Quote:
Originally Posted by btimbit
Really just between the Gripen and the F-35. Other two are too old and too expensive.
F-35 is still the clear winner.
I'm thrilled Boeing won't even bother. Their offerings are too old and expensive.
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I would agree with what your saying, but it comes down to the divide between the Air Force and the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense, and defining what's important going forward.
If this is more of a political exercise and living up to the Trudeau promise of not buying the Lockheed Martin F-35 no matter what, and buying cheap then the Gripen will win. I am by no means saying that the Gripen is a cheap crappy aircraft, its a good aircraft. But if Lockheed Martin bids at $80 million an aircraft and the Government selects the Gripen then there is something fundamentally wrong with the way this government thinks about the military.
Even at $90 or $100 million per plane the F-35 is just the better choice then the Gripen. The capabilities and long term viability of the F-35, especially on the digital side are just far superior to the Gripen.
The f-35 will allow us to go with a smaller airforce and have a plane with better survivability in any role.
I agree with you on the Rafale and the Typhoon, they are both good fighters, but if we're going to buy behind the obsolescence curve then we should just buy some spitfires and leave it at that.