The Difference among these planes?

Question

What is the advantages and disadvantages of a F15 compared to a F16? Likewise, what is the advantages and disadvantages of a F22 compared to a F18? Is there anything unique in each of them?

Answer 1

Boy, the Eagle guys would love to see that.....

The E model (Mud Hen) carries bombs.  The original Eagle wouldn't be caught dead with a bomb on board and was strictly air-to-air.  They didn't even like to admit the HUD had the programs to drop bombs.  They went 800 KCAS, but a higher Mach.  They're also big, easy to see, ugly and turn like a freight train.  Eventually came the Mud-Hen, and since they weren't hard to see, they flew close to the ground.  So, I guess the bad guys wait for the overcast and wonder if it's an eclipse of the sun....

Then came the Viper, small, fast, agile, single seat-single engine.  Carried bombs and then went [switch] outboard to Dogfight and fought it's way out.  Some years ago, the Viper was limited to Mil-power only because of a flame holder issue in the burner can.  Below 15,000 feet in mil, it was a fair fight between us and full-up, twin engine, burner capable Eagles (we have another name for them too, but it's not politically correct).  The Viper was also the first to get the AAMRAM, AIM-120, which really PO'ed the Eagles.  We also went 800 KCAS down low, although the Eagle has a higher Mach than our 2.06.  There were other advantages -- most of those guys have never found the Romulan Cloaking Device switch we have.

Hornet competed for the F-16 job and lost, 'nough said there.

Then came the Raptor.  Not only will the Hornets die having never seen it; everybody will die.  Of course, nobody will see him since he's cloaked all the time.  The demos at airshows are pretty cool but very un-necessary.  He just sits back, targets and shoots then goes home.

___________________

Thanks Jim, I never heard the "dark greys/light greys"; that's pretty funny.  And I understand about the worst Chief of Staff the AF will ever have -- shame for an ex-Misty FAC, they must have taken the bone out of his head when he made BG, and he wasn't much of a PACAF Commander either.

And you're right, it's best if they die relaxed.  But, on occasion, for training -- there's no kill like a guns kill.

Answer 2

Well the F22 is a larger number then the F15, F16 and F18, so that's why it's better. Haha only kidding I haven't a clue, but have a butcher's at these sites.

F15: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-15_Eagle

F16: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F16

F18: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F18

F22: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F22

Answer 3

Wow.  I'm guessing some guys don't expect to meet any Light-Grey drivers at a bar.  Light Greys want to stay up high (FL400 or so) and shoot Slammers BVR pre-merge.  The Dark-Grey ("E model") is the "fighter bomber".  It has some commonality with the C-model: same airframe, engines and air/air radar; but that's as far as it goes.  The E was intended to replace the F111 and F4 in the air/mud role-and it does that very well.  But it ain't a furball aircraft.  An anecdote:  at Red Flag one time soon after the first E's were operational, I attended a planning meeting for Blue Air.  The Beagles were out for MiG-no doubt.  The downside was the majority were F111 guys-with zero air/air experience.  I spoke up-as I had time in F4Es before the Weasel, as did some other Beagle drivers who had similar backgrounds; being the SEAD dude (and an EWO/WSO) I was ignored.  Suffice to say the air/air debrief was ugly....

My last comment on the Beagle is that it woulda made a helluva SEAD jet; only the issues with the ejectors not playing well with HARMs ended the project (though I'm convinced if we had a Chief of Staff other than Gen Merrill McChange-a solution could've been found.)

Anyway Warbird Pilot gave you the no kiddin' view from the HUD about the differences and shacked them IMHO.  I would only add that one should read his statements carefully; as I've said over-and-over-and-over on similar questions no sane fighter guy wants to get in a furball.  

Biggest issue with F18 vice F22?  The F22 has MUCH longer legs, and with the no-'burner supercruise can exchange and regain energy longer than the Hornet.

Biggest disadvantage of the F22?  It's designed for a war that will most likely never be fought-best way to defeat an opposing air force is schwack them on the ground-don't wait until you need to put up DCA.

Answer 4

F15 was the pinnacle of air superiority until the F22 was introduced. It is bigger, faster and generally more capable than both the F16 and F18. But it is also much more expensive. The F22 is the next generation of air superiority fighter and is the most capable of all of them. The F16 was developed as a low cost supplement to the F15 and the F18 is a multirole aircraft used by the Navy to replace the F14 and A6. The F16 and F18 are very comparable aircraft in terms of capability.

The F22 is certainly the most unique of them all. It has stealth characteristics, it has thrust vectoring, and is capable of super cruise (flying super sonic without afterburners).

Answer 5

When the US Air Force required a new air superiority fighter, they wanted to have a mix: a few top of the line, albeit expensive, aircraft; and supplement them with a "cheaper" and lighter aircraft. The top of the line plane was the F-15. For the "light weight" component, two aircraft were competing: the YF-16 (which used one F-100 engine, the same type used on the F-15 which uses 2) and the YF-17. The F-16 won the challenge, but it was felt the YF-17 (a twin engine light fighter, evidently using a smaller and less powerful engine than the F-100, the F-404) showed so much potential that it was, at the request of the Navy (which was doubtful that the F-16 could lead to a suitable carrier aircraft), developed into the F-18 (which was later redesigned and enlarged further into the eventual Super-Hornet, which looks like the original F-18, but is larger in every dimensions, with virtually zero commonality).

