I had fun and loved the comments on the best tanks. So next up is fighter/attack and following that we'll look at IFVs. In keeping with the style of best tanks, this list is broken down by mission.
Air Superiority...F-22.
This was tougher than you might imagine. All the usual suspects were in the running. Typhoon, F-22, F-15, SU-35, and Rafale. I was tempted beyond belief to give the nod to the F-15. You're the champ until you get knocked off. Lets be honest too. The F-22's qualities are all theoretical, plus its giving its pilots a type of coal mine lung, and it has yet to be proven in combat. Same applies to the other airplanes in the air superiority role. I knuckled under and just went with the consensus favorite. No solid rationale except that everyone believes that its best. Still .... the F-15.....
Close Air Support...A-10.
This is another no brainer...but a bit more difficult than you might imagine. The A-10 can get in low, mix it up, take a punch and keep on jabbing. But the other guys on my comparison list have strong points too. The AV-8B Harrier can deploy on ship and can be their when the A-10 would have to stage from bases further away. The Predator B drone can loiter forever and provide eyes in the sky while dropping bombs on the bad guys. The AC-130 can provide precision firepower...if the area is SAM free...the list goes on. The winning quality for the A-10 was its ability to hang and fight.
Multi-mission...F-18.
The only real competition in this area was between the Super Hornet and the Rafale. Yeah we see models of the F-15 and SU-XX loaded with bombs and conducting this mission but the Super Hornet was designed out of the box to do this (along with the Rafale) so that gives those two a leg up. The thing that put the Super Hornet ahead of the Rafale was its combat record and the fact that the US Navy along with Boeing is working hard to keep this airplane as up to date as possible. In the end that was its saving grace and the thing that put it over the top.
Deep/Naval Strike...SU-34.
The West better hope that the Russians and Chinese never wake up and realize what a powerhouse they have in this figher bomber. Its the Russian F-111, just modernized. Quite honestly naval planners are always talking about (me too) anti-ship missiles but with the idea that Tu-95's or the Chinese equivalent or ships or land bases will be firing them. But what happens if some Russian or Chinese admiral (or more likely staff officer) figures out that he can launch an all quadrant high speed attack using the SU-34 to take out an Expeditionary Strike Group? What happens if they decide that the Stryker Brigade advancing can be decimated by a wing of SU-34's loaded down with the appropriate weapons? This plane is big, its fast, it carries defensive missiles (some reported to be fired backwards) and it has all around defense suite. You'll argue but this is the best of breed.
Below are my honorable mentions....
Gripen.
This plane is going to win orders. Its just a matter of time. Cost is becoming a factor world wide and soon the idea of using fighters in an offensive role will become secondary to just a homeland security mission set. If costs becomes a factor then this planes only competition will be the Super Hornet. Just like ObamaCare, many are going to get sticker shock from the F-35 and many will balk. The Gripen has a bright future.
Typhoon.
It didn't win in any particular category but its a plane to watch. The Europeans must keep it competitive into the future and that means upgrades will have to be made. I expect to see a flurry of activity in the near future and that will mean this plane will finally get the items it deserves. A high power AESA. Efficient and powerful engines. Conformal fuel tanks. Oh and necessary upgrades to its attack/close air support capability.
J-20/PAK-FA.
We just don't know enough about these airplanes yet and the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency along with Navy and Air Force Intel aren't telling us a thing. The mystery continues. In the future they might be the monsters that some imagine. We just don't know yet.
Air Superiority...F-22.
This was tougher than you might imagine. All the usual suspects were in the running. Typhoon, F-22, F-15, SU-35, and Rafale. I was tempted beyond belief to give the nod to the F-15. You're the champ until you get knocked off. Lets be honest too. The F-22's qualities are all theoretical, plus its giving its pilots a type of coal mine lung, and it has yet to be proven in combat. Same applies to the other airplanes in the air superiority role. I knuckled under and just went with the consensus favorite. No solid rationale except that everyone believes that its best. Still .... the F-15.....
Close Air Support...A-10.
This is another no brainer...but a bit more difficult than you might imagine. The A-10 can get in low, mix it up, take a punch and keep on jabbing. But the other guys on my comparison list have strong points too. The AV-8B Harrier can deploy on ship and can be their when the A-10 would have to stage from bases further away. The Predator B drone can loiter forever and provide eyes in the sky while dropping bombs on the bad guys. The AC-130 can provide precision firepower...if the area is SAM free...the list goes on. The winning quality for the A-10 was its ability to hang and fight.
Multi-mission...F-18.
The only real competition in this area was between the Super Hornet and the Rafale. Yeah we see models of the F-15 and SU-XX loaded with bombs and conducting this mission but the Super Hornet was designed out of the box to do this (along with the Rafale) so that gives those two a leg up. The thing that put the Super Hornet ahead of the Rafale was its combat record and the fact that the US Navy along with Boeing is working hard to keep this airplane as up to date as possible. In the end that was its saving grace and the thing that put it over the top.
Deep/Naval Strike...SU-34.
The West better hope that the Russians and Chinese never wake up and realize what a powerhouse they have in this figher bomber. Its the Russian F-111, just modernized. Quite honestly naval planners are always talking about (me too) anti-ship missiles but with the idea that Tu-95's or the Chinese equivalent or ships or land bases will be firing them. But what happens if some Russian or Chinese admiral (or more likely staff officer) figures out that he can launch an all quadrant high speed attack using the SU-34 to take out an Expeditionary Strike Group? What happens if they decide that the Stryker Brigade advancing can be decimated by a wing of SU-34's loaded down with the appropriate weapons? This plane is big, its fast, it carries defensive missiles (some reported to be fired backwards) and it has all around defense suite. You'll argue but this is the best of breed.
Below are my honorable mentions....
Gripen.
This plane is going to win orders. Its just a matter of time. Cost is becoming a factor world wide and soon the idea of using fighters in an offensive role will become secondary to just a homeland security mission set. If costs becomes a factor then this planes only competition will be the Super Hornet. Just like ObamaCare, many are going to get sticker shock from the F-35 and many will balk. The Gripen has a bright future.
Typhoon.
It didn't win in any particular category but its a plane to watch. The Europeans must keep it competitive into the future and that means upgrades will have to be made. I expect to see a flurry of activity in the near future and that will mean this plane will finally get the items it deserves. A high power AESA. Efficient and powerful engines. Conformal fuel tanks. Oh and necessary upgrades to its attack/close air support capability.
J-20/PAK-FA.
We just don't know enough about these airplanes yet and the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency along with Navy and Air Force Intel aren't telling us a thing. The mystery continues. In the future they might be the monsters that some imagine. We just don't know yet.
