So I take it Kenya bought the Z-9s to replace the MD500 TOW Defenders,or are they keeping those going?

Actually,the outer two pylons on the F-111 don’t swing,just the inboard two.The F-111 could jettson the outter two pylons though,then swing the wings back after it had dropped its load.

Didn’t Bulgaria get some Mig-23MLAs to replace the Mig-25RBs or at least make up for them once they were withdrawn?

Yes,the YS-11 and MU-2 were exported but for all intensive purposes, they are airliners,not military aircraft.The Japanese constitution prohibits the export of military aircraft or weapons. It also placed restrictions on the Japanese military itself,namely, no aircraft carrier type ships and no inflight refueling tankers. These restrictions have recently been relaxed with the purchase of LHD type ships and KC-767 tankers.

Or they can cause extreme vibrations. That’s the reason why the F-16 is almost exclusively seen with AMRAAM on the tips these days.

Ok,so,that being the case,why was the F/A-18 never cleared to carry wingtip AMRAAMs like the Fighting Falcon? I suppose in theroy it could,but just like the MERs,the Navy just never adapted it to the Hornet? Just something I’ve always wondered.

What I find interesting is how the “old” Hind is winning new export orders from unlikely customers like Vanezuela,Indonesia,Brazil,and I believe Saudi Arabia ordered some as well.Seems countries prefer it to say Havoc or Werewolf which really says something about the Hind.And yes,I know Venezuela ordered some Mi-28NEs,but overall,the Hind is still beating the Havoc in export orders hands down.

Thats not a Sidewinder on the XTP-1,but rather a South African V-3 Kukri/Darter AAM,which,in truth probably shares more in common with the French R.550 Magic then the AIM-9.