I agree ELP, change is necessary if the US military is to remain a viable politically usable force. I don’t think deploying Reservists or Guardsmen for long periods of time is good for votes, as these people generally have other careers and long military service hampers both these careers and family life. It is easier to deploy full time personnel as this is their actual job and their families are expected to work around it.

Also given the tempo of flying ops over the last few years, Reserve and ANG units might as well be active duty units.

So how many years will it take to get even one squadron of Eurofighters fully operational in any of the participating airforces?

Also will it be a case of the F-2 – that is, spend too much money on something you could have for a lot cheaper.

And looking from an air power view only (no politics or economics) would it have been better to adopt the Rafale? This aircraft is already in service, and my poor knowledge makes me think that the Rafale and Eurofighter are comparable.

Re: Some rumours

Originally posted by GrM
Some rumours

4. G-4M2 avionics will include simulation suit so that function of non-existent systems (like radar) can be simulate during flight for more realistic training. Because using such a simulator for MiG-21bis will be over kill, and number of MiG-29A is very small (4) this can indicate intention to purchase new multirole aircraft.

Or the a/c will be used to develop and maintain pilot skills, which they couldn’t usually achieve because of an actual absence of an advanced multirole a/c.

Also do you have any idea on how many G4M2’s and Lasta #’s will be acquired?

Hasn’t the Croatian fighter force been reduced to a measly 12 upgraded MiG-21’s?

And also is the upgrade up to full Lancer standard, or just a SLEP type program?

Also isn’t Slovenia contemplating acquiring fast jets and/or anti-tank helos? Any updates on these?

Oh since we’re living in fantasy land – well what about those U.S. and British space probes sent to Mars that were taken out by Martian versions of the Serbian designed Novi Avion….the Serbs sold the design to the Martians when they realised that the US would also be attempting to invade Mars andYugoslavia at the same time.

Apparently some space borne Luftwaffe F-4’s were also shot down over Mars. It’s all been hushed up, y’know. Bloody Jewish-Alien-US gov’t conspiracy. 😀

I thought this subject was dead years ago…seems that the Serbs are still living in denial.

I s’pose they already know about Alien-Jewish-U.S. conspiracy to rule the world through an organization known to conspiracy theorists as the Illuminati but who is generally known in public circles as McDonalds….

A-5’s should be retired.

I think a/c such as the A-10, Su-25 and in this case the A-5 are more suitable to fighting irregular forces such as guerillas (or “terrorists”) rather than in proper conventional wars.

The A-10 had a field day in Iraq because the Iraqi air force never put up a proper fight in either 1991 or in 2003. In the case of the Su-25, neither the Chechens nor the Afghan freedom fighters had an airforce as such or even a proper airdefence network.

But in a Pakistan-India showdown, this would be different. I doubt airsuperiority would be gained on either side. So an a/c like the A-5 would probably have a hard time dealing with not only surface-to-air threats but also the fear of being bounced by enemy jets. So a zippy new jet like the JF-17/FC-1 or the LCA might be less effective in the CAS role than A-5 type a/c but would be more survivable because of their speed, maneouvrability etc, much like the F-16 or F/A-18.

In a Pak-India showdown, I believe the two airforces would try to conserve most of their a/c and pilots, so I don’t think low-level, highly dangerous CAS missions would be flown very much.

Finally isn’t Pakistan acquiring more AH-1’s for the CAS/AT role? I know a helo is not as survivable as an A-5, but their acquisition does make the A-5 somewhat redundant.

Re: J-10 MASS Production Starts.

Originally posted by SD-10
… and win the war against Taiwan in the future.”

Any idea on when this will start, so I know when to stock up on beer and pop tarts and maybe invest in a new widescreen TV?