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From: scott@graft.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: F-16 ?
Message-ID: <1991Mar22.043624.22946@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 22 Mar 91 04:36:24 GMT
References: <1991Mar18.003736.23374@cbnews.att.com> <1991Mar20.033326.958@cbnews.att.com>
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From: scott@graft.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey)
smpod@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan) writes:
|> >I read somewhere that the Israeli Airforce had many encounters with
|> >Syrian Migs during the campaign in Lebanon beginning of 80.
|> >What was the drop ratio? As I understood it the F-15 and F-16 -planes
|> >handled remarkably. 
|> 
|> I think the ratio was around 80 to 1 or 0!
|> Most of the kills went to F-15s

Actually, I heard that the F-15's would paint the Syrians up with radar, 
  launching their Sparrows, while the F-16's would be vectored in behind
  the them with their radars shut down.  The F-16's would get about 2/3
  of the kills with sneak-attack Sidewinder shots.  This may have been a
  description of just one engagement that I read though.


|> >How would a F-16 handle against a Mig-25 or -29? (have there been any
|> >encounters? I don't really know too much about planes)
|> 
|> IMHO:
|> 
|> I think that the F-16 could handle the 25s and 29s 
|> The avionics of the 16 would outweight whatever
|> aerodynamic advantage that the 29 has
|> Now if you could install Western technology avionics in a MiG 29....

Typically, F-16 export variants don't have all the electronics our native
  aircraft have.  The F-16 normally has an advantage with integrated 
  weapon systems and ECM/ECCM equipment, but I'm fairly sure that these
  are all watered down for export.

The Mig29 on the other hand has that nifty new Infra-Red Search and Track
  system, allowing them to sneak up on intruders without alerting them
  with radar.  The Mig also gets radar missiles, while the F-16 doesn't.
  Some of the disadvantages would be shorter range and inferior IR 
  missiles (assuming they don't get AA-11's).

Note however, that the aerodynamics is a significant advantage for 
  the Mig ... it's almost as maneuverable, has much more power, and has
  great low-speed/high angle-of-attack performance.  In fact, I just
  read somewhere that the Mig29 can sustain a 9G turn?!  (I'm not so 
  sure if this is true -- did someone post that here?).


|> Of course the main determinant in combat is pilot training, experience,
|> tactics and morale.

The old "airplane's only as good as it's pilot".



/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Scott Silvey           | Ronald Reagan to surgeons in emergency ward after  |
| scott@xcf.berkeley.edu | being shot:                                        |
|                        |                                                    |
| Flames to /dev/null    |        "Please tell me you're Republicans."        |
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