Top Speed - The reason . . . I, like you run, don't really know, though now I can see why you would say that the wing profile has something to do with it. The F-16XL is probably a heavier aircraft all - around, even if extensive use of composites was incorporated into its wing. But you're right, a normal F-16 does appear to be faster. I guess the reason I thought the F-16XL would at least be as fast is because a great deal of effort was injected into improving its supersonic performance, and so I thought that naturally part of that would be making it a little faster. My bad. Oh, and you're right about speed, and it being hard to compare, which is probably why there are so many different top speeds for aircraft records. They really should establish a normal or "control" setting in which to test maximum speed, you know.

Manueverability - Ok, part of what you said is exactly what I thought. I'm glad though that you enlightened me to the difference between instantaneous turn rate and sustained turn rate. I can see how sustained turn rate would be more important in a dogfight. Now the question arises in my mind, what wing would have the best instantaneous and sustained turn rate? Let me guess, the "perfect" wing, right? Lol, lol, lol, lol, lol, j/k.

Well run, thanks to your substantial efforts, I am now just that much more educated. However, you never did answer the original question, did ya? You broke it down into categories, but never flat out said which one is better. So, when all is said and done, which plane would you be leaning towards more in terms of being able to take on the most different types of missions with the greatest relative ease? Which is the better multi - role fighter?

P.S. - Isn't that so sad, it took me long enough, but I've finally just went straight to the heart of the issue. No deliberation, no discussion, just which one would you immediately assume to be better and why? Ah, life can be so simple can't it; just leave it to me to make it complicated for others. My apologies. :)