Well I don’t think the ROC were not expecting the PRC to put so much pressure on other countries to stop selling defence articles to them. Even the US is highly reluctant now to sell to Taiwan because of Chinese pressure. Countries that were happy to sell Taiwan equipment wouldn’t even dare now!

I presume it has this feature so it can fit under bridges and in particular the Forth Road and Rail bridges!

In many ways Sky Sword II is an AMRAAM! It uses a seeker derived from the Motorola-Raytheon design for the AIM-120 proposal that lost to Hughes. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Sky Sword II is closer to the Motorola-Raytheon missile then we realise. Remember the radar in the F-CK-1 is derived from the set developed for the F-20.

The way forward I think for US/Taiwan defence relations is further transfer of technology to allow local industry to build what they need for defence. For example the new Diesel submarines desperately needed could be built in Taiwan with US assistance.

assuming there is no debt for Russia to use and that Serbia will have to pay for the airframes then you are right.
a better deal would be to get J-7s from El Chinos.
better yet.. why not ex Gripen As from Sweden. I’m sure they are willing to part with a few

No more new build J-7, the production line is being decommissioned now the last export order has been completed! These are the last examples to come off the line for Bangladesh:

As for JF-17 rather then Mig-29M2 whilst I agree it would be a good type for the Serbian airforce the latter will be easier to induct. It fits into current infrastructure, carries the same munitions and pilot conversion should be far easier. If Serbia has any sense they should look at acquiring a simulator as well meaning they can keep pilot currency up without using up airframe hours. A variant of the Rheinmetall Defence Electronics simulator of the Mig-29K for the Indian navy shown below is reasonable. If they can’t afford full motion at least a fixed dome example!

Which would also cost a significant amount of money!

Why this obsession with a like for like replacement of Serbian ground attack capabilities? The G-4 and Mig-29M2 both have adequate ground attack capabilities alongside helicopters. The G-4 is an adequate LIFT for the Mig-29M2 and Serbia has the production and overhaul facilities, overhauling the G-4 to MD standard is significantly cheaper and of greater benefit to the Serbian aerospace industry then buying the Yak-130. The G-4 might well be thirty years old but Serbia can SLEP them easily, Serbia needs a basic air policing capability and a moderate ability to support their army. Spending valuable foreign currency or taking out a loan to buy the Yak-130 is wastefuil for the reasons you have laid out.

Actually weren’t 14 of those F-16s delivered to the USN to replace F-16N’s? From memory they’re still in service in an aggressor role with Naval Strike Air Warfare Center .

Indeed they were but after the September 11th attacks and the patching of relations between the US and Pakistan half of the 28 airframes were delivered to the PAF.

I used to support Boris Island but went off it when I realised how it clashed with Schiphol and the SS Richard Montgomery.

Personally I think that:

a) Gatwick get another runway and expand as a point to point airport.
B) Heathrow and Stansted swap role. Heathrow becomes a regional airport effectively using the facilities it already has close to the centre of London. Stansted gets several more runways and a high speed railway link into London so it can take over as the main international hub.

That way the South East gets an expansion in capacity and we get a hub airport outside London (and a similar distance out as Paris CdG) with the space to expand. No airport is closed which is the usual complaint about Boris Island taking over from Heathrow. Actually the South East might be better served as currently if you want to get a cheap regional flight you have to go through London to get to Luton or Stansted.

I am confused TMor?! Where did EELightning say that his team (and in that I assume you mean EADS) were any superior or would be doing any better at this point if they were in negotiations. All I saw was an observation that they were troubled negotiations which is no secret and that EADS still standing by to step in if needed which is also public knowledge.

Personally if the situation had been reversed I am pretty much certain EADS would be suffering exactly the same problems and you would no doubt be crowing about it at every opportunity.