The Typhoon currently uses 1000 l super sonic tanks. 1500 l wing tanks based on that of the Tornado were tested, but they weren’t really suited for the aircraft so it was decided not to adapt them. It might be that new 2000 l wing tanks will be integrated in the future. Currently the Typhoon just uses the 1000 l tanks and that’s the base for the range figures. So maximum external fuel is currently limited to 3000 l.

The problem with the Gripen NG is that the aircraft will be very draggy in such a configuration. Another fact is that the Gripen NGs range figures are just estimations which couldn’t have been tested so far.

The article said the engines are still russian made, I thought the J-11B would use the WS-10A?

AFAIK there is no male couterpart for Nora. Like in most aircraft the voice messages are supported by different sounds. The interesting part would be to know if he was in the landing mode at all or not. Basically he should at least get a warning when below the set up minimum altitude when the gear is not extracted, but that might be different in the landing mode though I don’t think so as long as the gear is up. Maybe we’ll learn more about it in the future, maybe not. But such incidents happen.

You have to wonder how long this will set the RAF Typhoon Afghanistan deployment back!, if the targeting pod was lost then the deployment to China lake is going to be a bit quieter than planned, with the subsequent knock on effects to weapon integration may delay things..

Cheers

It was already suggest a few weeks ago that the planned Afghanistan deployment might be delayed.

Italy offers Romania 24 used Typhoon’s

I already read about that few days ago, but there wasn’t any further confirmation. I wonder if it will work out and what impact it might have on the partner nations, for example UK maybe not replacing their 24 T2 Typhoon’s delivered to Saudi-Arabia.
Now here are some new details:

Romanian Defense Ministry: Romania might purchase 24 used planes and 24 new ones
de A.C. HotNews.ro
Luni, 7 aprilie 2008, 17:56 English | Politics

Social Democratic leader Mircea Geaona accused the government again on Monday of negotiating a deal for 48 airplanes after on Sunday he argued the same in a HotNews.ro – BBC interview. The leader of the main opposition party in Romania adds that in his opinion the country does not need 48 new airplanes now. However, Defense Ministry officials argue that half of the total purchase may include used planes.

Geoana said that a government’s 1997 report shows that Romania needed 48 defense airplanes but in 11 years time, necessities within the ministry change significantly. At its turn, Defense Minister Teodor Melescanu points that his ministry bases his requests upon a 2007 report.

Moreover, Defense Ministry spokesperson Andreea Dumitru declared that Melescanu has been previously heard by several specialized Parliament committees and he informed on several occassions on his ministry intentions to purchase new airplanes.

Defense Ministry officials argue that 5 companies have answered the Ministry’s request: SAAB – Sweden, F – 16 C/D block 50/52,by Lockheed Martin – USA, Rafale, produced by Dassault Aviation – France, Eurofighter Typhoon, developed by Germany, Italy, UK and Spain and F-18 produced by Boeing.

http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-politics-2752233-romanian-defense-ministry-romania-might-purchase-24-used-planes-and-24-new-ones.htm

Aren’t they both PESA Radars:confused:

No only BARS is PESA, Zhuk-ME is MSA. But there exists a PESA version designated Zhuk-MF(E). But this radar hasn’t been fitter to any in service aircraft.

Tranche 3 doubts

It is no news that the UK and Italy have already shown an interest in canceling or reducing their Tranche 3 buy by 50%. According the german politics & economics magazin “Focus” the government party SPD think about reducing the german order as well. According to SPD-defence analysts a reduction to 34 aircraft within T3 is requested and it is reported that also Spain rethinks is position to buy its full T3 contingent. According the SPD it would be better to reduce the buy of Typhoons and equipe only 4 wings, but changing all aircraft to a multirole capable standard and with all wings taking over multirole tasks. If all nations involved would agree to such a step this would make it possble to reduce/cancel T3 without any penalties being paid to the partners. The SPD politicians suggest to put a bit pressure on EADS which also delivers other military hardware such as the Tiger, NH-90 and A-400M which all see delays. The german government is said to make a decision about its tranche 3 commitment by summer this year.
If the reduction would mean that all aircraft are upgraded to better standards that is acceptable in my opinion, but the required further cost reduction is unrealistic when the total purchase for all nations is reduced. According the SPD experts the total number could still be achieved by selling the aircraft to export customers rather than delivering them to the original customers. But we might know it later this year.

Source:
http://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/bundeswehr-spd-will-weniger-eurofighter_aid_296738.html

Its in german, therefore a summerised its contense above, adding some of my thoughts.