@Scorpion @Signalian
1) BVR is all about who blinks first, so lets leave that for now.
2) WVR is where a pilots mettle is tested, lets discuss this for now?
Best Regards
Yar, don't you think HMD and Aim-9x combo has changed the dynamics of WVR?
@Scorpion @Signalian
1) BVR is all about who blinks first, so lets leave that for now.
2) WVR is where a pilots mettle is tested, lets discuss this for now?
Best Regards
1) It is has single handedly killed, the million $ thrust vectoring advantage.Yar, don't you think HMD and Aim-9x combo has changed the dynamics of WVR?
High altitude is mostly BVR combat. Both aircraft will climb high to fire BVR missiles at a long range from each other. F-15 may climb faster but will get detected first due to higher RCS and could potentially get shot at first. Older blocks of F-16 didn't have a long range radar, in newer blocks, F-16 has better radars. Even then Aim-120 has to be fired at certain range to achieve a kill. F-15 usually carries 4 BVR +4 WVR, F-16 usually carries 4 BVR+ 2 WVR AAM's. Both have good ECM pods for jamming and towed decoys to cater for missiles which come close enough to the plane and cause damage. So even at high altitude, its anybody's game now.
Since you mentioned wing loading; Nominal wing loading cannot directly relate to maneuverability. F-16's horizontal tail is strongly loaded up, which provided additional lift. so F-16's angle of attack is lower. F-15's tails are down loaded, meaning the wing and fuselage have to provide additional lift. The angle of attack will be higher for F-15, however F-16's fuselage also provides good lift, around 35-40% of total lift. In WVR combat, the G limit gives a certain edge to F-16 and leading edge flaps. F-16 G limit is significantly higher than F-15 (F-16 = 9, F-15 = 7.2) and F-15's G limit is automatically limited. F-16 pilot can pull left/right to the limit keeping his senses focused on dog fight, whereas the F-15 pilot has to monitor his G's to prevent Over G. The use of HMD and off bore missiles could again tilt the favour towards any side at low altitude or WVR combat.
This means pilot's training is now the most important factor. Then the supplementary factors of AEW and other supporting aircrafts.