one has to wonder, why air forces do thorough test of aircraft.. they should just give a call to obligatory and he’ll make a calculation or two and tell them what aircraft they need… so much wasted money… tssss… 😀

actually, the most important part is not this or that technical detail about the aircraft, as it’s intended for a large audience that has no clue nor interest in the aircraft itself, but the two following facts:

– swiss testers being disappointed at the difference between SAABs claims and reality, as well as SAAB’s behavior about it.

– the result of that disappointment on the evaluation commission which, according to the article, should recommend (7 members out of 8) another request for proposal from the manufacturers with a fixed price and taking into consideration the measured capabilities of the aircrafts.

if that is true (we’ll know soon enough), dassault and eurofighter gmbh could make proposals based on their strengths… for example, 15-16 rafales could be considered as operationally equivalent to the 22 gripens, which may negate the gripen’s price advantage (especially if dassault can lower its price even more with infian deal in mind)

basically, things may become interesting in the weeks to come 😉

at least e know where robban stands in the matter: “unobjective pro-gripen”, right? 😉

the problem with Le Matin is that its a Swiss pro-French separatist newspaper, so naturally they are adverse to the germanic speakers.

Gripen is not intended to replace the Hornet or fight Hornets. you relax Eagle1.. the Swiss will buy the rafales eventually to replace the Hornets. they will have both Gripen and Rafale.

actually, if they buy the gripen (as planned) they’ll be partners in the program. I can hardly imagine them buying another type when the hornets get retired, while they build (partly at least) the gripen.

However, saying that Le Matin is a “separatist pro-french newspaper”… where did you get that from?

in any case, until now, in that deal they’ve had pretty good sources, so, if what they say there is correct, one could wonder whether the deal will stand, between the “new offerings” the manufacturers could be invited to provide, the low level of performance the testers get out of the modified gripen, the amount of modifications still required…

basically, it’s not about operational capabilities but just interservice rivalry

obviously, for some top brass in USAF, getting things their way “against” other branches comes before operational suitability

you should prepare us for such crap, man…. just spilled my coffee over my keyboard laughing… 😀

one funny detail:

“We simulated a quick reaction alert and a maximum performance intercept to high altitude and supersonic speed. “

“Sorties were conducted up to an altitude of 12,000ft (3,660m) and to a maximum speed of Mach 1.35, according to Armasuisse.”

er, in switzerland they’d be hugging the mountain tops (litteraly sometimes) at 12000ft… 😀