"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...
(Shane D. Maudiss) wrote in message
. com...
I think today even the French would beat them...

What aircraft are you particularly attacking?

The high-tech German Eurofighter which will be carrying the IRIS-T and
Taurus s/o weapon, radar-cancelling emitter pod and IR scrambling
wingtip sensors?

Lots of production variants flying around.

The ICE Phantoms that can fire AIM-120s?

The integration of the radar and fire control suite is largely *******ized,
and in no way comes close to the capability of Dutch or Danish F-16s.

The re-engineered MiG 29s that beat the USN and Marines several times
in mock combat?

When allowed to 'survive' a post radar missile engagement perhaps. Their
high off-boresite IR missile capability is cool, but something can be said
about the fact that they are phasing them out of service.

The Panavia Tornado that can fly 75 ft off the deck at 920 mph armed
with an array of weapons plus Mauser's 27mm BK-27?

Which is exactly how the Brit Tornados got schwacked during Gulf War '91.

... speak up... I can't hear you...

I must say the German pilots are very talented, and get their primary
training in the US (and F-4 and Tornado training in the states as well).
However, they do NOT have the most advanced aircraft out there, and the
Eurofighter is still not out there in any numbers yet. One of the reasons
the Italians are going with leased F-16s in the interim.