Official, Dave just got a new BVRAAM. The British MOD just signed with MBDA the integration contract for Meteor.
From 2024 the RAF Dave’s will be fielding the Meteor.

Cheers

Just pointing out that the narrative that it was Assad who used chemical weapons against its people (without proof) and not IS is all the more ridiculous when you consider that IS has been using chemical weapons in several instances, has whatever it takes to make more.

And yet you guys conclude that it was Assad.

But I’m the strange one 😀

Nic

Eh?!

When did i said that Assad bombed Mosul (?!) with chemical weapons?!!

OH, you mean Idlib?
Yes, i think there´s a very fine chance of that being the work of the Syrian Armed Forces, they have an absolutely ghastly record of turning every type of weapon against their own people, including chemicals, but for a final opinion i am expecting something coming out of the UOPCW and UNHRC.
To be perfectly clear on this one, yes in my opinion Assad is a murdererous SOB, that a great big chunk of its adversaries are also murderous SOB´s of the worst kind doesnt give him any kind of leeway, he is suposed to be the government. And the fact that the Syrian Armed Forces, ISIS, Al Nusra, etc have used chemicals in Syria its not exactly news.

Wait what?

Nic

Sanem is convinced that a “cheap stealth UCAV” or a “40 year old F-16” can be turned into an UCAV that will be “an aircraft that has more advanced radar, optical sensors, computers” wich “it can run rings around an F-35 all day long”, that will out everything any of the severall contenders for the Belgian RFP, and all this can be made available in the Belgian Airforce timeframe to replace the Viper…

Severall of us have been saying to him for quite some time “that doesnt exist”.

Cheers

Good luck believing something that you have proofs of. The word for that is knowing.

Just saying.

That said planning your airforce is an act of belief since you have to wonder what kind of threats you will face in 20 or 30 years. And you have to plan for it right now.

Nic

Eh?
You read the Belgian RFP and its scenarios? Can you point one single known “Cheap Stealth UCAV” wich will be available in the Belgian Air Force timeframe to replace the Viper who could run those scenarios?
Its what we are discussing here.

Are you suggesting IS would use chemical weapons in Iraq but not in Syria?

Off course they would, and there’s evidence that they’ve been using it.

Excellent news; so Typhoon will finally grow up.

It is a bit curious though that it seems Switzerland will invite Rafale and Gripen but not Typhoon for their next eval… how come?

Ueli Maurer made a comment two years ago, when asked what aircrafts could answer the Swiss Luftwaffe needs he said precisely this “le Gripen, peut etre le Rafale, peut etre un avion Americaine, le Eurofighter n´est plus le favori”.
This does not translate into “it seems Switzerland will invite Rafale and Gripen but not Typhoon for their next eval”.

.
So seeing how much you are happy with the current state of your country air force, with the average life of its planes and with its most modern fighter having the availability they have, i have nothing to add.

You are aware that its most direct peer competitors, the VVS and the PLAAF would love to have that kind of problems instead of the ones they actually have?

And aint BIO British? I do remember that he was studying aerospace enginering at Bristol.

Wasn’t it the aim of program “Bright Adder” for future Uk AESA? I’m going to be slaughtered to say that, but calling Dave operational is a language abuse to me µi thought AP 79 had some capabilities in this field?

– Yes, one of the main areas of “Bright Adder” was looking into the EW possibilities of a future AESA set for the RAF Phoon fleet.
– On the “operational” bit, i did include “comas” :angel:
– On the AN/APG-79, like BIO stated above it was part of the upgrade path, and years ago i´ve seen severall slides stating some sort of a “future capability”, but AFAIK there´s no recent description/confirmation that a “EW module” went into active service