Well a Mirage 2000-9 managed to get a gunkill against a F22, which the Rafale didn’t. So Mirage 2000 > Rafale, so if the Typhoon = Mirage 2000, then Typhoon > Rafale.

Nic

It’s true. Some of the things being turned down make me want to shoot myself. The Hornets were for the Air Force though, not the navy.

Its curious because every time I mentionned the RN anyine getting hornets, everyone would reply that the US had no spare F18 to sell, should it be SH or vanilla hornets, and now I learn that the US had at least 24 F18C+ to spare.

Nic

it may be plummed for CFT but does it have the flight profiles to actualy use them, no doubt wacking 2 donking fuel tanks on your back will change how your aircraft flys.

Quote directly from the dassault: Fox Three 2nd issue:
http://www.dassault-aviation.com/fileadmin/user_upload/redacteur/AUTRES_DOCS/Fox_three/Fox_Three_nr_2.pdf

The CFTs are being tested at the Dassault Test Centre in Istres, and the first flight of a Rafale fitted with CFTs took place on April 18, 2001, with pilot Eric Gérard at the controls. Supersonic speeds have been evaluated, and various configurations have already been successfully tested: long-range strike with three 2,000 litre drop tanks, four Mica and two Scalp stand-off missiles, and air-to-air configurations with Mica missiles. It has been determined that the CFTs had negligible impact on aircraft handling.

Nic

There will be no bonus for the taxpayers in NATO countries involved. Weapons will be the least important buy of Libya for several years to come.

It’s okay anyway, NATO countries are already ordering, or will soon be. Arms manufacturers don’t care where the money comes from… my pocket or yours.

Nic

To question 2. In the future Libya will have much smaller military forces. The present surplus and dated ones will be wrecked and be replaced by a much smaller number similar to Tunesia. Like the Iraq Russia will have its share in replacements too.
The price of oil is set by the OPEC and the market demands.

Well whatever stuff the future Libyan armies will order are a bonus to the replenishment of the stocks that NATO countries used over Libya 😉

Nic

He did not mentione Rafale in that sentence either…. :diablo:

Seriously, I think this is BS — I doubt Typhoon is that much better than the Rafale. But I could be wrong of course.

Well I don’t think a Typhoon driver should be “afraid” of a Rafale, between both it will come down to the situation (alt, speed) and pilot skill mostly.

Vs a F22 however the Typhoon will be at disadvantage, as would be pretty much every other aircraft bar the future PAK-FA.

TBH I think Jon Lake was pretty fair in his latest round of articles in that particular issue of air international.

Nic

BTW if it is true that Argentina got an offer for 24 F18C+, and turned it down, what are the odds that the RN would want them? A F18C MLU would be nothing to sneer at and buy the RN some time to decide whether they want the F35C or not, and it would allow them to train pilots and crew for the QEII.

Nic