And why norway always buy yanks planes, did they like to be lackey of the DoD?

did norway ares in europe? so it’s time to buy european, more lap dogs countries will buy europeans, more europeans fighters will be stronger!

don’t wait americans to be your friend, only money is their mind! they even will pressure you, or use datas to follow thier interests!

Not only what you say is out of topic, but I’m stunned to see that you are attacking him and his country for no reason.
You are really an idiot, but anyway I think it is already well known around here.

From what I have read Snecma doesn’t produce the M88-2E1 anymore. The upgrade of all the 29 M88-2E1 in service should be finished before the end of the year according to a 2002 .pdf or 2005 according to the site Snecma Moteurs. I guess the first date is the right one.

I have read the aircraft will be retired on March 2006.

The French magazine Air & Cosmos gives the total losses of the Ivorian aircraft destroyed by the French forces:

4 Su-25 includind 2 with cannons (explosive bullets)

5 helicopters destroyed by 20 mm cannons from Gazelle-canon and armored vehicles including 4 Mi-24D and 1 Mi-8V (TU-VTH civilian immatriculation.)

afterwards the 5th Mi-24 was destroyed and at least 1 IAR-330L Puma.

so a total of 4 Su-25, 5 Mi-24, 1 Mi-8, 1 Puma. An AA gun which tried to fire at a French helicopter was also destroyed.

talking about aircraft, a French C-160 was damaged.

How were the helos destroyed?

on the ground

maybe special forces or from cannon equiped Gazelle / Puma / Cougar

There’s also another point,

these aircraft bombed illegally the rebels during a few days in total violiation of the treaties. The UN were fiercely opposed but nobody even did anything until …. this mistake (but many French officials still think it wasn’t one.)

So in destroying those aircraft (the order was to destroy the aircraft who participated in the bombings) the French protect themselves for later but also act to enforce the treaties, so to try to save the peace. I don’t think a peace keaping mission would mean letting some helicopters and su-25 to bomb the rebels against the UN opinion.

So I guess that was a good move, to show that they souldn’t attack us (and anyway the French forces aren’t there with blues helmets and to be attacked freely, this isn’t ex Yugoslavia or something like that) and to prevent another attack against our troops, and secondly to enforce the treaties which means peace.

French forces are currently figthting the governmental forces.

Three Mirage F1 should arrive at Libreville soon in case.

Anyone have pics of the Rafale with triple ejector racks.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/525882/L/