Hard to think at a passenger aircraft. Think at the Cg and the aft wing. With a payload that forward it myst have some heavy gear behind. I already mentioned my take on the particular Fuselage so I’ll leave it here. Only the prop with its small diameter make me think that it is designed for high rpm.

Boeing stays in race to supply Canada with fighter jets

Boeing did let Canada know it was interested, said [a] sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The decision does not mean the firm will necessarily put forward its F-18 Super Hornet.

Source:
Reuters.com

Don’t forget that when the 16 was designed, airplane models were not supposed to last that long. Arm race and rapid progress in Technology where supposed to phase-out airplane models quicker due to obsolescence that it would be finally the case (thank you Gorby!). We live now ages that are completely atypical until the trend will reverse again (what it will do and converges back to what it was with the decrease of costs related to airframe design and manufacturing*)

*this does not includes systems with airframe that will increasingly be decorrelated from their systems…

Really, given the way new Egyptian regime is shaping up, I can’t fault US at all if they’re uncomfortable about selling them missiles.

And by the way, they don’t need more Rafale and SCALP cruise missile. They need Scorpions and alike (not something that could not have been put together in a short time by Dassault… or Airbus (?)).

@VNomad: mind that we came around this value at the time by ourselves pretty easily. The great (yet unanswered question) already was what made for the other 100M$)?

Israel F-16 down: some words from the pilot*:

“We heard an explosion and realized that we were hurt. It is a very uncomfortable feeling, the loss of control.”
“The decision to eject is immediate, it’s not a lengthy process, and there’s no time for, there are only a few seconds,” they continued. “Our understanding was that we must hurry and abandon the plane, both as a result of the physical harm to us and the damage to the aircraft that had ceased to function.”
The F16 fighter jet was abandoned on Saturday morning, apparently hit be shrapnel from a Syrian, Russian made S-300 anti-aircraft missile. The pilot was seriously injured and the navigator lightly injured.

Source:
The Jewish press.com

*don’t know where to post this

Belgium: the choice of Typhoon would generate 19.3 billion and 6,785 jobs

e “existing footprint” of the consortium in Belgium to 8.2 billion euros by 2043. There would be added 6.2 billion from the support of airframe once in service, 2.885 billion generated between 2020 and 2043 by two “innovation centers” (one in Wallonia and the other in Flanders), 880 million invested in cybersecurity, 860 million for a European “hub” for synthetic training (simulation) and 360 million for a data center for electronic warfare. Belgium would also position itself to participate in the new generation combat aircraft program.

In terms of jobs, the consortium partners would offer 5,900 jobs, to which 430 would be added for support, 110 to 560 for innovation centers, 80 for the “Belgian National Network Cyber ​​Center” to be set up in cooperation with the United Kingdom and 40 for the synthetic training center, according to the OE study.

Larger multiplicative induced effects, such as the benefits to the local economies of the wages of those who would work for the economic component related to the choice of the Eurofighter would generate an additional € 6.2 billion in spinoff, calculated the experts of OE .

Source:
Le Vif.be

Belgium: Lockheed Martin signed a protocol agreement with Ignition, a joint venture of maintenance specialist Sabena Aerospace and the Walloon aircraft manufacturer Sonaca.

On Tuesday morning, a Belgian joint venture – Ignition – of maintenance specialist Sabena Aerospace (the former Sabena Technics, ndlr) and the Walloon aircraft parts manufacturer Sonaca, signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin.

‘This is not yet a contract , but more concrete than a letter of intent’, stresses Stéphane Burton, Sabena Aerospace’s CEO, which employs 450 people and specializes in the maintenance and repair of parts of army and civil aircraft. ‘This is an important agreement to work together in the long term, if the Belgian government would opt for the F-35. The agreement illustrates that Lockheed Martin has confidence in Ignition as a full partner. ‘

“The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement today is an important step
forward, which demonstrates that Lockheed Martin is considering Ignition! as a trustworthy partner. We hope to
progress rapidly with Ignition!, but also with the Sonaca group, to sign more firm engagements, in the near future.
These engagements are a right step to materialize our collaboration with Lockheed Martin with the F-35 offering, which
supports the replacement of the F-16.”
Lockheed Martin’s Essential Security Interests’ propositions associated with the F-35 proposal will create credible
competitive opportunities for Ignition! in the fields of maintenance, logistics, Fleet management and training services.
Gregory Day, F-35 Belgium Business Development from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, stated: “We look forward
to strengthening our relationship with Sabena Aerospace and Ignition. These are two of the key Belgian aerospace
companies that provide best-value solutions in sustainment and training”

Ignition was created at the end of October with the maintenance of F-16 successor in mind
C-130 maintenance has been formalized (extension)

Source (from the 24th of January):
De TIJD
RTBF.be
Sabena

prb fixed: PS 😡