Bulgarian fighter replacement

Sofia released a request for proposals for the requirement in December 2016, seeking an initial eight fighters to be procured through a government-to-government agreement.

The defence ministry’s current plan foresees an investment of €767 million ($823 million) to acquire the aircraft and ground support equipment, plus a small package of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, logistics support and personnel training.

I would think that the package is impossible at that price, whether it be second hand F-16’s needing an upgrade or new Gripen C’s. Perhaps the supply of Italian tranche 1 Typhoons for next to nothing would make it possible within the budget.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bulgaria-receives-responses-in-fighter-contest-435226/

With regard to the Sukhoi “mistake”, the linked article says:

India has now laid down two essential prerequisites for the FGFA project, apart from examining its entire cost-effectiveness. One, there should be extensive technology transfer, including the “source codes”, to ensure India can in the future upgrade the fighter with integration of new weapons on its own. Two, it should directly help the indigenous FGFA project called the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), the preliminary design work for which is now under way, as was earlier reported by TOI.

What’s the deal here? This sounds like very vague thinking to me. TOT for FGFA is one thing. TOT for AMCA is a different thing. TOT for FGFA may not be directly applicable to the AMCA at all.

With the LRIP 10 contract, 373 F-35’s (all types) are currently on firm order (200+ out of those have been delivered). This year the JPO intends to definitize the LRIP-11 contract which would bring the total ordered between 450-500+ range (don’t know LRIP 11 off the top of my head). Additionally, LRIP 12 advanced funding is also going to be released this year which should take this number to beyond 600.

Thing is that while the USA could cancel all further F-35’s at any time (including contracted lots), short of declaring production of F-35 illegal, LM will deliver several hundred more frames. Enough to go way past 500.

The role of the Western media in fomenting Russophobia you do not consider?

Russia began to live better without the “younger brothers”. These countries could remain neutral, they were never threatened. Now they are under the gun, my congratulations

Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania have good reason to worry about Russia. Putin created chaos in Ukraine. All he needed to do was to tell the Ukraine people in the east of the country to vote for re-unification with Russia before doing this and many, many lives could have been saved. It was clear that the majority of the people in the east of the Ukraine would have voted for re-unification with Russia and this could have happened in a peaceful way if Putin had been a responsible leader.

Belgium’s a cert IMO due to the Netherlands ordering F-35. Only way I see there not being a deal is if LM tries to squeeze too much money out of what appears to me to be a captive customer.

Switzerland? Perhaps it’s good to talk but not much point to me. Too expensive and all that is needed is a good interceptor that does not cost a fortune to run.

Re: Spain – would F-35B be to replace Harriers?

Thats correct. Right now no one in Europe is considering the TF-X. But I didn’t assert this. I said once BAE Systems and TAI complete the pre-design phase European nations may decide to join the TF-X program.

Yes, that is possible. Many would see that as risky, too, due to Turkey being somewhat unstable (got a civil war going on; recent attempted coup d’état; head of state altering constitution to something more like dictatorship). And what if the Islamic fundamentalists (no freedom except what Sharia allows) gain power in Turkey? Will agreements with infidels continue?

[QUOTE=Bayar;2374008]Thats correct. Right now no one in Europe is considering the TF-X. But I didn’t assert this. I said once BAE Systems and TAI complete the pre-design phase European nations may decide to join the TF-X program.