wilhelmThey are individual countries, even though they’re not separate states. There are still boundaries between them, they have their own parliaments etc. (at least there was last time I checked on a map)
Tbh, you’re reading into it far too much, I was merely pointing out that there was more than one country on the map that had been posted.
And before anyone reads too far into what I’ve said, I’m NOT anti GB!
The devolutionary parliaments are enabled by Westminster, and are thus just as easily revoked by Westminster.
The various devolved parliaments cannot revoke or institute certain laws.
As it has been put:
“The UK government is responsible for national policy on all powers which have not been devolved.”
They all share the same head of state.
And I failed to see a Welsh or Scottish team at the recent Olympics.
They are not seperate, individual countries by any means.
Anyway, sorry for the derail.
wilhelmI was counting England, Wales, Scotland and N.I separately.
Why though?
wilhelmI guess the premise of the thread is assuming correct levels of funding for the Argentine armed forces.
2 squadrons of late model, long range Su-27/Su-30 derivitive.
Some tanker aircraft.
4 or 5 AWACS/AEW. Not necessarily high end/big airframed. A smaller Embaer/Saab type will do.
3 or 4 modern SSK’s.
Upgrading their marines and sealift/amphibeous capabilities.
As mentioned, the single biggest factor in Argentina’s defeat in the Flaklands War was that they didn’t take the British threat seriously, and thus did not upgrade the facilities at Port Stanley airfield to operate their fast jet aircraft.
Thusly, they’ll need aircraft and facilities to operate over the area from the mainland, with tanker support.
Assuming the Islands are taken again, the Awacs/Aew would need to be based on the Island to extend radar coverage.
The modern SSK’s are far more effective in hindering/keeping honest any surface fleet sent to recover the Islands.
A buildup along these lines, as well as annual exercises in Argentine waters rehearsing the attack plan, should be in place.
Any actual operation would be relatively well practised, and should coincide with a future conflict Britain inevitably will find themselves in, such as a possible Iranian scenario.
All the above is purely speculative, and purely my opinion.
I thus reserve the right to be wrong.:p
wilhelmPretty much, “hurt the economy of the islanders the most we can” seems to have a fair amount of popular support and traction within Argentina these days.
Argentina is really pushing the idea of a transplanted colonial population these days. I believe the old propaganda in Argentina was they were brother Argentines under the jack-boot of British colonial oppression! Argentine troops marching into Stanley in 82 were truly expecting Spanish speaking islanders who would be celebrating their release from British oppression! That the population was entirely English speaking and were not happy at all really shocked them! So now the line is “transplanted population of the colonial occupier” meaning in the eyes of the average Argentine they have no right to talk on the matter.
An absurd scenario really and as Britain holds the high ground in a military sense something which will give them no traction whatsoever with the Islanders. On the other hand the mob loves it in Buenos Aires…
Do you have a link or 2 for the above?
wilhelmI don’t find the Buccaneer that ugly.
Now this below is not very pretty, although it was a strong performer, much like the Bucc.
wilhelmThe flatter bodied fuselage acts as a lifting body to an extent.
The Mig-29 illustrates this.
wilhelmOkay.
I’ve had a look and apparently the NK engines for the Tu-160 are to go back into production, in upgraded form.
There are apparently incomplete airframes from when Yeltsin stopped production, that could concievably be completed.
So definitely no further Tu-160’s?
Will the upgraded new production engines be for the new bomber being developed?
wilhelmThe Blackjack is certainly an impressive aircraft.
What is the stautus of the Blackjack?
I recall there was an announcement that some more Blackjacks were being procured.
Is this the case?
If so, was it ever discovered if these were new builds, or previous incomplete examples that were to be finished?
Wiki says that a new build Tu-160 was delivered in 2008, and that a new Blackjack is to be built every 1 or 2 years until the fleet reaches about 30 or more aircraft in the 2025-2030 timeframe.
I know wiki is not the best source, but is this happening? it seems this was based on a 2008 report, so has anything along these lines transpired in the last 5 years?
wilhelmHere we go.
wilhelmThe Mirage MF-1-2000 basically is an avionics upgrade of the Mirage F-1.
It has a glass cockpit, new HUD, and new radar, full HOTAS controls and integral EW kit.
The engine is tweaked with a new compressor and turbine, pushing thrust up from 7200kg to 7500kg.
