Forum: F-16 versus XYZ

There is some question going around and people are really wondering if the F-16 is the best fighter in the world. People have been saying to me that the F-15 is the best ever created but when you look at the F-16 it's fairly new, It plays a huge role for many airforces and it can do almost anything you want it to. many pilots prefer this jets over many others. What do you think?[/b]

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Fairly new? I used to work Balls 8 (AKA 78-0008) as in 1978. Its more correct to say that certain versions are newer, the F-16 is old. But your right in that many Airforces fly the Viper.

I won't vote... they are both great, they just have different roles. If I had my own air force they both would be included. That way I could kick any country's a$$ who doesn't have a Raptor. Guiness

Newbie Joined: Nov 12, 2006 - 07:58 PM Posts: 5

Hey, sorry I'm new to this. Could you tell me how to vote? That'd be awesome thanx!

Check the box at the top........

Sorry Swanee, that wasn'y a choice.................

Best FIGHTER.. I can't help but say the F-15C. It was designed to be a fighter and that is what it does very well with a perfect record of a hundred something kills and no losses.

Better all around A/C, F-16. It performs many roles fairly well, is cheap, and has less downtime (IMO) than the 15. I've never worked 15s on the flightline but when I worked phase the 16 docks consistently rolled jets earlier, usually on time, compared to the 15 docks(I hate F-15 coin slot screws BTW). But ALOT contribute to when a jet leaves phase other than maintenance however. On the flightline, TDY 85% of the time in the units I've been in we beat the 15 guys out the door. I would like to see a F-16 unit surge in comparison to a F-15 surge. The F-15 Expediters I work for usually trip out when they see how many jets we fly vs a F-15 surge. Just my opinion as a 16 CC

Newbie Joined: Nov 12, 2006 - 07:58 PM Posts: 5

O DUH! Sorry, before I posted my screen was screwed up so I didn't see the voting box. It was a close call between the two because I live so close to the 183rd that fly the f-16s and love to see them taking off and landing, but I also had relatives that worked on the f-15s. I like the fact that the f-15 has two engines so they have a back up incase they lose an engine.

"...in other news a recent poll on F-16.net indicates that the F-16 is clearly superior to the F-15."

=)

Both are great planes. Each has strengths and weakness vs the other.

BVR. For current and future capability the upgraded F-15s with the big AN/APG-63(v)3 are going to be more BVR capable than the latest F-16s IMO. Even if their max detection range was equal and outside of AMRAAM range, the newest F-15s with GE F110s or F100-PW-229s would be able to get tighter, launch, and have a better chance at outrunning the return AMRAAMs launched by the F-16s. Pure top-end speed matters in that type of engagement. Of course it is very doubtful an American F-15 would ever be put in the situation that dictated that type of fight against another country's F-16 Block 52s or 60s. So many other variables: AWACS support, EW, fuel state at the time of the engagement, what type of load each plane is carrying, etc. But I'd go with the most updated F-15s over the late block F-16s in BVR.

WVR. Everyone knows the F-16 is real hard to beat in this arena. F-15 pilots know it, and would work very hard to avoid it in a real shooting contest. I read a recent report from an F-18E/F pilot with exercise experience against both. He said his Bug's high Alpha (angle of attack) usually gave him the first shot in a WVR fight against the F-15. After that, he seemed reasonably confident that he could keep his nose pointed at the F-15 if it didn't burn its way out of Dodge. He said that same advantage gave him a reasonable chance against a Viper within the first turn. After the first full turn, he admitted the F-16 very difficult to cope with. He was most impressed with the F-16s persistence and how they often came into the fight clean, while his Hornet always had external tanks.

Strike. You have to go F-15Es vs F-16s here. Both are the best non-stealth aircraft in the world at what they do. Both are fully capable A2A fighters as well. Take you pick. The F-15E is better going real deep against strategic targets IMO. The F-16 is certainly more nimble and harder to hit with ground fire in tactical CAS situations. The F-16 is cheaper to operate.

As these two aircraft get updated with even bigger, more efficient engines, better radars, FLIRS, and avionics, and presumably better missiles, just be glad they are on our side. Some will drink the SU and Typhoon kool-aid, but you must remember that it is integrated systems, not airframes that dominate airspace. As we bring the F-22, F-35, and more advanced space and UAV systems into the fight, the F-15/16 backbone will get even more lethal over the next 20 years.

F-16 all the way dudes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent post rebird87. I agree with everything you have said.

You touched on one thing that nearly all of the discussions here leave out. That's the total system, as opposed to 1 versus 1 matchups.

Some people worry that the F-18E/F Rhino is too slow. Some worry that the F-16's radar isn't powerful enough. Some worry that the Su might be able to out turn the F-15. Some people worry that we aren't building enough F-22's. Some people are worried that the F-35 won't be all that great air to air.

But when you take all of those aircraft, their pilots and their crews......then when you factor in our enormous air refueling, AWACS, world footprint, carriers and the overall size of our air force and navy air arm, it becomes immediately apparent who will remain #1 in the world of air combat well into the future. So while it may be true that we may have one plane that has a certain disadvantage against an Su-30 for example, or another plane with a different disadvantage, the sum of all the parts is damn good and will overwhelm ANY air force in the world flying the vaunted Su-30.

You are also correct in stating that the F-22 and F-35's arrival will not signal the demise of the F-15 and F-16. Those other aircraft will make the F-15 and F-16 even more deadly. Some of the stuff that has gone on in recent training scenarios proves that will be true. Imagine how much more capable the updated F-15's and the relatively new Super Hornets would be going air to air against the Su-30 with Raptors aloft to direct the show. This will make the F-22's impact on air combat much larger than it's 180 fleet size would suggest (though it still wouldn't surprise me to see that number eventually build up closer to the 300 we were planning to buy in the late 90's). Pair some Raptors up with a bunch of F-15's with updated AESA radar and the AIM-120D and you will have a very lethal cocktail prepared for any potential enemies out there.

I suppose you guys are right I was even stupid to ask the question in the first place. A F-16 always out guns an eagle.

With Two engines and two tails the F-15 takes twice the effort to do anything the F-16 can do twice as well. Including hitting the ground.

Forum: F-16 versus XYZ

Best of the best: F-15 or F-16?