F-16 versus F-20 Tigershark

[avon1944]

Can F-18's outrun MIG's?

Yes, the MiG.-29 has a higher top speed than the F-16 and F/A-18.

In October of 1996, part of two US Navy squadrons (8 F/A-18C's & 2 F/A-18D's) from the US Naval Air Base Oceana, flew to Laage, Germany to work with the 73rd Fighter Squadron of the German Air Force, working as an aggressor squadron for two weeks!! While Mig.29s have participated at Red Flag, this is the first time a US Navy has worked exclusively with another squadron that fly the Mig.-29 as their primary aircraft! The aggressor squadron provides a syllabus or, course on how to best fight the Soviet/Russian air warfare system!
The exercise between the F/A-18C and the MiG.-29 indicated;
A) The AMRAAM missile has a far more usable range than does the Adder!
B) In performance the two aircraft are very similar but, if there is an edge, it MUST go to the Mig.-29!
C) The Mig.-29 has a thrust to weight and wingloading that is in between the F-16 and F/A-18.
D) There are tactics the F/A-18s can use that equalize the advantage the Mig.-29 has over them in the F/A-18s WVR fight! (There is counter moves against the Archer Missile / HMDS!) There are tactics the Mig.-29 that equalize the advantage the F/A-18 has in the BVR fight!
In a casual session the pilots discussed the merits of each of their aircraft! The Mig.-29 is better in performance than the F/A-18C in the following areas;
1) The Mig.-29 has a better thrust to weight ratio.
2) The Mig.-29 is better at high speed maneuvering, slightly.
3) The Mig.-29 is the most highly exported threat in the world.
4) The Mig.-29 is more difficult to fly.
5) The initial purchase price of the Mig.-29 is "HALF" that of the F/A-18C! Far less costly avionics.
6) The MiG.-29 is more capable of disengaging from a dogfight than the F/A-18's. This was something the MiG.-21 could NOT do at all!
7) The Mig.-29s accumulate more information on how best to defeat Western air combat systems!! Then the Westerners can then adjust to make themselves less vulnerable.
In this two week training syllabus the Mig.-29 was restricted in "some" of its performance, in some exercises! This exercise is to teach not to judge which aircraft is more capable.

The F/A-18C is better in performance than the Mig.-29 in the following areas;
1) The F/A-18C is slightly inferior to the Mig.-29 in most of the important specifications. Reality is different!
2) The F/A-18C has a much better radar than the Mig.-29. Despite the Soviets claim that the MiG.-29's radar has a faster clock speed. The through put of data shows the F/A-18's radar has a more efficient "circuit logic" design and therefore, is able to calculate faster than the MiG.-29's radar.
3) The F/A-18C/radar using the AMRAAM has much better range and capability than does the Mig.-29/radar with the Adder. Giving the F/A-18C a distinct edge to the F/A-18C in the BVR combat arena. Dis-guarding the usage of tactics. (The Slammer [AMRAAM] Missile has a far larger no escape zone.)
4) The F/A-18C has better pitch control and high AOA at low speed. Despite the fact the F/A-18 must land on an aircraft carrier, the advantage the F/A-18 has over the Mig.-29 is so slight, that for practical purposes it doesn't exist!
5) The "gun symbology" for the F/A-18C is far easier to use than the Mig.-29's HUD. This provides the pilot with a far better situational awareness than what the MiG pilot would have. During a dogfight the MiG.-29 pilot would have to work harder to accomplish the same result of the F/A-18 and its pilot.
6) The Soviet concept of HOTAS is "less complete" than it is in the West. Soviet pilots with aircraft that have HOTAS still must look down to set switches and gather information of which is presented on the HUD in Western fighters.

Adrian

[toan]

Before they were sold to Polish AF completely last year, the German Air Force's MIG-29Gs had never equiped R-77 / AA-12; and in 1996, the development of R-77 / AA-12 was not ready yet, not to mention exporting.