Forum: F-16 versus XYZ

I think most (if not all) EF-2000s that entered service in or before 2005 had some FCS restriction at that time (2005). The maximum G / AoA that they were allowed to pull up and maintain at that time was less than 8G / less than 30 degrees.

...The DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat manoeuvres) 2vs2 scenarios had to do with 4 sorties of air battle between solely 2 Greek F-16s and 2 German Eurofighters. Given the fact that it was the first time in history that such an air fight took place, we tried to learn from first hand the impressions of 341 Squadron pilots who were engaged in these scenarios.

So, as Captain K. Pazaras (a pilot with more than 1300 flying hours in the F-16s and 3 participations in ELITE ) mentioned to HAF characteristically:
“The air battle missions against the Eurofighter were a very positive experience for us. We had to face a type of aircraft with tremendous manoeuvrability and agility, both in dogfight and low speed, demonstrating an excellent capability of nose authority and, of course, demonstrating the advantages of its two engines increased power. You can understand immediately its difference from relevant engagements with 3rd generation aircraft. In many respects, the Eurofighter is an airplane… to admire in the air battle! Eurofighter brought me about the same feeling when in the past I was flying the A-7 against the F-16!”.

On the same line was also the impression of another Greek pilot, Captain G. Mihelis, who stood against the German Eurofighters having more than 1000 hours on the type:
“It seems that (the Eurofighter) is an excellent aircraft in air battle. Of course, it is very difficult to face it in a dogfight, while it carries very good radar with long distance detection, releasing it from ground stations or airborne radar support requirements. The above in conjunction with the very good aerodynamic characteristics of Eurofighter, especially in low speed, its overpowered engine that in dry power (without afterburner) allows the fighter to surpass the Mach, constitute an airborne opponent who practically was requiring special effort and abilities from our side in order to face it effectively”.

Captain N. Printzios, without questioning the excellent impression made to the Greek pilots in their air fight against the two Eurofighters of Luftwaffe, expressed another parameter of this air fight, as he noted that:
“The relatively limited space we had in ELITE to move both in the horizontal and vertical plane, did not allow us to separate twenty to thirty miles in order to operate better. Consequently, in 1vs1 it is very difficult to face the Eurofighter. However, we have not tried bigger formations, for example 4 vs 2 with possibility to implement certain tactics, thus I cannot prejudge the outcome. In this specific case we have faced for the first time the Eurofighter in dogfight, that was something never happened before”…
Antonis Tsagaratos on exercise ELITE, Germany, July 2008, in the Hellenic Air Force Yearbook 2008