KAI KF-21 Boramae (KFX Korean Indigenous Fighter program)

[Scott Kenny]

That originally was that 5th gen (before 1981) was supposed to be.
I.e. reduced frontal rcs. Strictly speaking, I don't think Rafale/Eurofighter are somehow lesser than MiG MFI/LFI or, say, well known pre-stealth Rockwell ATF.

I don't believe that the Typhoon has any significant reduction in RCS Edit: Typhoon has canted inlet ducts, while Rafale and Super Bug do have significant reduction in RCS.

Note that in the case of "4.5gen," I'm using "significant" to mean a ~25% reduction in X-band detection range. Which may be an order of magnitude smaller RCS (I don't grok stealth and radar to say what level of RCS they have), or it may be less than an order of magnitude.

Nothing like the "You should go home" level of RCS that F-22s have.

For example, most combat aircraft since 1990s, including overall same aircraft as before, have at least some form of treatment. Doesn't mean they get much of it.

Again, getting a 25% range reduction before an opposing fighter can get a lock-on in a head-on BVR fight can leave you in a position to fire without your opponent knowing you're there. Or able to fire with them knowing you're there, but without them being able to shoot back, which is almost as good.

 

[Ainen]

I don't believe that the Typhoon has any significant reduction in RCS, while Rafale and Super Bug do have significant reduction in RCS.

Typhoon has canted ducts. You don't screw yourself over like this, massively complicating airflow, unless you're very specifically doing what you're doing.

Again, getting a 25% range reduction before an opposing fighter can get a lock-on in a head-on BVR fight can leave you in a position to fire without your opponent knowing you're there.

Oh, that's absolutely true, and it's being done (as well as for many less direct situations, different from a direct knight jousting).

 

[Scott Kenny]

Typhoon has canted ducts. You don't screw yourself over like this, massively complicating airflow, unless you're very specifically doing what you're doing.

Huh. Did not know that, I stand corrected!

Oh, that's absolutely true, and it's being done (as well as for many less direct situations, different from a direct knight jousting).

The direct joust is the easiest example to give for normies, though. I know most folks here aren't exactly normies, but many of us aren't pilots. Hell, all I fly is arcade sims like Ace Combat!