Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10213 posts, RR: 21 Reply 1, posted (8 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 1394 times:
F-16 is getting old, it's no longer hot and sexy.
As such it's at a disadvantage. It does however have the advantage of being combat proven and cheap (relatively) which might attract some prospective buyers. Then there's the replacement market, selling to countries already operating older F-16s.
The F/A-18 is in a similar position, but the E and F models change the equation.
Rafale and Eurofighter are very similar. Eurofighter is more expensive but more capable. The main difference between them is political rather than technical, and in the support framework and training.
If you already operate French hardware, Rafale will be an easier transition for your ground crew and pilots alike.
Gripen is the odd duck. It's the cheapest and least capable of the modern fighters, will appeal to countries that either don't want an older design or can't get F-16s for some reason yet can't afford one of the others. These might be countries that in the past would have purchased MiGs or Sukhois.
AirRyan From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 2530 posts, RR: 6 Reply 2, posted (8 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1375 times:
The only thing getting old about the F-16 is people's opinions of it - a late model Block 60 F-16E/F is nothing resembling a first gen F-16 other than it's aesthetics.
There is nothing a Gripen can do that a late model F-16E/F cannot, Gripens are cool, but they are smaller, cheaper, and overall less capable.
Now I am sure there are a few things a Euro and a Rafale can do that even an F-16E/F cannot, but I wager you will find the gap is not as big as some would like others to believe, and when equipped with all the potential add-ons available on the F-16E/F, I think you find your money more well spent in a late model F-16E/F than a Euro or a Rafale.
Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10213 posts, RR: 21 Reply 3, posted (8 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 1346 times:
I know, but fighter pilots like politicians see something totally new and then see an F-16 they've seen a thousand times already (never mind it's a completely new beast inside).
Jet Jocks like new toys as much as anyone so they choose the newest of them all if they can
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11742 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (8 years 1 month 3 weeks 4 hours ago) and read 1152 times:
Quoting Jwenting (Reply 3): Jet Jocks like new toys as much as anyone so they choose the newest of them all if they can
Unless they can get all the new bells and whisels in the older design (i.e F-16E/F, F/A-18E/F, etc.).
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