Originally posted by Arthur
…aka Diego Garcia.

Nobody trying to have a go at the one i posted? It’s not that hard if you know where i’m from.

Hasn’t DG been drastically altered since that pic? I thought they’d put down something like 20 acre hard stands at either end of the runway.

Pravo: Freedom Union, KDU-CSL ministers to back Sweden’s Gripen offer

Ministers from the junior coalition parties the Freedom Union and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) should support the recommendation of an independent commission and vote to lease new Swedish Jas-39 Gripen supersonic fighter planes, the daily Pravo reports Tuesday.

The government is to meet on Wednesday to make a final decision. Pravo says the Gripens could already have a majority in the 17-member Cabinet.

IT Minister Vladimir Mlynar, Local Development Minister Pavel Nemec and Deputy Premier Petr Mares, all from the Freedom Union, have reportedly committed to back the commission’s recommendation of the new Gripens over offers for used F-16s from the US, Belgium and the Netherlands and an offer of F/A 18s from Canada.

Last week, the KDU-CSL leadership agreed that its three ministers, namely Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda, Transport Minister Milan Simonovsky and Environment Minister Libor Ambrozek, would also support the commission’s Gripen recommendation.

Pravo notes that Svoboda, however, said earlier that the government should take political considerations into account and should seriously evaluate its “strategic partnership” with the US.

The ruling coalition’s senior member, the Social Democrats (CSSD), have eleven seats in the Cabinet, if two unaffiliated ministers – Defense Minister Miroslav Kostelka and Justice Minister Karel Cermak – are counted.

Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Culture Minister Pavel Dostal, both CSSD, have said publicly that they will vote for the Gripens. Pravo says that Kostelka is also expected to support the Gripens, according to the most recent recommendation he sent to his colleagues.

Education Minister Petra Buzkova says she will respect the expert commission’s recommendation if not convinced by other arguments presented by her governmental colleagues on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla and Interior Minister Stanislav Gross are thought to lean towards the US F-16s for strategic reasons. However, Spidla told Pravo that he will make his final decision only after the government’s debate on Wednesday.

Labor and Social Affairs Minister Zdenek Skromach and Health Minister Marie Souckova are undecided while the views of Industry and Trade Minister Milan Urban and Agriculture Minister Jaroslav Palas, all CSSD, are not known.

Last week, U.S. ambassador Craig Stapleton called for the tender to be re-opened and said that if the Czech Republic chooses the Gripens, it would effect Czech – US relations.

The Czech Republic is seeking 14 supersonic fighters to replace its fleet of aging Mig-21s in 2005.

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

Where is that one, Arthur…KeeBee?

Steve ~ Touchdown-News

*sigh* I shall miss the Fishbeds though….

Sadly, it looks like these will only be around another couple of years tops. These beauts land at around 200mph (300 km/h) so are great fun to get up close to.

This pair were taking part in the large NATO exercise “Clean Hunter” back in June and were flying alongside Turkish F-4E 2020 Terminators and the based German F-4F Phantoms at Neuburg in Bavaria.

Best regards

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

Tinker?

You two French guys could not be more different…it’s a pleasure to read your thoughtful posts, Glitter. I’m past commenting on the one that sounds like a stuck record and thinks he knows about aircraft. It’s a shame to be so ignorant when there are quite a few folk round here who actually do know their stuff.

If anybody wants an idea of where Typhoon is really going read some of ELP’s posts on the subject. You may also discover why the USAF know they will get by with 1/5th the number of F/A-22 than originally planned.

A different project altogether, but similar thought processes have been brought to bear, is that there are only going to be 1/3 to 1/2 the number of RAH-66 Comanches for the US Army than originally planned.

Anyone with half a brain and a thirst fo knowledge will already have a good idea as to where the saved bucks are going to be invested…………..

Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News

As if anybody (save a couple of CEOs, Ministers and accountants) ever know the REAL cost of an aircraft!

The only real way to find out is to know what the total package price paid was then subtract the cost of hospitality, back-handers, prostitutes and entertainment on private yachts then divide that by the amount of jets that end up on the tarmac! 😀

Talking of which:

SAUDI ARABIA

The government of British Prime Minister Tony Blair has pledged to cover the financial risk of a proposed weapons contract for Saudi Arabia.

British officials said the Blair government has agreed to offer risk credit of nearly $500 million to implement a proposed weapons deal for the Saudi kingdom. The weapons deal being proposed by BAe Systems has been estimated at more than $2.5 billion and includes the sale of new aircraft platforms for Riyadh’s air force.

I wonder what “they” might be!? :p

They are, Matt, but that’s historical fact! What he’s on about are nicknames that, laughably, make us xenophobic if we use them!

Nobody calls the Scots, Irish, Bretons and Cornish “celts” in everyday parlance.

Do they?!? :confused:

Cheers

Steve