Oh, btw, about block 4

Contracts for June 7, 2019

Release No: CR-108-19

NAVY

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $1,808,545,655 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for continued design maturation and development of Block 4 capabilities in support of the F-35 Lightning II Phase 2.3 Pre-Modernization for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps; and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in August 2026. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps); and non-U.S. DoD participant funds in the amount of $98,998,910 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($732,460,990; 40.50 percent); Navy ($371,475,278; 20.54 percent), Marine Corps ($345,974,784; 19.13 percent) and non-U.S. DoD participants ($358,634,603; 19.83 percent). This contract was not competitive procured pursuant to U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0010).

yes, but they are exceptional birds

Well,, mica is already by far superior to AIM9 so why not modernize it to maintain its advance? And as by all evidence you have only very partial information about mica ng, i did expect such a comment. FCAS is a multi level program including A330 MRTT and Rafale btw. (and mica NG). And Mica NG will be proressively introduced into forces, with Rafale F4 able to use all its capabilities.

https://warontherocks.com/2019/06/f-15ex-the-strategic-blind-spot-in-the-air-forces-fighter-debate/

Long and well reasoned article, not sure I agree with some arguments presented or his conclusion, but worth reading.

Agree.

Well, as far as they are an invaded country at war….

Gripen is a good plane. However, if they are canadian built (five eyes) everything they do will be known by US. It is a political choice.

While my current semi-retired status means that my limited knowledge of stealth and counterstealth technologies is no longer as up-to-date as it once was, I would hesitate to claim that “The only thing we know about F-22, F-35 and Su-57 Stealth property, is blatant disinformation.. otherwise known as Marketing ploy” or to dismiss the recent postings in this thread as “nonsense”.

But I would be so bold as to dismiss claimed figures for average RCS as being of little or no practical value, given that one major method of creating a low-observable air vehicle is to not to return reflected radar energy in the direction of the radar that sent it, but to send it in other directions.

Will you be at PAS19?

i do and will write an article. Do not be disappointed with range, it is quite a clueless notion. However, the longest shot (in perfect condition) done with a MICA in Taiwan was 72 Kms. That said, expect a tripled NEZ for Mica NG due to smart dual boost. please wait a few days for more details. Briefly new captors, more propellant and cheaper both to buy and use.
And do not worry, in A2A RDY2 is quite a potent radar 😉