LM - why is it 15 years too late?
That sort of line is often used by Typhoon's detractors, but is merely glib assertion without analysis. Do you mean that the capabilities offered by the aircraft are not up to the challenges of the current and likely future operating environments? Do you mean that it's been overtaken technologically by other newer aircraft Why 15 years too late?
Is your range comparison with underwing pylons fitted or not?
Bear in mind that from an RAF (and FAA) point of view, there will be meaningful numbers of Typhoons in service by 2015, while we won't have enough JCA airframes to do anything meanigful with the type until about 2020. What would the RAF do without the Typhoon, given that its aircraft would be increasingly aging platforms with various FI issues?
Given the context in which the RAF is getting the Typhoon (I concur that it's too late, but that's no fault of the aircraft design), why is it '15 years too late'?