The F-5C and F-5A (Japan) are supposed to compete against other jets equipped with much better air-to-air missiles. However, they are still stuck with the AIM-9E, which is extremely difficult to use. The problem is that most opponents will be able to outrun, out turn, and/or flare the missile. This means it is basically useless.
It is especially clear if we compare it to other F-5s of the same BR.
These variants have much better missiles and/or flight performance, so they are still competitive. However, the F-5C and F-5A (Japan) will be lucky to get a kill if the opponent doesn’t make a mistake, as the AIM-9E is easily countered by most opponents’ basic defensive capabilities.
Not to mention, It just can’t compete in most dogfights anyway with those weaker engines, because you’d be up against MiG-23ML, MiG-25PD, and F-4s that are a lot faster or will just outrun you.
To address this imbalance, I’d like to suggest one of the following options:
Upgrade the F-5C (US) and F-5A (Japan) to AIM-9J or AIM-9P, bringing them in line with other F-5 variants at the same BR.
or
Lower their BR to 10.3, where the AIM-9E would be more appropriate and competitive.
Because they are more concerned on dogfight with Gun?
Somewhat similar to A6M5 Ko in 5.3BR, the difference is that F-5C isn’t overtiered, unlike A6M5 Ko.
This part would be okay if we think about F-5A(ROCAF)
Not a single chance.
9.3BR early supersonics have no chance against F-5C in 10.3BR.
The f5 aircraft are arguably the best aircraft at the BR you don’t need the missiles to be fantastic when you destroy everything in a gun fight, the only thing I’d put over them at 10.7 is the J7D.
So what the F-5A ( Thai) never used the Aim-9J/P the F-5c never used flares or Aim-9E
“Because they are more concerned on dogfight with Gun?”
It can’t dogfight with its guns if everything it meets runs away, or if someone else manages to get the kill before you can complete the fight. The F-5C also often faces off against the MiG-23, which it realistically shouldn’t be fighting against in the first place.
The reality is that a lot of the time you’re facing off against the MiG-23ML. A lot of the time, they just disengage and run away from you. There’s nothing you can do about it. You just sit there and watch as they outrun you.
While it is true that sometimes the enemy will make a mistake, the F-5C just can’t capitalize on it. I’m not saying it’s impossible to have a good time with the F-5C. I am saying that it feels like it takes luck and the enemy making mistakes more than it takes skill.
If it is moved back down to the BR it was at before 10.3, then it should be fine. Most, if not all, of the 9.3 and 9.7 aircraft will be faster, have the same missile, or even have better missiles. There would be chances to get kills off of people who are out of position or separated from their team.
To my point, it should be moved to 10.3 if not add the -9J/P. It never used the -9E anyway. We are past it never used it.
The J-7D is the best jet at 10.7.F-5A (Taiwan) is at the same BR as the F-5C, but they perform better. This is because it has a better missiles Aim-9J/P and better countermeasures, making them better in air battles even though they have the same BR as the F-5C.
It is also important to note that the NF-5A has better engines along with better missiles and better countermeasures at 10.7 which make it perform better than the F-5C.
This is why the F-5C and the Thai F-5A turn out to be two of the worst aircraft, even though they have been given the same BR.
Yeah but an aircraft being slightly worse than others does not mean it is unworthy of being the same BR, even if it comes out below the other two it is still heads above the rest of the aircraft at the BR.
Yes but both have limited numbers of them and heavily the br is decided by flight performance both of these aircraft preform exceptionally well at the br and both are more than capable of knocking each other out, which is why they both sit at the br the difference between the two isn’t enough to justify a br change especially making an already fantastic jet go down in br because of a slightly worse missile. Battle rating are not for vehicles to have the same exact performance otherwise every vehicle would get a unique BR, its for vehicles of similiar performance to fight each other of which all the f5’s at this br basically fly the same and play the same.
You keep saying it’s “slightly worse,” but that really doesn’t begin to describe the difference in performance between the two missiles.
The AIM-9J/P has twice the g-limit capacity of the AIM-9E, plus greater seeker gimbal limits. That means better tracking, better off-boresight, and a much higher probability of hit
Describing the AIM-9J/P and the 9J and 9E as “similar” and saying the AIM-9E is “slightly worse” ignores the fact that the two missiles differ in flight performance and seeker ability.
IT SHOULDN’T BE MOVED TO 10.3, no matter how get 9J/P or not.
F-5C is better than any British jets at 9.3-11.3BR in this game.
Just like how you have a terrible time against MiG-23ML while you fight by F-5C
F-100D and other such 9BR jets will have batshit time against F-5C back in legacy 10.3BR
I would agree that it is unfair that only ROCAF F-5A has AIM-9P when USAF F-5C already STOLE countermeasures from ROCAF, so how could it be worse if USAF F-5C get AIM-9J?
But sending F-5C down to 10.3? really?
because of worse missiles?
I think F-5s are eternally doomed to suck. As long as F-4 phantoms and MiG-23s continue trying to brainlessly dogfight em, there will always be some perception that theyre overpowered, similar to the Zeros.
If the French F-100D being stuck with AIM-9Bs is a problem, then that’s something that should probably be addressed too. But that doesn’t really support your argument or counter mine it’s just a different balance inconsistency.
Yeah thats cool and all but once again the plane greatest aspect is its flight performance and gun fighting ability not its missiles and the platform is more than capable across all model with the f5’s being the second best flight models at the br regardless of variant.
1.3 K/D when most 10.7s are not even scratching 0.8. the only plane that beats them is the the chinese mig 21
They are fast, dont lose that speed in turns, have the smallest IR signature of the BR meaning they single flare all missiles on full reheat and handle great. their whole flight model is ahistorically good and they fight flying trash like the harriers, hawks and jaguars
Gaijin wont fix their falsely brilliant flight performance and they make too much money for gaijin to want them to be fair to others, Give them AIM-9G equvalent and slap them up to 11.3. The 11.3 ones should also get the 9G equal missile and be moved to 12.0 for still kicking the crap out of most nations stuff until hornets BRs, which the F-5 can just run away from
Alright and the F-5C is 10.7. Its going to be better than 9.3 or 9.7 jets.
The problem isn’t how it stacks up against lower-BR planes it’s the difference between the F-5C and 10.3 or 10.0 planes is small would it be the best Dog fighter in a down tier yes and it should be that all the plane has is its FM, and how it stacks up against 11.3-11.7 planes in a fight. In those cases, it has no chance realistically speaking.
If there is nothing in that range for Britain to fight in, then that is a balance problem in and of itself and really ought to have its own thread instead of being brought up as a counterpoint in this conversation.
