It would be a cooler photo if the helo was a Hind.

Is Sudarshan a Paveway-like LGB or a dual-mode munition like SAL+GPS? Are there any info on this project? I couldn’t find any after a brief googling.

BTW, the EF consortium already have proposed Turkey to become “equal partner” in the EF program, 2 years ago. Still Turkey denied.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/eurofighter-makes-turkey-an-offer-02856/

Since then, Turkey ordered 30 new Vipers.

That’s why i believe that “Turkey with EF = the big boys agreed that nobody will say no to Turkey in EU”.

Turkey will absolutely not order any EF-2000 unless need arise and Tranche III materializes. Only then, it will be taken into consideration.

Since when are MiGs European aircraft???? (I know that some parts of Russia are geographically on the european continent, but still).

Maybe the topic title should be changed to “worst looking new and old Eurasian aircraft” 😀

USD 37 millions. Wow. That’s quite a price for mod of a single aircraft, even though it’s a complex AWAC system.

I remember reading about a Soviet-flown B-25 forcing a P-43 Lancer into the ground during training exercises in the US in WWII.

And of course they were not aware that it would be their primary mission in a couple of years.

According to WarbirdTech Series MiG-29 and MiG-21 by Yefim Gordon and Peter Davidson, combat radius for F-16, MiG-29 and MiG-21 for hi-lo-hi mission profiles are:

F-16C; w/ 2 x 900kg bombs, 2 x AIM-9: 1,200km (same config but lo-lo-lo: 740km)

MiG-29; w/ 2 x 900kg bombs, 2 x R-60: 500km (same config but lo-lo-lo: 315km)

MiG-21MF:
w/ 4 x 250kg bombs, internal fuel: 370km
w/ 2 x 250kg bombs plus drop tanks: 740km

This is what the defence press has written (other greek members can confirm). It’s not about “not receiving”. Without funding, you can’t go on building the subs. The project would be delayed beyong all plans and the Navy wants those subs like yesterday. The idea was that the subsequent subs would incorporate on-the-fly the corrections made on the 1st one. I think the second is ready for sea trials. But Greece doesn’t accept to proceed to the rest without clearing first the fate of the 1st one. My guess is that this is also a matter of credibility. The Germans are saying at least since July 2007 (as the german article says) that Papanikolis is ready to be delivered. Greece says that the sub has problems. If Greece was to accept the 2nd sub, it before the 1st, its negotiating position would deteriorate. The Germans would not only say that we don’t want to pay, but also that their sub has indeed no problem, that’s why we accepted the 2nd one.

Just my thoughts, not an expert.

Regards.

P.S. : Or of course you can believe, that the Germans went on, paying 450 mln euros (more or less the price of 1 U214) from their own pocket, building the rest of the subs (3 more= 4x 450 mln), not minding that Greece wasn’t giving them a penny… It’s your choice.

Tomorrow I’m quitting the job, opening a defence company and trying to sell something to Greek Government 🙂

Just kidding.

Of course one must pay an amount of money in advance for the contractor to start the project. As a recent example, LM received a USD 233 million contract for the production of Moroccan F-16’s, which will cost as high as USD 2.4 billion according to the DSCA notification. It’s highly possible that they will get more payments when critical milestones are achived.

But paying 80% of the whole project without taking delivery of the boat is a huge thing. Even that 80% was achieved step by step, it’s still a lot of money for nothing.

By the way, by the video, are you referring to the documentary aired on Skai TV? There was a female reporter and she made interviews wit an ex admiral responsible for the tests of Papanikolis, Skaramanga officials etc. There was also the periscope image during tests.