Stealth (in its all-aspect LO sense) is almost an irrelevance today. Bistatic radar, new methods and means of detection, the assymetric nature of most modern air campaigns all combine to make 80s style stealth technology something that's 'gosh wow' for small boys and spotters, but of less relevance generally. ALMOST.
Low frontal RCS (together with supersonic acceleration, agility and good gimbal limits) is still of huge importance though, and I'm assured that in this key area, Typhoon is bloody good. And the people who told me
a) should know and
b) owe BAE Systems nothing.
And this is exactly what General Carlson (not an RAF senior rank) was intimating, I'm told.
Just because I'm a journo does not mean that my knowledge is by definition limited to what's in the public domain. Journos often have sources, and we often know things that we should not, or that people would rather we did not. It was a journalist who exposed the Typhoon's fin skin problem, some years ago, another who exposed the problems with the ALRS, and another who revealed the conclusions of the release to service recommendations. Some journalists had the detail of the recent review before most uniformed chaps. My 'faith' in Typhoon isn't based on detailed classified knowledge, and I don't pretend otherwise. But I do talk to people, including people who really do have access to real knowledge, and I don't need to base my opinions on what BAE, Eurofighter GmbH and RAF
PR/CC people tell me, or on the ill informed scandal and out of date rumour that is so widely disseminated, either.
You may well not be a fool or ill-informed, TF, but I could only make a judgement based on what you say, and you said: "That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages - in what context? That its managed to get this far without having the plug pulled, or being exposed for what it is - in that case yes, I would agree with you. Its not a scandal but it blinking well ought to be." If I misjudged you on the basis of that tirade, I apologise, but I don't need to explain why I leapt to that conclusion, I'm sure.
Soddim,
F-16s wouldn't have met the requirement. Regardless of the cost. There was no point in procuring it off the shelf. Today's F-15 is more expensive (comparing sticker price with Typhoon marginal costs), and is a less capable aircraft. Interoperability is surely enhanced by buying the same fighter as Germany, Italy, and Spain, and perhaps as Norway, Greece, Turkey etc.......?