this is what I said in June and still stands today just switch F-1M for what ever you want

As I have said before Argentina lost the best chance they had in 82 by just extending the runway at Stanley to take the Mirage 3’s and Etendard’s it would have forced the British fleet to fight closer to the threat and they might of got a carrier

When you look at Argentina’s Military aviation all three services are flying too many different types and all do the same things like transport and Training they really need to make some simple changes that will save money and improve training and Tasking like

All basic flying training to be carried out at one school for all three services on one Type

Fast Jet Air force and Navy to train at the same school on Tucano and Pampa

All helicopter pilots to train at one school on the MD500 and bell 212 twin Huey

All multi-engine training to be carried out on the Twin Otters as they already have 10 of them

All fix wing transport to be carried out by the Air force with the exception of 5 C-212’s for the Army buy 8 C-295M’s for the air force and retire the F27 & F28 fleets

All transport helicopters to be operated by the Army 20 Huey 2’s and 15 Mil-17’s with the ramp plus two Helicopters for VIP work

All maritime patrol and SAR to be carried out by the Navy buy 18 Bell 412 for SAR role to be operated in 6 flights of 2 aircraft also add 4 C-295 MPA’s

Move all Learjet’s and Citations to the Air Force for VIP work

Find and order 2 two seat Skyhawks fitted to Fightinghawk speck transfer 10 Fightinghawks to the Navy to work along side Brazilian Navy Skyhawks on the Brazilian carrier

Buy the 18 Mirage F-1’s from Jordan upgrade them to MF2000 speck plus buy the 10 best F-1CR’s from for the recon strike role. I know they have tuned down F-1 in the past but I still think F-1 MF2000 is there best option at this time

So it would end up looking like this

Tri service Basic flying School operating 25 aircraft and shearing a base with the Tri service Helicopter training school operating 12 MD 500’s and 8 Bell 212’s for pilot and rear crew training

Tri service multi-engine training school operating 10 Twin Otters and the Airforce and Navy fast jet school operating form the same base operating 25 Tucano’s and 35 Pampa’s

The Airforce would operate

28 Mirage F-1’s
16 Fighting hawks
6 C130’s to be replaced by KC-390’s
8 C-295M
4 Learjets and 2 Citation’s
30 Pucara’s

Navy

12 Fightinghawks
4 P-3 Orion’s
4 C295 MPA’s
3 S-2 Tracker ‘s
6 super king airs
4 Seakings and 4 AS555’s
18 Bell 412’s for SAR

Army

5 C212’s
20 OV-1 Mohawks
20 Huey 2’s
15 Mil-17’s
20 Bell 206’s
20 Z-11’s

When we look at what the Argentinean’s FAA need and what they would like and what they are looking to spend we end up with very limited options the fact that they entered into the F-1M deal I think shows they where looking for a stop gap airframe able to conduct interceptions and back in June the F-1M was a good option however when the Kfir Blk 60 deal was put on the table in November I think there eyes were opened to the possibility of a very good 4th gen multi-role BVR Western type that could give up to 30 years service so the options as I see them are

1) carry on with the F-1m deal and operate this type for the next 10-15 years then look for a new type cost 235 million dollars

2) go for 18 Kfir blk60’s with an option for 6 more in 5 years and operate a fleet of 24 aircraft for the next 30 years cost 650 million dollars

3) go for 20 JF-17’ blk2’s with an deal to build 40 more with a view to ending up with a all JF-17 fleet by 2025 cost of the first 20 aircraft 600-700 million dollars

as said I think it come down to what money is in the pot

So the days of any meaningful cross deck ops are a long way off, especially if the Rafales are to carry any meaningful load.

Personally I just dont see this happening.

I did not say it would happen I just said it would be a good idea for the French

as for a long way off if the French put some effort in to a program I could see Rafale if was able conducted takeoffs using a ramp the program taking 18 months and it will take that long for Indian navy to work up its new air wing on its new carrier and 2-3 years before they are ready for cross deck ops anyway

All they are missing is a Sub out in front in the pictures some very nice shots all the same

As for cross-deck ops I think the French should look in to Rafale operating from Vikramaditya as this could payoff later