At any rate, the F-15, F-16 and F-18 (save for the F-18E/F Super Hornet) are 1970's airplane and technology; while the F-22 is a product of the 1990's.

The F-22 is intended to be the replacement for the F-15. The F-16 is to be replaced by the F-35. The various F-18 will also be progressively phased out as the naval version of the F-35 comes out.

Advantages, disadvantages? Well, each airplane is unique, with its own blend of features and mission capabilities. It has been said, for instance, that the F-16 fuselage is a bit too small to accept new gadgets, which limited the possibility of adapting it to new missions. The F-18 leading edge extension, which gives it very nice aerodynamic capabilities at high angle of attack, come with a price, as vortex shedding from them will impact the tail assembly causing metal fatigue that was unanticipated.

The F-15 is a super aircraft with very little compromizes, which reflects in the price of the unit.

As for the F-22, it is pricier still (3 times the cost of a single F-18), but is lavish with new technology (and is awfully long in the development. The prototype YF-22 flew for the first time in 1990; the pre-serie F-22 in 1997, and the aircraft was introduced in squadron service in 2005.)

Answer 6

Just doing some merge clean-up here.

<<Hornet competed for the F-16 job and lost, 'nough said there.>>  Not enough here, lift-vector back on...

The YF-17 lost to the YF-16.  The production F/A-18 and F-16 took very divergent paths to similar goals.  That echo's the YF-22/YF-23 competition where the production aircraft were light years from the demonstrators.  Granted, the F/A-18 underwent a complete re-think and produced a man's airplane capable of landing on the boat and is no way the same aircraft as the YF-17.  The precious little snowflake F-16 has enjoyed years of babying and pampering in the hands of its corporate Air Force masters, so of course it survives today – because it's easy.  There's no way that cheap little toy would survive the blue water so it didn't get the nod from the Navy.

F-15C – Air Superiority only, "C-model," "light grays."  Single-seat, long range, great radar, great engines.  The self-proclaimed master of everything air-to-air never to utter the "B-word" (bomb)...looks down on everyone because everyone knows that air-to-air is the only thing important in war, but have more respect for Hornet guys that their own Viper driving peers due to air-to-air credibility and radar SA.  Less maneuverable than the other light gray fighters.

F-15E – All-weather "Es," "Strike Eagle," "Mudhen," "dark grays."  Dual-cockpit, even longer range, great avionics and radar, great engines, laden with tons of bombs and weapons with the residual air-to-air capabilities of the "light grays" without all the credibility.  Suffers at low altitude compared to the Viper and Hornet because it doesn't have leading edge flaps.  Is the least maneuverable of the bunch, but mainly because it's carrying so much weight in gas and bombs.

F-16C – Multi-role "Viper" punished by its parents with "Fighting Falcon."  Single-seat, single engine, super-fun muscle car.  Is highly maneuverable and pioneering, but it's day-only lightweight design origin relegates its growth potential to adding bumps and pods to improve.  Eagles and Hornets can eat 'em up at long range with superior radar, while most Viper drivers suffer in the face of the high-pressure Hornet game plan after having relaxed around the Eagles.  Suffers with the poorest radar and avionics of the group.  Its main winning point is a big, powerful engine.  Cheapest fighter of the group.

F/A-18C – Multi-role "Hornet."  Single-seat, twin-engine carrier-born fighter.  Highly maneuverable with an ability to use AOA to a degree bested only by the F-22.  First shot opportunity in a knife fight.  Great radar, avionics, and flight controls.  Suffers from lowest power-to-weight ratio/ability to sustain G.  Ideal combination of maneuverability and avionics make it the best manual bomber in the group capable of shacking the target as if it were a laser-guided bomb.  Community eats its young, but looks down on everyone else because they can't land on the boat – which is true, you DO suck if you can't land on the boat.

F-22A – "Raptor." Only 5th generation fighter in the group...is the Eagle's replacement.  Single-seat, twin-engine, mostly air-to-air with some limited air-to-ground capability.  Forces Eagle drivers and a small contingent of Viper drivers to get along for the sake of looking cool (that's over now since the Eagle mafia has regained control).  Is either truly shocked to be there, is just teasing you, or someone told him to be there if you see it at the merge.  The rest is classified, but it will kick all of our butts without trying, so why worry about it?

Answer 7

the F15 is a fighter bomber and the F 16 is a fighter, the F 22 is a more powerful verson of the F16 capable of bombing and fighting but travels faster and has more stealth capabilities

Answer 8

F15 is faster and carries more stuff than an F16. The F16 is more nimble than an F15.

The F22 can smoke a dozen F18s before the F18 drivers even know he's there.

We could go on and on with long lists of the differences, but that pretty much sums up what you've asked.

Unique? The F22 is very stealthy, very maneuverable, and very fast.

Answer 9

F 16 Is Extremely Meneouverable & Light So It Is Easy To Fly It While The F 15 Is Big And Heavy And Can Carry More Munations. F22 Is A Fifth Generation Stealth Fighter While F 18 Is a Fourth Generation Fighter Plane