Why would you use such a hugee jet to mount AWACS on it when much smaller planes can do the same job. The A400M can do the job just as well, and even other planes.

Taiwan has 3 different light fighters, teh M2K, IDF and F-16. I think they should’ve bought only the IDF instead of the Mirages and F-16s because the latter two don’t seem to really offer many more advantages over the IDF. Besides, buying IDFs would go back into their economy, not someone elses. Not only that, but also besides integrating the Sky Sword II, also buy many additional MICAs/AIM-120s in case the Sky Sword II proves to be inferior. This way, they could’ve bought some 400 IDFs all together instead of wasting money on much more expensive F-16s and M2Ks which also need extra support and crap.

In many ways is the F-20 similar to the IDF.

I think they returned them to Ukraine.

There waas no “fly-off” in fact Congress passed a law that prohibited ACM between the two fighters.
The two fighters from day one had entirely different philosophies on mission requirements.
The F-14A was designed to fly far from the carrier, stay on station for a while and provide air protection over large expanses of the sky. It had to do this with far greater autonomy than any previous fighter. To look into powerful jamming and still detect the enemy at a long enough distance to take effective action against the incomming missiles and or kill the bombers if possible. While it was designed to perform ACM well beyond the capabilities of third generation aircraft, its real strength was in using its missiles to engage its number one threat, the anti-ship missile carrying bombers. To kill the bombers at long range so if the bombers are being escorted by fighters, the F-14’s can kill the bombers without dealing with the fighter escorts.
The F-15A was designed to fight a lot closer ACM. To detect the enemy, kill him and, quickly move to the next target. All this was to occur near the BVR/WVR border.
The F-15 was designed to have support from AWACS, tankers and, jamming aircraft.

Ok so teh F-14A was designed to fend off bombers carrying anti-ship cruise missiles(Air Defense) and the F-15 as an air superiority fighter. So what. The F-14A proved to be quite a god air superiority fighter in the Iraq-Iran War, the same role F-15A was designed for originally. It doesnt really matter what tehy were originally designed for, but what they can actually do well.

I dont hear so many great things about the Saudi Airforce. Most of it is maintained by British and American technicians, and the leadership is very corrupt. However, in recent years the Saudi AF seems to be giving it’s pilots a lot of hours.

I too think its a Mig-23/27

and how would the Iskander exactly target a Patriot battery?