Active Modern Military Aircraft Question...Need Input

[ryan1234]

Both are fighters, although hardcore C guys might argue that the E isn't.

I don't understand it. We carry the AIM-120, AIM-9, do DCA, etc. Also, if you take the CFTs off a -229 jet it's much superior to the C model in a BFM environment.

 

[Flash]

There are very significant other differences between the J-11A and B, and between the Su-33 and J-15, most of which are not usually visually significant.

Just what I was trying to get across, it will be pretty hard to tell them apart on some playing cards, you would have 5 or so cards of FLANKERS that all look alike, red stars included.

And the FULLBACK isn't a member of the FLANKER family (maybe a cousin), nor really a fighter.

Eh?! It is the same basic airframe only with side-by-side seating a bigger front fuselage to accommodate it, definitely still part of the FLANKER family. Much like the A-6 and EA-6B are the same basic airframe with the Prowler having a bigger cockpit and fuselage extension to fit it.

 

[Flash]

I don't understand it. We carry the AIM-120, AIM-9, do DCA, etc. Also, if you take the CFTs off a -229 jet it's much superior to the C model in a BFM environment.

How often do those come off though?

 

[ryan1234]

How often do those come off though?

Mainly just during FCFs. There are certain configurations / conditions where the CFTs do not gain any extra endurance because of the drag index, similar to the centerline tank. Even with the CFTs, the APG-70 is good air to air... now with the APG-82, quite a bit better. The bottom line is that anyone who says the F-15E is not a "fighter" is severely misinformed. It would be similar to someone saying the -18F is not a fighter because of the canted wing pylons.

 

[armada1651]

I don't understand it. We carry the AIM-120, AIM-9, do DCA, etc. Also, if you take the CFTs off a -229 jet it's much superior to the C model in a BFM environment.

My comment was more on the F-15C community's mentality than the F-15E airframe's capabilities. Still though, gray Eagles have a lot of kills (mostly in Israeli service, granted), and if I remember correctly you guys have one...helicopter...with an LGB. And I realize that has more to do with what missions the leadership give the community - namely, that F-15Cs have hogged all the OCAs of the past 25 years - but it's probably a point they would raise.

I will add that the Rhino's inboard pylons are removed a lot more often than the Strike Eagle's CFTs.

 

[P51Fan]

I'm including the A-10 due to the technicality that they have shot down a helicopter too.....and because it is my teenage son's favorite plane. I'm enjoying the F-15 discussion but would also like to bring it back around to the original list and see if anyone has any more comments. What other planes should I consider? Am I missing appropriate nicknames? Are the manufacturers correct? Thanks for all your input!