Well, I am not as enthusiastic as many other people. The design looks good, it is a quantum leap in capability compared to the UH-1D. But the running costs are 5 time that of a Huey ! 😮
Airframe wise I would pick the Gripen. However, it depends on the whole package. If the F-16 comes cheaper with a better weapons package, the F-16 would be my choice.
Let’s see, if Gripen int. has something learned from the Austrian tender 😉
Especially the British are pushing hard for this. They are the driving force behind the integration of a2g weapons. The Typhoon is a replacement for Jaguars in British service, and Tornados in German service.
Pardon, but what got Cyprus to do with EF GmbH ?
I think it is not direktly in Saab’s interest to integrate the NSM. They got the RBS 15. Without a contract over 48 Gripen N, I don’t think it is very likely to see NSM on any Gripen.
Even the Typhoon is in my opinion a more likely candidate. So far no AShM has been integrated. NSM seems to be a very likely candidate for it.
I would be very glad to see them switching to Rafales. The Saudis are definately not the people I would deal with.
The refueling probe is in my opinion a good example for the different design philosophies.
The Dassault designers decided mostly for the slightly simpler solution, while the EF designers decided for the little bit more performance.
Another example are the engines, the M-88 offers better SFC, the EJ-200 the better thrust to weight ratio.
Even if they look similar, the they are completely different. Even the evolution represents that difference in thinking. While future EJ Versions offer more power, the French focus on efficiency.
Brand new Flankers ? Well, considering the really short delivery time they can’t be that shiny new.
Well, I was never a friend of exporting our finest to the Saudis. Now I got even more reason to dislike that deal.
And since France tried to sell Rafales to the Saudis as well, don’t praise your prostitutes too much.
Well, If those ships are meant for coalition operations outside Europe, it may be clever to use an Italian design. Speaking of German experience, we had really big trouble with the hot climate for example in the Persian gulf.
Check your PM please.
Pardon, if the guy in the fighter aircraft has to pull only the trigger, I think it is dangerous. So I think the helicopter incident was on par with this one.
Someone said the German AAW Frigates should return the favor and track the Israeli aircraft, too. Well, those are no AAW frigates. They where left home, just in case the need could arise to fire on Israeli aircraft.
In the light of Hisbollah owning silkworms or whatever, I think this is quite stupid.
In fact, those frigates are anti-submarine vessels. And to top that idiocy, the are not allowed to turn on their sonar. Ya know, they could find Israeli submarines.
I think we should stop this. It was the israelian government, that requested a German involvement. Otherwise there would be no German participation in that mission. (I think the same could be said about the French) Now that Israel has changed her mind about the presence of our forces, we should simply call them back.
Ans since we are at that, stop that silly military aid to Israel. That money could be used to give our troops in Afganistan the equipment they need.
The 60/90 kN EJ-200’s are only used in batch 1 aircraft. (all of them doubleseaters )
Engines used starting from batch 2 provide roughly 63/94 kN. Numbers for the war setting are 69/95 kN and 102 kN for short dashes.
Pneumonoultramiscroscopicsilicovolcanoconisosis
??? Ist das eine Krankheit ?
To get somehow back to the original question: what about dostoprimechatelnosty ? I think everybody had to learn that nice word 😉
Well, this is something Swedish teachers always told us as big plus for Swedish, easy to learn and useful throughout Scandinavia. For me it is quite simple: I got friends in Sweden, they speak German, so I think it is only fair to learn their language, too. Last time, I was quite ashamed that I couldn’t form more then one sentence, while so many people spoke a pretty good German. Next visit I hope to say more then hi hi 🙂