Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

It's very hard to compare an existing plane (7 years in service) with...well...mirage (yet not this of French origin).

There is no good source of performance information for either plane. One is classified, and the other is classified and under development.

My guess is that the F-22 will have the edge in stealth and high speed flight, while the final PAK-FA might have better low speed performance.

Here's the deal: The USA, via the F-22, has ramped up the game of air dominance. In order for the opposition to counter the -22 "threat" they were forced into developing their own 5th gen super fighter. In doing so, we have done a very intelligent move in this chess game. We're never going to have a shooting war with either Russia or China. But world politics being what they are, we're likely to have shooting conflicts with their client states such as NK, Iran, and others. Those client states can't afford to purchase these 5th gen fighters. What they're left with is older and less capable 4th gen aircraft, and not in large quantities either. So then, guess what the US did: we developed an aircraft called the F-35 that is cheaper than the -22, will be bought in large quantities (even as the program will invariably be cut to some degree) that is more than a match for 4th gen fighters. I'd wager my money on a single F-35 versus 4 Flankers or Fulcrums each and every time. When Russia is done developing the Pak Fa, maybe it will be faster than -35, and maybe it will carry more AAMs internally, and maybe it will be more maneuvable than the -35 is certain regions, but it is irrelevent because the nation states we're like to have future conflicts with simply, plain and sinply cannot afford to purchase that aircraft. Hell, even Russia itself is only able to afford (projected to be able to afford) about 270 of that aircraft. Along with the US strategy of exporting the -35 to other nations around the globe, they'll hardly be any place in world that matters where there won't be at least a squadron of -35s to worry about. Can't say that about the Pak Fa. Air dominace is more than simply fighter stats vs fighter stats. Just my $0.02.

Here's the deal: The USA, via the F-22, has ramped up the game of air dominance. In order for the opposition to counter the -22 "threat" they were forced into developing their own 5th gen super fighter. In doing so, we have done a very intelligent move in this chess game. We're never going to have a shooting war with either Russia or China. But world politics being what they are, we're likely to have shooting conflicts with their client states such as NK, Iran, and others. Those client states can't afford to purchase these 5th gen fighters. What they're left with is older and less capable 4th gen aircraft, and not in large quantities either. So then, guess what the US did: we developed an aircraft called the F-35 that is cheaper than the -22, will be bought in large quantities (even as the program will invariably be cut to some degree) that is more than a match for 4th gen fighters. I'd wager my money on a single F-35 versus 4 Flankers or Fulcrums each and every time. When Russia is done developing the Pak Fa, maybe it will be faster than -35, and maybe it will carry more AAMs internally, and maybe it will be more maneuvable than the -35 is certain regions, but it is irrelevent because the nation states we're like to have future conflicts with simply, plain and sinply cannot afford to purchase that aircraft. Hell, even Russia itself is only able to afford (projected to be able to afford) about 270 of that aircraft. Along with the US strategy of exporting the -35 to other nations around the globe, they'll hardly be any place in world that matters where there won't be at least a squadron of -35s to worry about. Can't say that about the Pak Fa. Air dominace is more than simply fighter stats vs fighter stats. Just my $0.02.

The EO/IRST system

The PakFa has an IRST (Infrared Search and Track) and "might" have some type of EODAS functionality.

http://www.defencetalk.com/sukhoi-t-50-stealth-fighter-completes-tanker-plug-trial-44288/

Apparently, they've managed to fix the structural problems that plagued PAK-FA #1.

Quite possibly they have, but the tests described in the link do not require high g maneuvering. Until we know what the maneuver limits are, we don't really know if the problems have been solved or not.

which is also the main reason why F-117 lost its F-19 designation as it is not qualified to be fighter but instead an attack aircraft.