F-16 or F-15- everything equal which wins the dogfight?

I think in a short-range fur fly, the F-16 wins straight out. My Uncle is an ex Eagle driver, and although he thought the world of the F-15, he said that at close range the better-than-average F-16 pilot would eat any Eagle Driver for lunch.

However, a good pilot in the new Sukhoi Flankers equipped with the Archer missile system would be the best short-range dogfighter ATM. The ability to super-maneuver with a 180 degree field of fire is hard to beat.

The Flanker is one nasty bird at close range.

Incidentally, what is the Russian name for the Flanker series? I heard is was "Eagle"......

Pilot skill being equal it would comes down to which plane has the superior weapons system, especially at close range. While the F-16 is more agile, I don't think it's advantage is so overwhelming to where the pilot wouldn't have a hard time getting a weapon off. I've seen battle video from the Aggressor Squadron involving all these planes and they all can hold their own, even the F-5. I do remember a lot of the evasion techniques used by the F-15 involved climbs with high G turns.

The comparison F-15 vs F-16

1) maximum speed

F-15C Eagle 2698 km/h
F-15E Strike Eagle 2698 km/h
F-16C Fighting Falcon 2175 km/h


2) climb rate

F-15C Eagle 17500 m/min
F-15E Strike Eagle 16000 m/min
F-16C Fighting Falcon 15250 m/min


3) ceiling

F-15C Eagle 20000 m
F-15E Strike Eagle 18200 m
F-16C Fighting Falcon 18000 m


4) engine thrust

F-15C Eagle 258 kN
F-15E Strike Eagle 258 kN
F-16E Fighting Falcon 144 kN
F-16I Fighting Falcon 129.6 kN
F-16C Fighting Falcon 127 kN


5A) weapons payload

F-15E Strike Eagle 11000 kg
F-16C Fighting Falcon 7700 kg
F-15C Eagle 7300 kg


5B) cannon rounds

F-15C Eagle 940 (20 mm)
F-15E Strike Eagle 940 (20 mm)
F-16C Fighting Falcon 515 (20 mm)


6) maximum range

F-15C Eagle 5745 km
F-16XL Fighting Falcon 4580 km
F-16C Fighting Falcon 4220 km
F-15E Strike Eagle 3900 km


7) Thrust / weight ratio

F-15C Eagle 1.12
F-16C Fighting Falcon 1.095


8) wing loading

F-15C Eagle 358 kg/m^2
F-16C Fighting Falcon 431 kg/m^2


9) price

F-15K Strike Eagle 100 mil USD
F-16I Fighting Falcon 70 mil USD
F-15E Strike Eagle 31.1 mil USD
F-15C Eagle 29.9 mil USD
F-16E Fighting Falcon 26.9 mil USD
F-16C Fighting Falcon 18.8 mil USD


10) production

F-16 Fighting Falcon 4450
F-15 Eagle 1198
F-15 Strike Eagle 334


If we take the F-15C vs F-16C, the Eagle has better speed, climb rate, ceiling, range, lower wing loading, higher thrust to weight ratio.

If we compare the kill vs losses in air to air combat, the F-15 has 104 to 0, and the F-16 has 90 to 1

The definitive answer to this has been posted a few posts ago. We are now in the era of high off bore-sight super maneuverable missiles. Whichever of the 2 gets a helmet lock on and shoots first wins.

The sensor/weapon fit is as important as the base platform.

This is why so much effort on F-35 has been put into the sensor system. See first, shoot first, win, go home.

Originally posted by FULCRUM
F-15 (A) has a G-Limit of 8..

F-16 has G-Limit of 9+

Plus that F-16 has better power to weight and acceleration.. (ratio..)

And also..

F-16 is build to be a dog fighter..

F-15 is build to be a an interceptor.. (bomber killer..)

For both F-15C and F-16C the g limits are +9 g and -3.5 g.
The F-16 was built as a dogfighter, but the F-15 was designed as a dogfighter plus long range interception

A Japanese Zero would take em both out you know.

Originally posted by DeltaNine
That doesnt matter FULCRUM, its all in the pilot. Either A/C could win that with the right pilot.

The OP is asking about the better [color=cyan]PLANE, NOT which [color=gold]PILOT would be better in a plane!!! Both planes are DIFFERENT, and the OP wants to know about the [color=cyan]PLANES not about [color=gold]PILOTS!!! The question is obviously asked with ALL things being EQUAL other than the [color=cyan]PLANES themselves!!

Jeez man, come on.

Simple example for you: you could put a professional race-car driver in a freakin 80's camaro and put joe-redneck John-deere rider in a Ferrari and have them race on a closed course racetrack and GUESS WHO wins the race?!!!

Does that make the Camaro better because it has the better DRIVER?!!!

Come on man.

OP, I dont know the answer but GREAT QUESTION!! I love fighter jets and cant wait to hear HELPFUL answers unlike the [color=gold]"pilot" type of answer.

