"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...
Not sure how universaly accepted that is. I thought there was a lot of
hoopla a couple of years back about the JAS-39 being (at least claimed to
be) the "first" fourth generation fighter to enter service, with the
F/A-22,
F-35, Rafael, and Eurofighter being lumped into that category as well?

Well, everytime someone argues in favor of more FA-22s, they argue about
the
proliferation of Russian *5th Generation* fighters such as the Su-30
family.....or am I (a "second generation" bomber guy) not hearing too
well?

I fear the F/A-22 and Su-30 ram fanatics' spew bears little resemblence to
anything real. The Su-30 is a wet dream and the F/A-22 doesn't look like a
good bet either. As a marketing ploy, I can see how calling the airplanes a
new generation would have value.