Well let me tell you about the current german feeling. Some politicians try to make a connection to the Nazi regime, when saying no to modernizing the Bundeswehr, but this are left wing / green party people who hate any military. (They want to get the US out of europe and reduce all european armies to about 100.000 men or less in total) These guys are just crazy, and less then 10 % of all Germany think alike. For about 60% I would say, they simply want to spent the money on more popular projects, like hospitals, education, etc. This is what most people here in Germany feel.
The rest (say 30 %) would like to see the Bundeswehr modernized, but not nearly as out of area capable like the british, french or US forces. A limited peace enforcing capability with a bigger peace supporting capability would be seen enough, with a max. of 30000 troops aboard. To all this people (me including) the current german arms purchase policy is plain stupid. Instead of buying A400M (which can do nothing 100 %), which is to big to be used as a logisitcal transport within europe and too small to give a strategic airlift capability, most would have liked about 12 C-17A and 50 C-27J for the german transport needs. Furthermore about 10 A 330 MRTTs would be nice. The german version of the Tiger helo needs a gun. NH90 is fine. The EF is ok, but we only need 2 wings of fighter variants, while the other should be used to phase out most Tornados.
And finally the CAS version of the Alphajet should return to service, as it is cheap to operate and could be deployed to Afghanistan or Albania with much more ease then the complex Tornado or EF.
Well it´s an older topic, but I am new here and was looking through some threads which are of any interest for me.
I can totally agree with what Seahawk has said.
But since there is no Chance to reactivate the Alpha-Jets now, maybe Germany should think of the MAKO as a light fighter bomber.
It would be much cheaper for somes uses as the Eurofigher and the Tornado.
It could be a good supporting plane for ground troops in Afganistan or Kosovo.
The main problem of Germany is the logistical Air Tranport, due to its former role of home defence the Air Tranport of the Luftwaffe was pretty neglected in the past.
I would have liked if Germany has leased some C-130-Js before the A400 is in Service the C-160s are now pretty old and must be replaced soon.
The A-400 is too big for some tasks, so the C-27J would have been a good completion of the german Transport fleet.
The NH-90 is a fine Helo, but there is also a need for a replacement of the CH-53 which is going to be the HTH-Project of Eurocopter. I hope of an European/US-Projekt with Sikorsky and Eurocopter.
Another question is what will happen to the ECR and RECCE Tornados in a few years. My proposal would be the F-18 Growler as a ECR Replacement and UAV for RECCE.
My idea for an future German Air Force :
Jets :
MAKO – as Trainer and small fighter bomber
Eurofighter – Fighter – Fighter/Bomber
Maybe 10-15 F-18F/G as Tornado ECR-Replacement and as a maritime fighter/bomber for the AG-52 (future MAG-52)
Air Transport
A310 MRTT
A400M (about 50 Planes)
C-27-J (also 50 Planes)
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