It will be interesting to see what Eurofighters response is!!.

Nothing looks like it has materially changed from when Eurofighter withdrew, it doesn’t make much strategic sense for Eurofighter to fight a lopsided competition, but with the JSF getting more expensive and delivery dates getting further away, they may have a slim chance.

Do you think they should reenter the comp or is it biased too far?

Cheers

LOL yes.. I agree it should be able to handle it, but its not its primary function, and its just getting its AtoG stuff together, even inept people using old equipment can sometimes get a result (such as the USS Cole).

That really shook the USN.

My concern for the Typhoon is one or two systems with a highly trained operator, with the support of a half decent intelligence network, getting into the right place at the right time, for example that rocket attack against RAF Harriers in Kandarhar ~2001 that was quite a result from a basic weapon used with intelligence.

I think they should wait till all the AtoG functions are ready and tested before any deployment, any gap in its suite of defences or glitches that could cause multiple overflights of a target, could be very costly, vs the PR benefit of Typhoon being used operationally.

Cheers

One of the most feared weapons for the Taliban was the Hind, but thats was way back when the Taliban were ‘freedom fighting heroes’ who were trained and supplied by the CIA/western intelligence agencies and the Russians were the Invaders.. Hmmm… its funny how much things change.. I guess the Apache is now the obvious choice.

Off topic – Does anyone know if the Russians do the same sort of thing to the West now? i.e. supply advanced Surface to air missiles to the Taliban? (as Stingers were smuggled in to deal with the Russian aircraft).

Might be easier if we just listed the places the F-22 wasn’t!! LOL…

Hey Scorps! whats your take on the Indian competition?, seems some good noises are being made at least at this early stage, IMHO Typhoons is shaping up to be more than a stalking horse in the Indian competition – at least so far….

Cheers

“During the EJ200 test programme we conducted extensive trials involving exposure to sand. Moreover, the feedback we get from core nations operating the engine under comparable conditions on international operations is good.”

Who has these deployed in international operations in the desert?? I can only think of the RAF in Nevada!

Cheers

Since when is the EF2000 cheaper than the F35 ????

since when was there a definite price for the F-35:dev2:.

Look at the prices quoted for the f-22 during its prototype-test-production phases.. the F-35 matches that same price increase slope at this early stage.. its looking like an easy +US$100m aircraft if and only if they manage the project better than the F-22 and there are no problems, if its roughly the same then your looking at ~US$120m a piece.

Go on go look at historic price quotes for the F-22 and F-35 and then graph it. then you won’t be surprised at the costs.:D , FYI the expensive/inflationary bit for the F-35 is coming with production as it did with the F-22.

Cheers