Originally Posted by
orca
Are you saying that if you know nothing about a particular programme, technology or aircraft (by which I mean having flown it, or developed it, and a couple of its contemporaries to arrive at an objective assessment of its capability) - that you really shouldn't express an opinion about it in public?
No, everyone is entitled to make oneself look like a fool. Some simply take the opportunity to do so.
I attribute the mentioned statement exactly to this fact. Coupled with emotions related to the loss of a beloved bird.
Yes the SH isn't exactly the best sustained turn rate fighter in existance today. But coming from an F-111 this is ridiculous. The F-111 has some really good capabilities. Turning or A2A combat in any shape or form isn't one of them. At all.
On the other hand, with AESA, AIM120D, double JHMCS and AIM-9x I don't see any fighter aircraft in existance today which the SH really has to fear. It might not utterly dominate but it will absolutely be capable of holding its own against anything out there (bar an F-22).