Yeah, right Well, in the end the Tomcat will save the day

www.youtube.com...

sniper vs knife-fighter .. dumb question

I have posted earlier the specifications, let's see also the combat record:


F-15 Eagle / Strike Eagle


Air victories: 104


27.06.1979 F-15A (Israel) - 5 x MiG-21MF (Syria)
24.09.1979 F-15A (Israel) - 4 x MiG-21 (Syria)
24.08.1980 F-15A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-21 (Syria)
31.12.1980 F-15 (Israel) - 2 x MiG-21 (Syria)
13.02.1981 F-15 (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Syria)
29.07.1981 F-15A (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Syria)
20.04.1982 F-15A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-23BN (Syria)
25.05.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 2 x MiG-21 (Syria)
6.06.1982 F-15A (Israel) - 1 x MiG-23MS (Syria)
7.06.1982 F-15A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-23 (Syria)
8.06.1982 F-15A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 2 x MiG-23 (Syria)
9.06.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 4 x MiG-23 (Syria)
- 7 x MiG-21 (Syria)
10.06.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 6 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 2 x MiG-23 (Syria)
- 1 x SA342L (Syria)
11.06.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 4 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 2 x MiG-23 (Syria)
25.06.1982 F-15A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-23MF (Syria)
2.07.1982 F-15C (Israel) - 2 x MiG-21bis (Syria)
31.08.1982 F-15 (Israel) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Syria)
20.11.1985 F-15D (Israel) - 2 x MiG-23ML (Syria)
2.06.1989 F-15C (Israel) - 2 x MiG-29 (Syria)
5.06.1984 F-15 (Saudi Arabia) - 2 x F-4E (Iran)
17.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 3 x MiG-29 (Irak)
- 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
- 1 x Mirage F1BQ (Irak)
19.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-25PD (Irak)
- 2 x MiG-29 (Irak)
- 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
24.01.1991 F-15C (Saudi Arabia) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
26.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 3 x MiG-23MF (Irak)
27.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 3 x MiG-23MF (Irak)
- 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
29.01.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-23 (Irak)
2.02.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 1 x Il-76 (Irak)
6.02.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-21bis (Irak)
- 2 x Su-25K (Irak)
7.02.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 3 x Su-22 (Irak)
7.02.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 1 x Mi-24 (Irak)
11.02.1991 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x Mi-8 (Irak)
14.02.1991 F-15E (USAF) - 1 x Mi-24 (Irak)
24.04.1999 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-29 (Serbia)
26.04.1999 F-15C (USAF) - 2 x MiG-29 (Serbia)
14.09.2001 F-15C (Israel) - 2 x MiG-29 (Syria)


Losses in air to air combat: 0



F-16 Fighting Falcon


Air victories: 85 + 5 UAV


28.04.1981 F-16A (Israel) - 2 x Mi-8 (Syria)
14.07.1981 F-16A (Israel) - 1 x MiG-21 (Syria)
26.05.1982 F-16 (Israel) - 3 x MiG-21 (Syria)
7.06.1982 F-16 (Israel) - 1 x MiG-23MF (Syria)
8.06.1982 F-16 (Israel) - 4 x MiG-23BN (Syria)
- 1 x MiG-21 (Syria)
9.06.1982 F-16A (Israel) - 6 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 1 x MiG-23MF (Syria)
- 10 x fighter (Syria)
10.06.1982 F-16A (Israel) - 2 x SA342 (Syria)
- 7 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 1 x MiG-23MF (Syria)
11.06.1982 F-16A (Israel) - 4 x MiG-21 (Syria)
- 6 x MiG-23 (Syria)
- 1 x Su-22 (Syria)
- 1 x SA342 (Syria)
24.06.1982 F-16A (Israel) - 2 x MiG-23BN (Syria)
17.05.1986 F-16A (Pakistan) - 2 x Su-22 (Afghanistan)
30.03.1987 F-16A (Pakistan) - 1 x An-26 (Afghanistan)
04.1987 F-16A (Pakistan) - 2 x An-26 (Afghanistan)
- 4 x Mi-8 (Afghanistan)
16.04.1987 F-16A (Pakistan) - 2 x Su-22 (Afghanistan)
08.1987 F-16A (Pakistan) - 1 x An-26 (Afghanistan)
17.05.1988 F-16A (Pakistan) - 2 x Su-22 (Afghanistan)
4.08.1988 F-16A (Pakistan) - 1 x Su-25 (Russia)
3.11.1988 F-16A (Pakistan) - 1 x Su-22 (Afghanistan)
21.11.1988 F-16A (Pakistan) - 1 x An-26 (Afghanistan)
31.01.1989 F-16B (Pakistan) - 1 x An-24 (Russia)
27.11.1992 F-16A (Venezuela) - 2 x OV-10 (Venezuela / rebel)
- 1 x AT-27 (Venezuela / rebel)
27.12.1992 F-16D (USAF) - 1 x MiG-25 (Irak)
17.01.1993 F-16C (USAF) - 1 x MiG-23 (Irak)
4.09.1993 F-16C (Turkey) - 1 x Mirage F1CG (Greece)
28.02.1994 F-16C (USAF) - 5 x J-21 (Serbia)
28.12.1995 F-16C (Greece) - 1 x F-4E (Turkey)
24.03.1999 F-16AM (Holland) - 1 x MiG-29 (Serbia)
4.05.1999 F-16CJ (USAF) - 1 x MiG-29 (Serbia)
8.06.2002 F-16B (Pakistan) - 1 x UAV (India)
2006 F-16 (Israel) - 3 x UAV (Palestine / Hezbollah)
25.02.2009 F-16C (USAF) - 1 x UAV (Iran)



Losses in air to air combat: 1


8.10.1996 Mirage 2000EG (Greece) - 1 x F-16D (Turkey)



The F-15 has more kills and it was never shot down in air to air combat.