Seriously mack8, I don’t think you have an idea about the investments it would take to merge European militaries and get self sufficient in key technological and opsec relevant areas. And your idea about everbody winning is totally off. The UK for example has considerable workshare in the JSF, while just taking a hand full of airframes themselves. Some more Gripen and Typhoon orders can’t make up for the loss.

But, let’s just dream a little bit, and say all the Europeans (and increasing numbers of non Europeans within our borders) start to love each other. Then we would have probably only two design houses left in aviation. Dassault and Saab, maybe BAE. Cassidian (or is it now Airbus defence something) would be as dead as a company can be. While I wouldn’t mind them going out of buiseness, German and especially Bavarian politicians would cry bloody murder. You can expect similar consolidation processes for land and naval system suppliers. Do you really think the French will accept the European Army get’s it armored vehicles from KMW and BAE Hägglunds while state owned Nexter goes bust ?

What you would have to replace/or create: All European C4I systems, including software and large parts of the hardware (ground radars, comm equipment, space based assets …) Creating a joint staff-currently WEU has no own command structures. European elements of the NATO staff are supposed to fill that role. I guess you want to dissolve NATO, otherwise you have a problem. The highest ranking European NATO Officer is per definition American.
Then identify and replace all the hardware which threatens OpSec… And the list goes on. Who would be able to pay for all this ? Certainly not the latin countries and east Europeans. Not much left then, eh ?

All i’m saying is independence means just that, no one should afford push you about, you must be able to be ready for any eventuality

And this is done today more or less with economical “warfare”. The core issue of all your ideas is that there are no European interests, but only national ones. Depending on the party in power pretty much every European country could end up in the US team.

No European airforce is able to operate without US support. Libya was a perfect example for just that: intelligence, jamming, not even sufficient ammo supply. The only working framework we have is NATO, an organization dominated by the US. If your goal is an independend foreign policy, you need to define European interests first. And then you can decide which military capabilities you want and can effort.
Just making up fantasy numbers for combat fleets is pointless. Gallileo and an European replacement for link 16 would do more for European “independence” then some additional combat assets which rely on GPS and link 16.

For some reason I don’t believe the FAA will be very happy with Kfir whatever mark. Their neighbours have way more modern and more prestigious aircraft in their arsenals or are about to get them. If they get Kfir, that’s it for the next 20+ years.
The F1 leaves at least the hope for a policy change within a decade or so.

Just 12 airframes ? Switzerland considers 30+ airframes necessary for airpolicing. And they don’t have a large EEZ to cover. Austria with 15 Typhoons has only a 9 to 5 QRA on workdays.

Back then it was about intercepting nuke armed bombers and delivering nukes yourself. The serious contenders where the Mirage III and the F-104. The Starfighter had the better climbrate and Americans were willing to offer nukes, while the French opposed German nuclear participation. Therefore, the F 104 was selected.

All that has been “revealed” is a pretty CGI. What a joke.

it rsemble flanker because it is flanker. just like s47 is also a flanker.
but really, not sure if it is best choice. j10b combo with j11bs have more common part than flanker and f16 mix

The T-50 is a new aircraft. It may share some parts with the Su-35s but that’s it. It will take some time to mature, but once it get’s it’s definite engines and stuff, it will be an excellent air superiority platform. Until then, a cheaper Flanker like the Su-27 SKM would be an excellent gap filler. No need to get an expensive 6000 hours airframe in this case. I would be very surprised if J-11b’s were available for export.

F-16 is already ordered and a proven, very capable aircraft. Adding some more IF they come with a good weapons package would be cheaper then adding yet another type. If that is not the case, I already outlined in the “other” thread I think testing the waters with a J-10 order has it’s merits. The Iraqi experience was not the best with Chinese aircraft, but much has changed since then.