Kfir b60 is a good option and a very good type that was not really on the table back in July however for the same money you can have 18 Mirage F-1 MF2000’s or 18 new JF-17’s and as said will the government stump up the extra cash with F-1M costing 170 million Euro’s or 235 million dollars Kfir – MF2000- JF-17 will cost an extra 265 million dollars and for that money they could buy 4 much needed Frassmer OPV 80’s and 2 Makassar class LPDs for the navy

About operational cost of Gripen E, there is an official 2012 estimative from Swiss Defence Department :
Programme d’armement 2012
It is the 1st link (PDF of 52 pages), “Programme d’armement 2012 et loi sur le fonds Gripen”
In page 36 there is a table to operate 22 Gripen E :

So :
– the annual operation cost of each Gripen E would be CHF 4.64 mi (US$ 5.20 mi)/year in total, or CHF 0.955 mi (US$ 1.07 mi)/year in fuel, CHF 2.32 mi (US$ 2.60 mi)/year in maintenance, CHF 1.09 mi (US$ 1.22 mi)/year in personnel;
– using a standard calculation with 200 hours per year to obtain the Cost Per Flying Hour (CPFH), we get CHF 4.77 (US$ 5.35) thousand/hour with fuel, CHF 11.6 (US$ 13.0) thousand/hour with maintenance, CHF 5.45 (US$ 6.11) thousand/hour with personnel, giving a subtotal of CHF 16.4 (US$ 18.3) thousand/hour with fuel+maintenance, or total of CHF 21.8 (US$ 24.4) thousand/hour with fuel+maintenance+personnel.

SO this translated from the link this is page 36 or section 5 ( please note CHF = Swiss Francs not cost hour flowen )

5 Project Costs
5.1 Overview of costs
Costs related to the acquisition of the Gripen have unique expenses ( investments ) , operating costs and subsequent costs, as well as potential economies .
Unique expenses ( investments)
The investments are managed through commitment appropriations. The commitment Studies projects , testing and purchasing preparations ( EEP ) required for the Gripen credit has been approved with the 2008 budget. The neces-sary to acquire the Gripen ( weapons program in 2012 ) commitment appropriations is requested with this message. Related investments in real estate will be offered with vraisem – blablement posts on real estate VBS 2016 to 2018.
The acquisition of Gripen is funded through the Gripen funds from the regular budget of the army. Allocations to fund Gripen , like other charges on credit and EEP posts on real estate DDPS are included in the expenditure ceiling of the army and will be listed annually in the budget of the county area and Defence that armasuisse Realty estate .
Unique expenses ( investments)
in CHF million
Project studies , testing and purchasing preparations (EEP 2008)
811
Acquisition ( weapons program in 2012 )
3126
Investments in real estate ( real estate messages DDPS 2016-2018 )
105
11 See ch . 4.2: about 5 million francs were spent far.
8594
Investments in real estate
Buildings now used for training on the F- 5 Tiger and the exploitation of such devices must be adapted to Gripen and partially renovated. These include aircraft hangars , shelter and box , as well as building simulators in Payerne .
The total volume of investments to be made in real estate is estimated at 105 million francs. The granting of such commitment appropriations will be asked to Parliament through the messages on the property.
Operating costs and subsequent costs
The operating expenses consist of Gripen including personnel expenses , maintenance and fuel. Operating expenses of im furniture were also taken into account.
Subsequent costs such as depreciation have not been calculated. The reason is that under the current principles for the presentation of accounts of the Confederation , weaponry , including fighter jets are part , is not amortized . It has not been taken into account other costs calculated .
Given the results of the tests for evaluation, VBS estimated that some 102 million francs annual operating costs of the Gripen once the addition is complete .
Operating costs of the Gripen
in CHF million
staff
24
maintenance
51
fuel
21
Operating expenses of the property
6
Recurring annual costs after the introduction
102
Operating costs of the Gripen are included in the expenditure ceiling of the army and will be listed and subject to approval each year in the budget of the county and in the defense field armasuisse Real Estate .
potential savings
Savings of about 48 million francs arising from the decommissioning of the F- 5 Tiger should be in relation to operating costs of the Gripen . These economies consist of 8,000,000 francs for personnel ( without professional military pilots Patrouille Suisse ), 28 million francs for maintenance, 9,000,000 francs for fuel and 3,000,000 francs for the building operations ( 2011 figures ) . Economies become carried tives from the retirement of the F- 5 Tiger

I agree with what you are saying but what I am looking for is how the Swiss see the operating cost of Gripen – F-5 & F-18 C/D