From: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad)
Subject: Re: Malaysia to choose F16 or Mig29
Organization: Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 09:15:05 GMT

smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh) writes:
: 
:  F15 and Mig 29 are in different class than F16, Both F15 and Mig 29

F15 is also a bomber. It can carry bombs and missiles, as well as those
anti satellite missiles.

:  are air superiority fighter, and F16 fighter bomber more or less general
:  purpose.
:      Israel use 6 F16 as bomber and 6 F15 as their escort during the
F15 is more expensive so not worthwhile to carry bombs that can affect its
performance. Anyway, you always need some specialise escort, because the
F16 carrying bombs have lost their manoevrablility.

:  bombing of Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor . 
:      During Desert Shield and Desert Storm there are report of crack in
:  the F16 wing ,in a hard usage. ( Lots of hard G's manuver in a sustain
:  condition).  F16 are design to be so manuverable and with all the engine
:  upgrade, F16 can exert G's more than either its frame or pilots can bear.
Its frame is made of alluminium and therefore heavy and subject to more
fatigue(if I'm still right).

:      F15 however are the one that shot down Iraqi airplane that are brave
:  to take off. Even Saudi Arabia desert storm ace who shot down 2  Iraqi
: migs use F15.
Using missiles at long range on Iraqi obsolete bombers.
:   
:      Mig29 however are not tested in the battle field yet, But boy o boy
Iraq never commit any Mig29 in battle, most are shot down on ground and
some escaped to Iran.

:  that plane really can manuver, it can do back slide , Cobra.
:  Back slide = go straight up lower the power the plane slide down backward
:  cobra  = point the plane nose up but the plane still move horizontally.
	Because of its high power to weight ratio. The F16 is not as high
so cannot do such high angle of attack, in manoevres.
: 
:      In need of cold cash maybe Republic of independent state (Former
:  Soviet union ) might offer Mig29 at bargain 
: 
:       Speaking about Sidewinder .It is not a real fire and forget missile
:  you still need avionic electronics in the plane to lock the target first
:  if i'm not mistaken.

Maybe you are mistaken. Those are the early sidewinders. Now you can fire
while your enemy plane is approaching you.
	Because missiles do not have wings, I doubt they can be as manoevrable
as an aeroplane.
 
: 
:       But all of the above plane will be of no use if the country don't
:  have tracking and radar , at least a Hawkeye or AWACS. Iraqi in

If you are only defensive and have good fighter planes, you do not need
those radar.
	The AWACs are used by an offensive team to detect where the fighters
are to shoot them down, or avoid them from far.
	Of couse a defensive team can also use AWACS to determine where the
threats are and how best to allocate resources.

:  Desert Storm have their radar shot to pieces thus have severe handicap
:  for their pilots. Allied force however have full advantage of Radar
The handicap is severe for the SAM batteries, missiles as well as automatic
guns.
:  AWACS . So sheer number of plane is useless.  :)

They can just loiter at certain time, I'm sure the americans will come to
them. At least they have to drop their bombs.
	If the Iraqis have 200 Mig29s and they commit them,
I'm sure USA will suffer heavy losses,
even if they have AWACs, 400 F16s. The damage to Iraq will not be so severe.
They only have 1 or 2 squadrons of Mig29 and they are stored in hangers.
I'm sure their pilots may not even know how to fly them, efficiently.
They have 200 planes, about 100 Mig21s, which could be deadly if committed,
but they do not even fly. Maybe they were caught on the ground, but that is
no excuse for not putting up a fight. 
	Maybe they just want to preserve their planes against weaker forces
like Iran.

--
Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet

Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean