Best AtA fighter in service today

[davidpt40]

I think that the lack of F15 losses are due to American pilots being the best trained and smartest in the world.  Seriously.

[Hristo]

F-15s shot down Serb and Iraqi flown MiG-29s. Both Iraq and Serbia didn't have top equipment for their planes and few years of arms embargo behind them as well.

Look at it this way - if US sold F-15s to a 3rd world contry, then imposed arms embargo. Few years pass, F-15s are hardly serviceable, only couple of flights per month, poor pilots etc.. Then Russia attacks them with MiG-29s, Su-27s, whatever, brand new, trained Russian pilots, new missiles etc.

The outcome could be quite different.

Just a thought

[Stridr417]

Here's a question:

Why don't more westrer countires actuallyu go out and buy Russian equipment?  I'd imagine that the latest Russian fighter is a heck of a lot cheaper than US stuff, and you are therefore getting more for your money.  Canada, in particular, needs to start thinking about replacing its CF18s at some point in the near future - why not pick up a bunch of Mig29s, stuff them with Western electronics, and save some $$$..

[Staga]

One reason why FiAF did drop MiG-29 from list when we were buying new fighters was that it wasn't guaranteed that manufacturer could keep updating plane's systems next 20 years.
That wouldn't be a problem if you were going to use those fighters only 5-10 years but when you're planning to use them longer period you wanna be sure that manufacturer is able to produce spareparts and upgrades.

[Hristo]

Originally posted by Stridr417
Here's a question:

Why don't more westrer countires actuallyu go out and buy Russian equipment?  I'd imagine that the latest Russian fighter is a heck of a lot cheaper than US stuff, and you are therefore getting more for your money.  Canada, in particular, needs to start thinking about replacing its CF18s at some point in the near future - why not pick up a bunch of Mig29s, stuff them with Western electronics, and save some $$$..

It would make you dependant of (un)reliability of aircraft industry on the other side of the globe, and government not exactly sharing every opinion with yours. Not so heathly if you want to have your planes fly all the time at 100%.

Not to mention, protection of your industry, pilot training and national pride .

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Stridr417
Here's a question:

Why don't more westrer countires actuallyu go out and buy Russian equipment?  I'd imagine that the latest Russian fighter is a heck of a lot cheaper than US stuff, and you are therefore getting more for your money.  Canada, in particular, needs to start thinking about replacing its CF18s at some point in the near future - why not pick up a bunch of Mig29s, stuff them with Western electronics, and save some $$$..

The aircraft are cheap. The spares are what'll cost.

As for the CF18, weren't those built in Canada?

[Samm]

Adequately trained pilots in soviet mig29 (not the export models used by most countries) would prove a formidable match for anything . Even the monkey models that the germans got kick arse .

[whgates3]

too bad they dont have air-gladiators at the paris air show, we could settle this issue

[RightF00T]

[Boroda]

Originally posted by NUKE

This more recent from af.mil news

The F-15 Eagle turned 30 years old July 27 and currently boasts a combat record of 104 kills without a loss, a score that includes Israeli and Saudi Arabian air force F-15s

...and USAF lost only 79 Sabres in Korea.

USAF has a very funny understanding of "combat losses". Any plane that have hit the ground on friendly territory isn't considered a combat loss.

"Boasts" is a right word

Syrian pilots scored several kills of F-15s in 1982. I bet SAMs have shot down even more.

But anyway, F-15 is probably the most successfull fighter plane still in service.

[Hristo]

Just found out this: http://www.aeronautics.ru/fakemig.htm

[Reschke]

Here is the best fighter ever past, present or future.