sancho
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Mate you pointed out two different things in one here! The one is price and cost-effectiveness and here the Gripen as a single engine of course has clear advantages. That's why I still believe it will enter the final stage, like I always said as the cost-effective solution (F18SH as the political option and the Rafale as the best overall option).
The seconed point you mentioned is performance, but high cost doens't mean good performance! Be it in the competitions in Singapore, or now in Brazil, the EF didn't enter the final stage although it is widely known as the best 4+ air superiority fighter. This hints, that its performance in the A2G role was that limited, that it wasn't good enough to compete the other fighters and not worth the high costs.
If really only 3 contenders will make it to the final stage, it would be a big surprise to me if the EF would one of them, because I doubt that good, or comparable multi role capabilities will be available with that fighter soon.
If your infos are correct and money isn't the issue, the Rafale must win hands down, because the costs are its biggest disadvantage. It is known that IAF love and wanted more Mirage 2000, but instead of fighters like F16IN, Mig 35, F18SH, or even the Gripen NG, the Rafale is not a simple upgrade, its a improved new fighter. Not to mention full ToT, source codes, sanction prove...
No doubt that IAF will be interested, but mainly based on the cost-effectiveness, not based on pure performance. Just Yash said it quit good,
.
It has the same delta-canard design, can also supercruise, will use the same swashplate AESA and the Meteor missile, just like the EF, but would anybody really say it will have the same A2A performance?
The NG version has more payload, internal fuel and weapon stations, but will anybody really say it will have the same A2G performance as the Rafale?
The Sea Gripen might be a cost-effective carrier fighter, but will be so limited in payload that it won't be comparable to Rafale, F18SH, or Mig 29K.
That's pretty much what I said before, MBDA started the development Saab only joint the project and it is done in phases. First flight test on EF, first flight tests from carriers from Rafale, first test fired from Gripen, these are test in the development of the missile, not weapon integration of for a fighter!
The Meteor missile development is expected to be done by 2013 and then could be available for all 3 fighters then, but the key here is, that the EF and the Gripen itself are only under development now. So the missile might be ready then, but the fighter may not. EF tranche 3 with mature AESA, Meteor and all other still not decided capabilities is expected only by 2015 or later. Not sure when the Gripen NG will go to serial production, still only a prototype is ready yet. Rafale F3 instead, with fully multi role performance and AESA radar will be inducted in French forces by next year, so do you really think Rafale will get Meteor at last?
In short, I expect Meteor, or maybe even Astra to be used from IAF Rafale instead of MICA EM and besides that, our adversary must detect the fighter first to have a range advantage right?
That's the same point that I have for Rafale too, the difference is only, that you think Gripen is a good match alongside of MKI only, but I say Rafale is the best match between MKI and LCA.
LCA MK2 and Gripen NG could be very similar in design, capabilities and especially roles like interception, close air support, or later maritime patrol. The MKI instead will remain the main air superiority fighter till FGFA arrives and will be used for heavy ground attacks with the cruise missiles that you mentioned, or heavy bomb loads (up to 3 KAB 1500!). So what IAF really needs is a fighter in between, that is useful for both air defense and strikes missions where LCAs and MKIs aren't usefull. For example SEAD, deep penetration, low level strikes.
Not sure about the Gripen vs Su35, but the other exercises was live simulations and the Rafale performed more than well against 2 of the best air superiorty fighters (EF and F22), which nobody had expected before. It didn't won against the F22, but was shot down only once, which is very impressiv too. Till that day everybody only hailed the EF as a fighter with some chances against it, but this shows that the Rafale is very close in A2A performance too, at least in WVR.
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.... forget about it)
