NATO-weapons successfully released from Gripen

During June, the first separation tests with a range of NATO-weapons on the Gripen latest generation multi-role fighter were successfully undertaken in Sweden. Around 15 people from Saab were stationed at the Vidsel test range in northern Sweden for almost three weeks in order to carry out the separation testing with the new NATO-loads.

The purpose of the separation tests was to verify the safe separation between the aircraft and the specified load and to analyse the ballistic characteristics of the weapons. The first separation tests were carried out by South African test pilot Johannes Joubert with a load consisting of the NATO MK83 bomb, weighing around 500 kilos. Joubert also test flew and successfully released the new export standard fuel drop tank from Gripen. The remaining weapons, the MK82 and GBU10 (Guided Bomb Unit), were released by Saab’s test pilot Magnus Ljungdahl. It was the first time that South African customer pilots and technicians have taken part in such separation tests, this being an integral aspect of the transfer of technology aspects of the Gripen for South Africa programme. All weapon separation tests undertaken were successful and further testing will be carried out during the Autumn of 2003, when Gripen will be flight tested with around ten different NATO-weapons, including a specific drop of four MK82 bombs.

The first laser-guided bomb to be dropped by Gripen will be in an unguided test with a 2,000-pound GBU-10 Paveway II. Further unguided drops will then clear the 500-pound GBU-12 and 1,000-pound GBU-16. The first full-up tests using the Litening G-III pod will involve the GBU-12 and -16 bombs.

In the air-to-air arena, Sweden is arming its aircraft with AMRAAM for the present and the Kentron R-Darter is being integrated for South African Gripens. Shorter-range missiles being offered include various versions of Sidewinder, Rafael Python-4 and -5 and the international IRIS-T. Partly because of the availability of the huge Vidsel test range in northern Sweden, the Gripen will in fact be the first fighter to carry and be integrated with the international Meteor medium-range air-to-air missile.

Originally posted by google
What does this have to do with the original thread?:mad:

“Your” thread was already posted and this morning !

Look http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18689

with pictures !

Entretien du ministre de la Défense, madame Michèle Alliot-Marie (Mai 2003)

L’armée, a vos yeux, est-elle en état de marche?

On avait pris énormément de retard. Nous sommes revenus à un niveau normal d’entretien des matériels: la disponibilité moyenne des chars, des avions de combat ou des bâtiments de la marine qui était inférieure à 50 % est remontée à plus de 60%.

And that is without any war!! What would serviceability be en Irak ? 25% ?

Now for the source instead of journalist’s version:

The United Kingdom’s military operations in Iraq were a significant success and personnel and equipment performed impressively, Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, reported to Parliament today. However, as the Department has acknowledged, there were difficulties in ensuring that front line forces received the equipment and supplies that they needed.

United Kingdom and Coalition forces achieved their main military objectives, including the removal of the Saddam Hussein regime and the securing of key infrastructure within four weeks of crossing into Iraq.

It was a major achievement to deploy the large United Kingdom force within 10 weeks, half the time it took for the first Gulf war. The report highlights the success of the huge logistics effort which managed, for example, to deploy and sustain 46,000 personnel, 9,100 shipping containers and 15,000 vehicles. It also highlights new and modified equipment which performed well such as the Challenger 2 main battle tank, the Storm Shadow missile and the SA80A2, the upgraded assault rifle.

The rapid deployment revealed areas where there were gaps in capability. There were not enough nuclear, biological and chemical warfare protection equipment, spare parts for tanks and armoured vehicles, medical supplies, helicopter spares or desert combat clothing and boots. Urgent action was largely successful in rectifying shortfalls but, for a few equipments, training time and the supply of ancillary equipment was curtailed.

While the logistics effort was successful overall, the means of tracking supplies in theatre was largely ineffective, manpower intensive and was swamped by the sheer volume of supplies. The whereabouts of some key equipment and supplies was unknown and therefore arrangements could not be made to get them to the people who needed them. This led to shortages, loss of confidence in the supply chain and inefficiency as personnel searched for items they had ordered or ordered duplicates urgently.

Our forces were very expert at making the immediate transition from warfighting to peacekeeping. But the nature and the size of the post conflict task was extremely difficult to predict and to plan for. There were gaps in both the coordination of the planning and in the capability to do more in the short and medium term than patch up the existing inadequate infrastructure.

Sir John Bourn said today:

“It is not just the bravery of the men and women who took part in the military operations which should be applauded but also their abilities, their professionalism and their achievements. The scale of the operation and the speed with which it was carried out are both extremely impressive. There were problems, but these should be seen in the wider context of the overall success. The lessons in this report which the MOD can learn from will mean that its performance will be further improved in the future.”

What is not to like about C-130J, C-17A and A400M ?

I am jealous of this !

It is not true

The core of this capability will continue to centre on the C-130 fleet, and the A400M when the latter replaces older C-130s from 2011. We have already announced that we are considering the options for retaining a small force of C-17s after A400M enters service, in order to carry the largest air deployable items.

Lyneham will close in any case. C-130J he go to Brize Norton.