By the way, I think that the small (not detailed) comparison between the existeed F16 Block52+ of HAF and that of a potential F/A-18 E/F aircraft purchase that comes below, prooves that the range gap between those two fighter jets is not that much great in favour of the F16… Actually, people who prefer the F18 as a choice, have confronted me in the past days with the argument that the US NAVY would not have opted once more for the E/F, if its range wasn’t already satisfactory enough. Taking for granted the high standards of US militants and the fact that 460 units of these aircrafts are scheduled for delivery prior the year 2012, I must say I am a bit sceptic.

Specifications (standard Block 50/52)

Engine: One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 turbofan, rated at 17,000 lb.s.t. dry and 28,500 lb.s.t. with afterburning or one General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan, rated at 17,155 lb.s.t. dry and 28,984 lb.s.t. with afterburning.

Performance: Maximum short-endurance speed: Mach 2.05 (1353 mph) at 40,000 feet. Maximum sustained speed Mach 1.89 (1247 mph) at 40,000 feet. Tactical radius (hi-lo-hi interdiction on internal fuel with six 500-lb bombs) 360 miles. Maximum ferry range 2450 miles with maximum external fuel (excluding 600gal. tanks or CFT’s) .

Dimensions: wingspan 31 feet 0 inches, length 49 feet 4 inches, height 16 feet 8 1/2 inches, wing area 300 square feet.

Weights: 18,238 pounds empty, 26,463 pounds normal loaded (air-to-air mission), 42,300 pounds maximum takeoff.

(Specifications Standard F/A-18 E/F)
Type
F/A-18E (single seat)
F/A-18F (two seat multirole, tactical carrier, strike fighter aircraft

Power Plant
Two General Electric F414-GE-400 derivative turbofan engines rated in the 44,000-pounds of thrust

Top Speed
Mach 1.8+

Crew
F/A-18E: One
F/A-18F: Two

Range
F/A-18E: 1,930 nautical miles
F/A-18F: 1,866 nautical miles

Combat Ceiling
50,000+ feet

Takeoff Gross Weight
66,000 pounds

Armament
One 20mm MK-61A1 Vulcan cannon, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, Harpoon, HARM, Strike, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Walleye, Maverick missiles, Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), Joint Direct Attack/Munition (JDAM), and various general purpose bombs, mines, and rockets

Note: Pics from the internet of F16Block 52+ with CFT and F/A-18F breaking the sound barrier

Here are some pictures of the TOR-M1 in Cyprian Colours during a recent day / night exercise. 😎

All pictures are scanned from a local Greek defence magazine by others, I’m not sure which magazine published them.

HELLO ALEPOU. PICS COME FROM THE JULY 2006’s ISSUE OF THE HELLENIC DEFENCE & SECURITY MAGAZINE (PERIODIKO ELLHNIKH AMYNA&ASFALEIA). See pages 82-93…

Hey HJP, Gia sou re!

Have you checked this thread out?
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34850

Looking forward to your posts and pictures!

P.S. I’m glad you found the Caps lock key. :diablo:

GEIA SOU ALEPOU! I LIKED THE TIP FOR THE LINK… INTERESTING MATERIAL…

I could be wrong but wasn’t the S-300 system purchased by the Greek Cypriat government but then the system had to be based on the Greek mainland to avoid a war with Turkey. If I remember correctly among other things the Turkish government had issues with the fact that the system could track and engage targets in Turkey.

Didn’t the Russians sail the Kuznetsov and a battle group in the med as a show of force to ensure the delivery went ahead.

THE CYPRIAN GOVERMENT HAS EXPRESSED ITS INTEREST FOR THE S-300 PMU1 (SA-10D GRUMBLE) SYSTEM BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 1996. THIS INTEREST LED IN AN AGGREMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO BATTERIES IN JANUARY OF 1997. ON JULY OF 1998 THERE WAS A TEST FIRE OF THE SYSTEM IN THE AREA OF ASTRACHAN (perhaps my spelling here is incorrect). ON DECEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR, AFTER A MARATHON OF FOREIGN PRESSURE AND UNDER THE THREAT OF USING FORCE BY THE TURKISH SIDE, BOTH THE GREEK AND THE CYPRIAN GOVERNMENT, DECIDED THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD BE SET UP AT A LOCATION IN GREECE. FEW MONTHS LATER ON MARCH OF 1999, THE FIRST UNITS OF THE SYSTEM ARRIVED IN THE ISLAND OF CRETE, AT THE CITY OF HERAKLION AND THE 126 COMBAT GROUP FROM WHERE THEY WERE MOVED TO TYMPAKI, WHERE ON THE MAY OF 1999 THE 138 COMBAT GROUP WAS FORMED. THE 138 COMBAT GROUP IS DIVIDED IN TWO SQUADRONS: THE 11TH AND THE 12TH (THE LATEST IS BASED AT HERAKLION SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2004, AT THE 126 COMBAT GROUP). EACH SQUADRON IS GRANTED TWO TOR-M1 (SA-15 GAUNTLET) SHORAD SYSTEMS FOR EXTRA FORCE PROTECTION. THE CYPRIAN REPUBLIC, HAS ALSO RECEIVED SIX TOR-M1 SYSTEMS FOR ITS NATIONAL GUARD. THE CYPRIOTS, ALSO OPERATE BUK-1 (SA-11 GADFLY) SYSTEMS.