well, F-16 is 4-2 against Rafale in head to head procurement, and 4-0 against the eurofighter
F-16 also has existed for at least 15 years more, is cheaper by virtue of production volume and comes with very good american logistics as an additional package
Modern thing might be better than legacy thing but legacy thing that is good enough and has the advantages of being older and cheaper will be more widespread obviously
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almost all of these contracts were for the block 70’s which are pretty modern jets.
even superior to the EFT and Rafale in some ways since they didnt get AESA until relatively recently
Procurement doesn’t matter to be honest when it comes to head-to-head comparison. There’s been countries that have done evaluations and compared performance between vehicles, but then went ahead and procured the worst of all the options.
Also, your statement is exhibit A of the above.
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so every single one of the F-16’s head to head victories against the Eurofighter and Rafale are because of that, and not because its a modernized, proven, and capable fighter?
It’s the safe choice.
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head to head procurements needs to take politics and cost into account, none of which have an impact in game
One wouldn’t necessarily say that F-16 is more capable than a J-35 because the latter wasn’t selected in a procurement for Japan
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Whether or not something has been more battle-tested or proven is different than discussing capabilities. The F-16 is more battle-tested and proven than the F-22 or F-47 aircraft for example.
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Right. Capabilities are the only thing that matter in Warthunder, not which one is the safer choice for a political career.
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it works, for rookies
It was not better than any jet then and now - Blind and bad missiles, cant defend if somebody tries to chase you.
The normal EFT was easily a top 3 jet before the line of contact update. The AESA EFT has taken over it’s spot as an easily top 3 jet.
Typhoon could only be played in one way and that was medium to long range BVR.
120 buffs have helped the Typhoon but the god awful flight instructor input make it a chore to fly.
In meta terms the Su-30Sm2 is top by a mile it is not even close until Gaijin remove the MCM Meta.
Then we can have the Rafale from a PTSD point of view but I tend to lean more to the F-15C-GE 120Ds and lots of them in a package that is also fast where it counts.
Then Rafale/Typhoons and the others.
Question is, do the 120Ds make up for the considerably worse sensors, flight performance and radar?
Depends how much of a moron is using the F-15 to be honest.
Example being the premium Su-30s. Objectively bad sensors for the tier, nothing special in flight performance, but good weapons that make it 13.7 material easily.
The fact that most of them are flown by people who can’t tie their own shoelaces is another story.
The AESA on the F-15C GE is not terrible and yes the 120D seem very strong when used in that BVR role.
Much harder than a C model to decoy (Not saying it isn’t possible) and it carries 12 of them can defeat what a Typhoon has.
Close in the Typhoon has it but the volume of missiles from an F-15GE is scary.
To be more fair, I only consider ones where F-16 and Rafale were both competing for the contract
Probably not but 12 Ds instead of 8 Cs for worse sensors, radar and performance is not that terrible of a trade.
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120Ds are indeed noticeably better when having to fight against them.
The first EFT was quite goodon release, and easily the 2nd best jet in the game after the rafale. Currently it is quite blind due to it’s lack of AESA and weak (somehow) radar set. However, it is one of the strongest defensive aircraft still, due to it’s decent CM count and good flight performance.
Also Aim-120s aren’t bad missiles, especially not after the recent buff.
On release the M-Scan was dreadful. The M-Scan really really didn’t work.
Its okay since the radar rework, but still a shadow of what it could be.
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