Slightly related… since it’s the same number and jet… SAAB today presented their offsets to Norway. 48 jets for 3.12 Billion USD (20M NOK) and 100% in industrial and technological offsets.

(The Gripen 39N with more thrust, more fuel, and more stores than 39C.)

Siggles

You told me the whole C-17 thang was a done deal…blah blah blah blah blah you said…are you telling me now it didn’t happen? Good Lord!

I’m shocked.

:rolleyes:

YS

I never said such a thing. I don’t really remember who you are but I do remember not ever typing such a statement. So you’re a liar.

Riga summit:

“the summit will see progress on strategic airlift, with 14 allies and non-NATO Sweden signing a joint deal to acquire long-range C-17 heavy lift aircraft”

Buying and putting them in the pool. One of the options I’ve pointed out earlier this year.

The jets are operated out of sovereign national requirements such as Aid relief, tactical support or training our aircrew during a Maple flag exercise.

Got a problem with that?

Is the SwAF going to MAple Flag this year? I was talking with the Canadian head of 17 wing in Winnepeg this week and he was very impressed by the Swedes. He worked with them on the KC-130 conversions and training a few years back.

Good to hear 🙂 Let’s see.. we’ve sent c-130 units to Maple flag 5 times but never combat jets. Maple flag is mentioned in the 2007 budget but without specifying what will be sent.

We have a instructor there (at SQ419, 4Wing) since 2003.. Major Jungwallius is doing Fighter Lead In training with Hawk jets training NATO pilots.

Switzerland likes to assemble and modify her aircrafts by herself and I don’t think the JSF will allow that.

They also prefer strong aircrafts able to land on short runways. I do think the gripen and the rafale are the best choices for the Swiss. (The F/A-18E being too big)

The gripen, is cheaper and uses the amraam already in service in the SwissAF but the rafale is safer with 2 engines and some of its parts are already made in Switzerland.

Greece has already said that she will not buy more F-16. The next order, around 1010-2012 will be a 4th generation aircraft and most probably the rafale or the eurofighter. If Greece decides to buy the JSF, they will do it in order to replace their early F-16 after 2015.

Switzerland might be able to get some used F/A-18 Super Hornets but I would also place a bet on Gripen. SAAB last year selected Swiss company RUAG as their exclusive Drop tank manufacturer. As for Rafale being safer, I don’t know, maybe, but after 75,000+ flyhours the Gripen have not had a single engine failure that led to a crash.

Yes Greece is not a easy read, jets is not the only thing they need to buy and the budget is not unlimited, but at the same time they need something new. Both to replace crashed F4/F-16 jets and a new generation jet.

When is the Rafale production line to close ? (based on current orders) I like that jet and if they can just keep the line open I bet they will score several orders.

The Gripen line has had quite an extension as the SwAF is getting 31 additional 39C jets in addition to the South African order which is just starting to move (28) and Hungary still has another 7 jets to be delivered.

But no one ever buy just a jet.. it’s political, offsets and lots of other BS in this business.. :p

I see his general idea. On its own the JSF doesn’t seem to fit into the picture all that amazingly as some people might propose but it’s not planned to be alone in the full spectrum warfare of the future. It might be an issue for small states such as the European JSF candidates but not for the USAF.

The Eurocanards and Russian jets is more focused on different tasks than the JSF. These are Air Superiority fighters with the added bonus of non-stealth bomb-runs. For this, the USAF got the F-22A.

One has to understand that the need for a massive fleet of air superiority fighters is not there, but a large fleet of strike jets is. Yes they are multirole but one role weigh more than the other, there’s no escaping this.

The Eurocanards is by no chance outdated nor is the F-22A (if manufacturer dates is important then well both Typhoon and Gripen 39C flew after the F-22) and still, to compare operative jets vs. jets or UCAVs in development is practically ridiculous.

Saab 2111-4

Rockwell himat wing

Saab 2108

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