The problem is, all those features are already part of the Cheetah C.
The Cheetah deal for Ecuador was a bargain, and the above upgrade for Mirage F-1’s would need to be very competitively priced.
Morocco is paying $420 million to upgrade 27 of their Mirage F-1’s.
If you used the Ecuador Cheetah deal as indicative of costs, Argentina could get about 20 Cheetah C’s, and 2 or 3 twin-seater Cheetah D’s for about $150 to $160 Million, or a third of the cost.
The Brazilian deal for 12 Mirage 2000’s cost about $80 million 8 years ago.
I’m not sure what price you could get Mirage 2000’s at now.
Either way, I agree that Argentina should be looking at the Cheetah C or Mirage 2000, or possibly refurbished Mirage F-1’s if the price is right.
They have little budget at present, and are rapidly running out of time.
They should be looking at a rapid, cheap purchase now to buy breathing space for a new-aircraft decision just before 2020.
With the government they have in place not funding any outright purchase, it will be all about the best deal they can secure to keep their pilots and capabilities from withering away.
wilhelmI don’t think Argentina has the money to buy new western jets. Second-hand Mirage 2000’s are probably their best choice, aside from a possibly subsidized JF-17 purchase.
If the reports of the enforced grounding of the majority of their Mirage III and 5 fleet in 2013 are true, then perhaps Argentina should consider the same plan as Ecuador.
They have 7 Mirage III, 7 Mirage 5’s, and one twin seater, operated by 2 units.
They have just retired their Fingers this year.
Ecuador got their 10 Cheetah C’s and 2 Cheetah D twin seaters for, according to reports, $80 million. This includes a 5 year maintenance and support package.
The SAAF Cheetahs were originally to be operated until around 2013, but were retired in 2008 as a budget measure.
It is obviously from the same stable that Argentina is used to operating, albeit vastly more modern than what Argentina currently operates.
Looking at the Ecuador deal, Argentina could logically operate about 16 to 20 single-seat Cheetah C’s, and a couple of twin-seat Cheetah D’s for about $120 to $150 million.
With the 5 year renewable maintenance and support package included.
This would allow them a breathing space of 5 years to consider a new purchase, and allow their pilots to continue flying a much more modern jet, in avionics terms, until that decision is made.
For a cash strapped airforce on the brink of having their only supersonic interceptors grounded, such a price is a no-brainer.
There is no bigger bargain to be had out there, considering the time pressure too.
wilhelmThanks.
It’s interesting that if you look at Chinese modernisation, they have made public 3 fighters in the last couple of years, as well as their new large transport aircraft.
I suppose that, leaving aside helicopters, still leaves a new generation strike platform, and possibly a medium/long range bomber.
I also suppose that a turbo-prop trainer is still missing?
wilhelmDeino AKA Andreas Rupprecht co writter of this:
http://www.harpia-publishing.com/index-ModernChineseWarplanes.htmlThats a dificult one… 😀
I know.;)
So is there definitely a JH-7B project?:confused:
What is the current status of the programme?
Is there still production ongoing of the JH-7A? It entered service in 2004, as far as I can make out.
Is the Spey/WS-9 still being fitted, or in production? There was a report that the Chinese had claimed to have achieved “100% indigenization” of the Spey/WS-9 in 2009, so I suppose it must be.
wilhelmIs development of the JH-7 still ongoing?
Or have we seen the last of it?
wilhelmHow many Cheetah C’s are available?
The South African Air Force originally had 38.
4 were lost to attrition.
A few are used for test flights in South Africa still at the TFDC.
Ecuador bought 10 in 2010, along with 2 Cheetah D two seaters. The last of these were made operational this year.
That means there could be as many as 18 to 20 Cheetah C, and as many as 6 Cheetah D two seaters could be available. They have quite some life left on them, as far as I know.
Surely, if Argentina needs more modern jets, and with the majority of their supersonic fleet about to be grounded, this must be a sensible option?
The Ecuador deal includes the 12 jets, and a 5 year, renewable maintenance and support package.
The deal cost about $80 million, according to some South American speculation.
If true, this is a bargain.
With their budget constraints and impending fast-fleet grounding, surely this should be food for thought for Argentina, at least as an interim measure up to 2020?
A couple of pics from the link below of the Cheetah C in Ecuadorian service.
Sign In
