F 35 looking good now

F 35 has always look stylishly futuristic.Weapons kept in internal bay will always makes it look even cooler.  It is sure one of the author favourite design. 

The Lightning carries with it the most advance system in the world. It's sensors, displays, arms, fly by wire and more edges the tip of every advance flight technology you heard of.

It greatest gift by its designers have given it is its stealth design. It also maybe it's curse. We shall see.

The other foreseeable flaw is it is of one engine. This will also reduce its thrust to weight ratio significantly. Thus it may limit the amount of extra pod, armament and refuelling tank that it may carry. More importantly it will surely effect the time it takes to distant itself from incoming missiles and also reduce it chances when dogfight scenarios arise. Of course there future plans to produce a more powerful engine. So far the plan have been shelved until further notice. 

All in all there is a clear path of the aircraft has been set. Of course along the way minor detours will have very little effect of derailing the programme, only slowing it down to the extent of spiralling up the cost. Mind you the venture is to big to let it fail. Anyhow, it is the last big recalcitrant project of the west before China overtakes them.

Rafale should be Malaysia's choice

It is only after Malaysias next general election that the decision and aquisition of type of MRCA shall be made. Super Hornets, Typhoon and Rafales are the final contenders after Gripen and SU 30 were denied to proceed to the next level on technical grounds, or so it is said.

It is said the Air Force favours Super Hornets for its friendly usage while the politicians prefers the Typhoon for the lobbying fee involved. So no one is for Rafale, so Dassault better buck up fast to win this race.

It is a wonder why the airforce is so keen on the Hornets, it is good and all but hello? No Source Codes.

In a democratic world, politician will do their best to make the most money to finance their election needs, be it through lobbying fees like the Americans or commission like many countries in Asia. Funny how Asian countries are accused of corrupt when they keep to the same schemes of the west.

Rafale seem to be the safe bet here, it's performance is more than sufficient, have complete omnirole capabilities, enough to win Indians vote of confidence, the biggest multirole acquisitions of the century yet. The Swiss too rate it the highest among Typhoon and Gripen. There is no issue of source code nor unreasonable sanctions when French are involved.

The forseeable threat if the west had their say in this, and more often they do, is China. Malaysia may need a squadron of fighters based in Labuan to stragetically defend her interest in South China Sea. Rafales have good sensors as well as weaponaries to defend the disputed interest. To add to that the French antiship missles Exocets are supersonic when Harpoon of the Hornets are not. Typhoon has not got any anti ship missiles yet in play.

Malaysia should acquire 12 to 18 new units of Rafales with AESA, while at the same time in hope that French will hand down the balance of 6 to 12 units of used Rafales with passive radar (which is just as good and create good variances) to make it 24 units altogether and base them in Labuan. Half of them may be stationed at Kuantan airbase if the need arise.

18 SU 30s in Gong Kedak may backed up the Labuans squadron. If Russian offer is still on then the retired Migs 29 can be exchanged for 6 more Sukhois. Malaysia would then have 24 Sukhoi 30s.

Malaysia may then acquire at least four used F18 D from maybe Kuwait (who is coincidently seriously looking at Rafales too) or other operators to make it a complete but basic squadron based in Butterworth base for air and sea policing purpose in the Straits of Malacca.

By this way Malaysia will operate not more than three types of multirole fighter of 60 units, fullfilling the wish list of required number of the airforce.

Hawks 108 and 208 can be sold off if it is found to be superfluous or even kept as reserve if the budget allows it to. 

All in all it depends of the country's sufficiency of allocation for it, which seem to be of no existence at the moment. However looking at the instability that might arise specially in the South China Sea, her government have no choice but to look for it or create it from somewhere, of which she can easily do given her brilliance in international deals and trades.

J 21 will be better than F 35

The battle for the air in the 80s belong to F 16 and Mig 29. Both had their advantages and disadvantages. F 16 may have better BVR capability but in close fights Mig 29 would have prevailed.  Even the one engine Falcon would surprisingly run dry of fuel from using its after burner in dogfights earlier than the fuel thirsty two engines Fulcrum.

However F16 have won big time in its marketability battle where it's  progress from a mere fighter role to of a multirole help to sustain its sales. The said Mig did not achieved the same success due its slow development in these areas. Conformal fuel tanks (that could free up underwings spaces to carry more missiles and increase range) that would have help the Mig to carry more roles was never planned nor designed thus ended the its future progress. Malaysia for one refused to upgrade her Migs because even if she did they would not be even close to par with the capability of 4th generation modern fighters of today. Further types of Mig 29 even the superflous M type failed sell well due to SU 27 and 30 capabilities that excessively overshadow it.

The same battle for medium range fifth generation fighter in these two coming decades might be of  F 35 and J 21. The former is of one engine and the second is of two engines, similar to the said Falcon and Fulcrum. Both will soon be designed to of the multiroles kind. Question is how far is their range , what is  the numbers of weapon they carry, and how good are sensors and weaponry system. That will determine the success of sales these two aircrafts. Russia, Korea and Japan too might come up with medium size fighters, most likely of two engines based. It's going to be very interesting to come see what the future holds.

China is an up and coming player in stealth design and have build two types in very short years, compare none of to Japan and Korea as well as even European. United States took more two decades to build two,  the F22 and F 35, add another extra decade or two if we take into account the F117. Could it be the case they can also design advance set of avionics in a short time of frame. Weapons too?

I believe the Chinese can do so all of the above at a faster and cheaper rate. The Chinese have proven they can do so in so many other areas of industries. They are not like America, Japan, Korea and even Europe that get bog down by unnecessary democratic and capitalist process as well as costs. Russia, because of her immature democracy may like China may too come up with a medium size stealth fighter if she had the money to do so.

Countries looking for a cheaper F 35 will surely buy into J 21, especially when Japans and Koreas stealth fail to make it to their first flight or they are too expensive enough for major acquirement by other states while Europe entrapped with their fourth generation fighter programme of Typhoon, Gripen, and Rafale have no fifth generation fighter to speak of. If BAE merger with the rest of EADS comes through a fifth generation fighter is highly likely to come from them, hopefully maybe later than sooner. However America whose Boeing may stand to lose their competitive edge may "influence" the Brits to back off from the deal. So much for the infamous western laud of freemarket.