How can you tell which plane will win an air battle?
The article explains why it is impossible to determine which fighter jet is the best, analyzing factors such as initiative, terrain, timing, number of aircraft, mission, and the human factor, using historical examples.
The article answers the question of why it is impossible to definitively determine which fighter jet is the best in a one-on-one air battle. It explains that technical specifications, speed, and technological advantage are not guarantees of victory, and provides historical examples: a MiG-21 that shot down an F-16 in 2019, a propeller-driven aircraft that shot down a jet in 1965, an Apache helicopter that defeated an F-15 in tests, and an F-35 that was shot down by a Rafale in a NATO exercise. The article details decisive factors: initiative and first detection, familiarity with the terrain, timing of the battle and its context (war or incursion), numerical advantage, type of mission, and the human factor – pilot experience, teamwork, and mental state. It emphasizes that a fighter jet is part of a larger system, and victory depends on intelligence, control, and training.