The failure to upgrade all F35 to modern standard is boon given to Russia and China by the US congress. They can’t seem to pass a budget are anything much at all. That leaves the pentagon budget stuck using 2016 budget as a stop gap until the congress gets its act together. That is has a lot of consequences for programs including F35.

[qoute]I think that the drastic price reduction in PGMs which allowed for not only more munitions to be carried (ie SDB, APKWS, etc) but reduced the number of sorties required to complete a mission played a much greater role than the collateral damage issue. In addition, most modern PGMs could be made in kit form and they be customized to the mission rather than a purpose-built PGM.[/quote]

I don’t think PGM got cheaper. It’s more of case of Aircraft got more expensive and JDAM made 24 hour all weather PGM delivery viable. Up until JDAM many airforces simply said radar guided ground bombing with dumb bombs was good enough.

For Dassault to have the lead in the project. It would require them to have the lead in low observable aircraft. When compared to Germany. I doubt that is case the Germans have dabbled in low observable sense it’s beginning.

What?! The threat to the of future EU come from France and Italy leaving. Turkey is nether a threat to EU are somehow more of a US ally than a EU one. Egypt and Russia are opposing EU influence established by force in Libya. Maybe EU should have considered that before it decided to make a mess of Libya in the first place. Yea the Germans have the bad habit of offending potential customers of their exports. That’s a German problem not an EU one. Your right about China it will soon be ahead of europe in fight design. It’s only to late for a fifth gen aircraft. The potential for europe pulling together and making a sixth gen aircraft has potential.

You mean a leopard II replacement? Ask US if they think Germans were a good partner for tank replacement. Then ask UK if they think Germans are were good partners on the eurofighter.

The best use of Germans on any projects is technical competence. Leave the leadership to those that care about military utility foremost. Hint it isn’t the Germans.

This thread makes me sad. Seeing a country that is able to afford modern equipment for it airforce. Instead be force to look for second hand aircraft.

And powered flight at the end of engagement that is where meteor gains its increase in no escape zone. Not from total range as compared to amraam. But by meteor having powered flight at the end of a engagement. It’s not something the amraam has the ability to match or close no matter what version of it we are talking about.

What does Turkey have to do with Europe? Turkey has made its choice and were seeing the end of the relationship Europe as result. Turkey may feel it has leverage over Europe. But it is only temporary as soon as Europe figures out that Turkey has shifted in policy it will eventually change its position in regards to Turkey. Turkey has shifted course faster then Europe. Once Europe changes course as response to changes by Turkey all Turkeys leverage will disappear.

That will be both a loss for Europe and Turkey. Just as it was with Europe and Russia. But in both cases it was the decisions made by their countries leadership to oppose Europe that led to situation.