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Originally Posted by raketenjagdpanzer
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The times figures are rough estimates from Britain's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, now known as QinetiQ, and dates from the mid-1990's. The figure of 82% as effective as an F-22 has been floated around for some time, and is derived from a simulation in BVR combat against a SU-27/30 series threat. The F-22 was estimated at 91% probability of successful engagement, the Typhoon at 82%, the single seat F-15E at 60%, and the F-15C at 43%. Translated into more commonly used kill ratio puts the figure at about 10.0:1 for the F-22A, 4.6:1 for the Typhoon, 1.5:1 for the single seat F-15E, and 0.75:1 for the F-15C. USAF assessments of the F-22 versus F-15C roughly corresponds with the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency assesment.
However today the alleged level of superiority of the Typhoon over Su-30 variants must be questioned as Russian aerospace technology has moved ahead some way since the 1990's, with better radars and sensors, ramjet AAM's and higher thrust engines and 3D thrust vectoring nozzles.
That article in the register is a bit of an eye opener, and a multi-national European project was always going to cause problems. But the main issue with the Typhoon seems to be the fact that it was designed in a different era than todays combat environment. When the Soviets were introducing the Su-27 & Mig-29 European NATO air forces had nothing that could handle them outside of buying American F-15's and F-16's off the shelf. The Typhoon is very good at what it was designed as, an agile but short ranged fighter that is designed for combat within its 300 NM optimum range. Within that parimeter it has few if any equals, and only an F-22 could realy do a better job at defending British airspace, but the F-22 is in a different combat and technological class in every other area. Also I don't know if the F-35 is realy the best answer for a more multi-role combat aircraft than the Typhoon with good tactical air-to-ground attack capabilities, as the F-35 is drawing a great deal of critism as well even from America. But at least Britain has gone for the F-35C which seems to me to be the best of the current F-35 variants, with increased range and payload and the capability to be used from carriers.