Firstly how many Mig-31’s would be sent and secondly the Israelis alone have 75 F-15’s of different marks but all highly upgraded and supported by AEW so why are we using the F-16’s as a bench mark?
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I think Thobbes is right to say that it is time the USAF pulled out of Europe and if it did the transfer of 20 F-16’s to the Polish air force at nil cost and the transfer of 25-30 KC-135’s to a European tanker wing also that nil cost would be a good move to ensure capability and flexibility in the region

Also as said transfer the F-15E’s to PACAF and close down 2 F-16 units

I think I would keep 250 A-10’s – 40 B-1B’s – 50 B-52s

Drop 150 A-10 – 200 F-16’s – 40 F-15C’s 100 transports – 25 of 100+ VIP types – 80 T-28’s 25 – B52’s -25 B-1B’s Total 645 airframes

Transfer 30 KC-135’s taking some 675 airframes off the books

With flying hours down to 40 hour per year per pilot due to economy, -why day dreaming of purchasing anything ?

Sorry who where what and when are you talking about

There was a Joint proposal with Air Foyle to meet UK’s Short Term Strategic Airlifter (STSA) requirement, with Rolls-Royce RB211-524H-T engines, each rated 60,600 lbf (264 kN) and Honeywell avionics—STSA competition abandoned in August 1999, the reason I put forward the RR Trent 772C and A330/340 avionics are because that is what the A330MRTT run

For me Hawk is the way ahead buy them in kit form fit their own avionics it has a joint French/UK engine they could even have them built in India by HAL as part of the off set for Rafale
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If Europe wanted a full on strategic airlift platform what could be a interesting project would be buy 6 New Built An-124’s from Antonov and then have them fitted with RR Trent 772C’s and avionics from a Airbus A330/340 this would make logistics of engines and avionics essayer
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