gens (RCS dominated by external stores)
2. Reduced IR signature
3. Integrated MAWs, IRST
4. Integrated jammer
5. AESA radar
6. Sensor fusion
7. Limited supercruise (in a2a config).
Lokes definition of 5. gen fighter:
As above, but
VLO instead of LO…(ie RCS and IR signature further strongly reduced compared to 4.5 gen)
A low-end 5. gen fighter will tend to trash even a high-end 4.5 fighter. Just like a 4.5 gen fighter tends to thrash a 4. gen fighter. I would not find myself in an F-15* when facing a Gripen NG 😉
My 2 øre… 🙂
*Excluding a future F-15SE of course.
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