August 13, 2004 at 3:32 pm
Some question about the NATO-Airplanes :
When will there be an upgrade for the AWCS E-3 Sentrys ? Except for the engines will this upgrade also include new avionics and tactical systems ?
Will the Ground Surveillance A321s and Global Hawks stationed in Geilenkirchen, Germany too ? Or will there be new NATO Air Bases in Eastern Europe ?
Some Nato-Partners want to buy tanker airplanes and operate them together as NATO-Airplanes.
Airbus offers A310 MRTTs or A330s MRTT, Boeing 767-200´s.
Who is likely to win ? I think it will be a similar solution like in U.K. with A330s, it is the most sophisticated and modern air plane in its class today.
Would it make any sense to operate a common and independent NATO Transport Fleet, like it is planned as an interims solutions now with AN-126 but as a regular solution maybe with own AN-126s (or C-17s which I would prefer) and A400s, based in Geilenkirchen or on another NATO Air Base ?
You know that there would be some extra Tankers and Transport Planes operate together by all Nato Partners.