Though the F-22 Raptor is reputed to be the world’s premier air superiority fighter, it has suffered some noted problems against older and less advanced platforms in simulated dogfights. Not least among these is a set of wins for German Eurofighter Typhoons in training exercises nearly a decade ago, marring the otherwise sterling reputation of the Raptor.
These simulated losses were taken seriously by some, with German Eurofighters even displaying F-22 kill markings on their fuselages, boasting that they had “Raptor salad for lunch.” With the emergence of the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, though, it now appears likely that the F-22 will retire without ever firing a shot in anger, its legacy defined by training exercises and intercept missions.
The debate on the F-22 vs. Eurofighter Typhoon took off due to the participation of the German Eurofighters in the Air Force’s Red Flag air combat exercises in Alaska in 2012. Red Flag is an advanced training course replicating realistic near-peer combat scenarios, engaging a mix of aircraft from different countries.
Back in 2012, Germany dispatched 150 Airmen and eight Eurofighter Typhoons from the Luftwaffe’s 74th Tactical Air Force Wing to Eielson AFB in Alaska. One of their missions was to execute some very up-close BFM—Basic Fighter Maneuver—drills with America’s Raptors. As soon as the exercises were over, German pilots at the Farnborough International Air Show were boasting about their kills against the F-22, adding that quite often, with the Raptor flying with external fuel tanks and inside visually identified ranges, the Typhoons turned out to be better than it.
The F-22 Raptor and the Eurofighter Typhoon were both designed as air superiority fighters during the Cold War, although the former first flew in 1994 and the latter in 1997. The way they achieve air superiority differs significantly for aircraft developed almost in the same era.
The F-22 Raptor has been heralded to transform air power by itself, greatly using the power of stealth to be the most undetected operational fighter in the world. Advanced sensor fusion and avionics provide superior situational awareness and low pilot workload. As one F-22 pilot, Randy Gordon has remarked, “When you’re flying the Raptor, you’re not thinking about flying the Raptor. You’re thinking about employing the Raptor. Flying is secondary.”
It also has thrust vector control for highly aerobatic maneuvers, a high thrust-to-weight ratio, and is armed with an M61A2 20mm Gatling gun that can spit out a volume of 6,000 rounds per minute. Internal weapons are carried normally in eight stores but can be supplemented by external pylons.
The Eurofighter Typhoon, however, was taking a different approach to better the existing model of air superiority rather than making an entirely new one. The delta-wing configuration provides high subsonic maneuverability, increased lift, and range. Advanced composite materials in the Typhoon give a low radar profile and a hard airframe, further enhancing its stealth capability. It also makes use of electronic warfare capabilities to blur its radar return and is designed for ease of maintenance with 15 interchangeable modules.
The Typhoon’s Mauser BK27mm gun fires either at 1,000 or 1,700 rounds per minute, with 150 rounds onboard. Since coming into service, the Typhoon has developed into an efficient multi-role platform, utilizing its 13 hard points to undertake a wide variety of missions.
General John P. Jumper, Air Force Chief of Staff, lauded the smooth controls of the Typhoon and the ease in sustaining high G forces within the aircraft. More impressive to him, however, was the maneuverability of the Typhoon in close-in combat. The Eurojet EJ200 engines of the Typhoon push it to a top speed of Mach 2, barely lower than the Raptor’s Mach 2.25. However, its lower weight provides a better thrust-to-weight ratio for its interceptor configuration.
It is known, regarding the 2012 exercises, that some of these engagements were one-on-one and within visual range, with reports stating that the Raptor carried external fuel tanks. This setup put the F-22 at a disadvantage since it neutralized the chief strengths of the plane: stealth and aerobatics. In real combat, the pilot of the F-22 would likely detect the Typhoon first, then position him or herself advantageously, or engage from outside visual range. No pilot would dogfight with external fuel tanks still attached.
These are not unlike the exercises that occur in any military training, similar to starting a wrestling match from an awful position. In this case, the F-22 was the poor wrestler who showed off attributes of the Eurofighter rather than their own.