Four years ago a bunch of Indian fighter pilots took the U.S. Air Force to school in a dogfighting contest in India. Some say it was rigged in the Indians' favor, perhaps in order to help the Air Force squeeze more money from Congress for new F-22 Raptor fighters. Others contend it was a fair fight, and that the Indians were just better.
Now the Air Force has its first chance to see whether F-22s and their pilots really are superior to the best the Indians have to offer. Indian Su-30MKI Flanker fighters (pictured) are en route to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for their first Red Flag exercise. Four times a year, Red Flag pits pilots and planes from all over the Free World in ultra-realistic training. F-22s have played since 2007. One F-22 even got "shot down" by an F-16 during the Raptor's very first Red Flag.
But rather than rising to challenge the Indians in this round, the F-22 fleet is busy with deployments ... including flying aerobatics at an air show in England. Instead, the Air Force is bringing F-15s and F-16s to do battle with the Indian Flankers, French Rafales and South Korean F-15s.
Is it really coincidence that the F-22 force is too busy for Red Flag? Or is the U.S. Air Force worried about tarnishing the F-22's reputation in a no-holds-barred contest against one of the world's best air forces?
(Photo: Azores Air Photos)
