I wasn't suggesting that our MoD quickly refer to Wikipedia to make the buy. What I'd like to see is a 'head-to-head' competition including the various aircraft on offer (much like the 'MMRCA' competition that India conducted, which pitted fighter planes from 5 different makers, against each other). In the end, the Indians (who operate from sea-level right up to the highest altitude military air station in the world, in Leh, Ladakh) picked the Dassault Rafale, over the Eurofigher Typhoon, the F18, the Mig29, the Sukhoi-35 and the Saab Gripen. (F16 wasn't downselected, because Pakistan flies them and there was no marginal advantage operating a common type with a routine enemy.)

The MMRCA included combat conditions tests, including the ability to take off with a warload in the cold, cold of early morning, and the ability to land, re-arm, refuel and take-off from an unprepared stretch of road, supported by a single truck. In the end, the tests chose the Rafale, with Typhoon a close 2nd.