Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

What advantages would aircraft like the SU-35S,F-18E,typhoon,rafale and gripen posses despite being 4th gen designs? Also I hope you all had a pleasant holiday Smile

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Typically being called a 4.5 gen design implies greater avionics integration, an AESA maybe, etc. Some designs push the aerobatic limitations of their particular designs.

The airframes are 4th Gen designs to some extent on paper - more thought has been given to Radar cross section reduction - usage of angular intakes for one thing - and more canard use in the Euro birds obviously.

The main difference is the hardware/software they carry is far superior - radars (some with AESA), data links, latest targeting pods, latest weapons - enable better SA, Survivablility and offensive capability - basically I would see a 4.5 Gen as something that has modern hardware / software, has world class agility and performance - but is NOT a Stealth Jet.

So for example in a hypothetical 1 v 1:

A 4th Gen F-16A Block 15 with AIM-9Ls and an APG-66 (the FAV still fly em)

vs

an FA-18E with APG-79 (AESA), AIM-120C-7s and the latest ECM gear

Thats some advantage right there.

4.5ths are still multi-mode sensors while 5ths are onboard and offboard sensor fusion.

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/01/03/boein ... es-part-2/
Boeing also is doing its utmost to sell its other flagship fighter, the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Who cares that it first flew in 1978 — today’s new-model jets are “stealth killers,” a top Boeing official told Reed, setting them up as a smart shopper’s alternative to certain other combat aircraft, and one that can defeat those other airplanes’ advantages anyway.

hcobb wrote:

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/01/03/boein ... es-part-2/
Boeing also is doing its utmost to sell its other flagship fighter, the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Who cares that it first flew in 1978 — today’s new-model jets are “stealth killers,” a top Boeing official told Reed, setting them up as a smart shopper’s alternative to certain other combat aircraft, and one that can defeat those other airplanes’ advantages anyway.

hahaha

Its difficult for Boeing having to flog this thing so any marketing **** will do.

Thats interesting because every other source states the FA-18EF Super Hornet first flew in about 1995 - its a different airframe design to the legacy FA-18s........

The flip flopping of the Super Hornet between being the fighter of the past and the fighter of the future might remind us of certain persons, but leave that be.

Quote:

What advantages would aircraft like the SU-35S,F-18E,typhoon,rafale and gripen posses despite being 4th gen designs? Also I hope you all had a pleasant holiday .

Afa the Su-35S goes, it will have the best/cheapest bang for the bucks out there. Duno about the sensor fusion package on the Su-35S, but other platforms do have pretty good systems. Gripen and SH etc.

Forum: Modern Military Aircraft

What are the advantages of 4.5/4++ generation fighters?