When the meaning of life the universe and everything is discovered, all life, the universe and everything will immediately self destruct only to be replaced with something even more absurd and incomprehensible.

And 42, of course.

And thanks for the fish.

We’re sorry for the inconvenience.

This is an F-16 in which they succeeded in making it look better.

Now i’m used to my colleagues staying at least 20 ft away from me, but do i really smell that bad that even the aircraft are parked away from me?

A flame war? No, i think this is an actually interesting discussion.

While i do think the Macchiyev has some interesting merits as a real lightweight fighter, i don’t think Italy has a direct need for them. With their current experience with the AMX, i don’t think they really feel a lot for getting yet another lightweight ‘cheap’ combat aircraft. The AMX, nice as it was concieved as a cheap but more modern G.91-replacement, became far too expensive. It was absolutely no value for money, except maybe for keeping some local experience in fast jet design and production. The small production run didn’t give much room for improvement during production either: if a decent radar or even lasernose was fitted, and the Spey engine was replaced with something more modern (an RB199 would do nicely if you ask me – and offer commonality with the Tornado), the AMX might have become the aircraft it was supposed to be. But there simply was no money or time to develop the AMX beyond the current might-have-been stadium.*

While the Yakmacchi could arguably be more a fighter than the AMX, i don’t think the memories of the AMX would inspire the Italians to get into another adventure with little options for risk-sharing. Also, in a fighter role the Macchovlev wouldn’t be of all that much value to the Italians either. They stuck with their 104s for so long (even next to the leased Tornado F.3s or current F-16s) simply because the Staf gives enormous acceleration and speed, ofsetting it’s relatively short range. This makes it a perfect ground-based QRA interceptor versus the patrol-wise operating F.3. Tasking the Macchovlev (i guess i’ve found the suitably stupid name here 🙂 ) with air defence is useless: it wouldn’t have the speed or acceleration like the 104, nor would it have the range to be used on a patrol basis like the F.3.

My personal conclusion? No combat role for the Macchovlev in Italy, except possibly as a replacement for the LIFT MB339s with an added secondary combat role. And, of course, as a more sexy aircraft for the Frecce Tricolore (which i do think is a very solid argument).

Perhaps Macchi can find some export customers, which would make things more interesting. But in a market with a very high competition (A/T-50, Hawk 100/200, L159, the real Yak-130, the MiG-AT and eventually the Mako) i don’t see it happening all that fast. Never say never though – even the S.211 entered operational service in two countries, despite the fact that Italy never bought any for itself.

*= For Brazil, the AMX story is a bit different of course, as for them the AMX offered both more in added capabilities in their air force (no Tornados), as a relative improvement of their science base. Quite a different story.

Are you asking me to judge the F-16 on it’s character?

You don’t want to do that, trust me.

No it doesn’t.
😎

Nope, they are withdrawn and dismantled. They have been given up under treaty, so they can’t be brought back to service, and IIRC the bombs were scrapped anyway.