No idea, it’s certainly not within their defence budget, just repeating what Alan Warnes reported in a article on the UAEAF qouting industry sources.

As I mentioned earlier though, the gifting of aircraft (UAE) and straight cash (UAE and Saudi) has happened in the recent past so who knows.

I am right in thinking that the France will have to sign this off before any air-frames can be handed over so even if the UAE want to just gift them it is in no way a done deal as India would look to move against it given the rapid leap in capability for the PAF

I see that M2K’s would be better used for deep strike but Mirage 3 – JF-17 -M2K – F-16 can all carry out point defence to the same standard or better than F-7 so to keep the more capable Mirage 3/5 fleet to me would make sense or am I missing something about F-7

Also at this time the PAF has an outstanding Mirage 3/5 maintenance program or has this stopped?

HMS Illustrious is set to sail into her home port of Portsmouth for the last time on Tuesday ahead of her retirement next month and decommissioning latter this year

The V-22 would be a viable option only if the US Navy goes for it.

I don’t see it even if the US take it on. As it would mean the carrier having to carry different engines prop blades ground equipment the navy would have to set up a new ground schools training programs for pilots and ground staff and the list goes on and on for what will be only 10 air-frames and on top of it all a standard Merlin costs around 21 million dollars and a V-22 costs around 69 million dollars

Lovely to see one flying I hope Kennet push on with their hope of finding and returning a Wessex to the air would great to see the 2 of them fly together

In keeping with the way we do things in the UK Crowsnest will left to the last moment or later maybe they are waiting to see what air-frames are left after HM2 and HC4 upgrades are done

North Weald has seen its fair share of warbirds and exotics come and go either by air or container.
I remember the days of seeing the Hellcat, Wildcat and Corsair together in the Mysterious Flying A Services Hanger.

What ever happened to the Hurricane that was being restored in the hanger that the Gnats now live in ?

Rob’s Hurricane when to his farm from there who knows I also remember a rear day when the Corsair and Wildcat from flying A Services sat on the grass for one of the flyin’s

I have also noticed for a while now N147DC carries a aerial on its roof the black aerial is this so it can carry USAF markings and be used for for roles in films acting as a C-47 ??

TS423/ N147DC is a C-47A and has been since it left the line in September 1943 Ray Thomas has pictures of TS423 and TS424 on the line together and it still has the radio operators and nav stations behind the pilots seats plus all the cargo points and loading chats by the cargo door

Plus G-DAKS did go to Binbrook for Memphis Bell but was only used as a back drop it was the B-25 Dolly we used as a camera ship and OFC’s Avenger

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Note the camera in the nose