Gentlemen, No self-respecting fighter pilot can ever really say that he looks forward to the day when he can get into a turning fight, within visual range. As much fun at that is in peacetime training sorties it is not the place to be when folks are out there with real missiles and bullets firing back at you. Despite all the ego in the world it is all too easy to make a mistake and that would be the end of an otherwise stellar career!

I don't want to ever have to get into the visual environment, I want my systems and sensors and my ROE to allow me to shoot early and run away. If I am not allowed to do that, I want to be able to employ "stiff arm" tactics to hold him off. Early tally from HMD cueing, and early missile launch through good IR threshold and long missile range.

Typhoon is exactly what the customers ordered it to be. It is by far great value for money, the fact that time has marched on since the specification was written is not any fault of the folks that have designed and produced what was spec'd and continues to evolve the platform to meet increasing requirements. The platform and its flight control system make it very tolerant to such changes.

OK so its a bit later that planned and the cost will always be a mater for accountants to argue about. .

Of course you will all say "well he would say that, wouldn't he" but I would ask you how many people have been in a position to be exposed to such an insight into the politics and the true capabilities of the newest fighter (multi, omni, swing role) for the RAF??

And, oh by the way, a little more detail in ones "profile" might help to weight the wise (or otherwise) words that are spewed forth on such topics.

I refer the honourable gentlemen to the "9g or HMD" thread. Turn and you die, be the supersonic cheer- leader, blast through the merge hooffing off missiles without turning and bleeding speed using the HMD -- you know it makes sense!!