Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

Psychlops · 05-04-2018 9:27pm

Of interest, Slovakia has been cleared to buy F-16 Block 70/72's.

Big arms package, worth 2.91B, 14 F-16's including 16 F110 or F100 Engines, 30 AIM120C7 Missiles & 100 AIM9X Missiles.

sparky42 · 05-04-2018 9:58pm

Psychlops wrote: »

Of interest, Slovakia has been cleared to buy F-16 Block 70/72's.

Big arms package, worth 2.91B, 14 F-16's including 16 F110 or F100 Engines, 30 AIM120C7 Missiles & 100 AIM9X Missiles.

Well, that's just the clearance, whether they actually end up buying said aircraft is another issue, but again 1.2% on defence and no Navy that is sucking the Capital Spend (most of half a billion by the time the P60 and EPV programs are done). And again that's replacing previous investments rather than standing up new systems.

él statutorio · 05-04-2018 10:07pm

Maybe if we ask the Donald nicely he'd loan us a few. I drove through the Davis-Monthan boneyard in Tucson yesterday, loads and loads of stuff just sitting there.

Also got to see an A-10 Warthog coming into land, which was fun.

Stovepipe · 11-04-2018 8:41pm

@twinytwo, I don't know where you got that figure from??!! Four kerosene burners do not consume that kind of money to operate, otherwise there would be no helicopters running about anywhere. In terms of fuel and oil used per hours, it's about $1200 an hour and double that for the per-hour maintenance cost. Fire weapons and you start getting into silly money , but the actual running cost is modest enough.

meathstevie · 19-04-2018 2:16am

sparky42 wrote: »

You do know that many of the EU nations are integrating their forces, for example the Dutch and German Navies/Marines are integrating, think the Benelux countries are working at integrating their air defences for example.

The Benelux integration and cooperation is not a future project or point of discussion etc etc. It has been fact for quite a while and not only in military aviation. The Dutch and Belgian navy for example have very close ties and mutual support and cooperation structures. Luxembourg officers and NCO's are trained by the Belgian army ( officers also by the French ) and as far back as the Korean War Luxembourg troops have been deployed integrated with Belgian units.

BoJack Horseman · 24-04-2018 12:38am

Here's the breakdown of the Israeli deal with Croatia.... all for $500m

Incredible value

- 10 x single seater Block 30 F-16s
- 2 x twin seaters
- 2 simulators
- 3 spare engines
- SLEP in cooperation with Lockheed (3000 flight hours)
- 3 years of full support in Croatia (parts,techs training), and
- full maintenance support during use (15-25 years)
- Training for 6 pilots and 20-30 mechanics in Israel
- Infrastructure (hangar for all planes and level 1 and level 2 maintenance)
- Software support during usage period
- Transport of everything from Israel to Croatia
- 2 Israeli pilots in Croatia during first 3 years, as support
- A yet to be determined small batch of short range AAMs, likely Sidewinders

Can't ask for more than that.

jonnybigwallet · 24-04-2018 11:09am

That's a killer deal all right!

Snickers Man · 24-04-2018 12:25pm

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

The RAF will do it for us.

Following Brexit and the likely strategic realignment it will produce, they are very likely to be called upon to do just that. I think we will have a choice to make: get into bed with the Brits and Yanks (and by extension, albeit an arm's length extension at least, the Russians) against Europe, or join up with the good guys.

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

I'd be happy with that.

You would?

BoJack Horseman · 24-04-2018 2:31pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

get into bed with the Brits and Yanks (and by extension, albeit an arm's length extension at least, the Russians) against Europe

Is there a name for this US/UK/Russian military alliance that exists only in your mind?

roadmaster · 24-04-2018 4:29pm

I wonder what the running costs of 20 plus year old f16’s will cost them

Morpheus · 26-04-2018 8:47am

GRIPEN squadron lease deal is still the best on the market, by far.

ectoraige · 26-04-2018 9:07am

Morpheus wrote: »

GRIPEN squadron lease deal is still the best on the market, by far.

Sure why don't we rejig the Nordic battlegroup and invite Sweden to establish an airbase in Donegal? They could carry out interception duties, and train Air Corps pilots and engineers until we have the capabilities to cover it ourselves. It would spice up the Spanish armada/Celtic redhead gene pool too.

Leonidas BL · 26-04-2018 7:57pm

ectoraige wrote: »

Sure why don't we rejig the Nordic battlegroup and invite Sweden to establish an airbase in Donegal? They could carry out interception duties, and train Air Corps pilots and engineers until we have the capabilities to cover it ourselves. It would spice up the Spanish armada/Celtic redhead gene pool too.

LMAO are you suggesting it would bring a few good looking women into mcgarrigles?

Larbre34 · 27-04-2018 7:53am

ectoraige wrote: »

Sure why don't we rejig the Nordic battlegroup and invite Sweden to establish an airbase in Donegal? They could carry out interception duties, and train Air Corps pilots and engineers until we have the capabilities to cover it ourselves. It would spice up the Spanish armada/Celtic redhead gene pool too.

Ive long thought that the solution is precisely this, though I would use Sligo Airport for it for a few reasons. Space to build a secure military installation, nearby population centre to supply same and accommodate personnel and most importantly, an east-west runway positioned by a sheltered body of water with direct routing out into the atlantic to allow for QRA interceptor operations.

Sweden would be the ideal partner, but France would be a viable option too. A ten year lease and interoperability package developing skills and capacity prior to a stand alone Air Corps home defence squadron, stood up in parallel to a national air defence radar.

ectoraige · 27-04-2018 12:37pm

Larbre34 wrote: »

Ive long thought that the solution is precisely this, though I would use Sligo Airport for it for a few reasons. Space to build a secure military installation, nearby population centre to supply same and accommodate personnel and most importantly, an east-west runway positioned by a sheltered body of water with direct routing out into the atlantic to allow for QRA interceptor operations.

Sweden would be the ideal partner, but France would be a viable option too. A ten year lease and interoperability package developing skills and capacity prior to a stand alone Air Corps home defence squadron, stood up in parallel to a national air defence radar.

I thought of Sligo too, and while the runway is fine for operational purposes given the STOL capabilities of the Grippen, I thought perhaps it would be just a tad short for training? I also wouldn't be able to make the redhead joke.

Politically Sweden makes sense as a fellow EU member with a non-alignment/neutrality stance. There would be much more protest against French involvement. However, Sweden haven't operated overseas airbases to date, the French would have experience on that front.

jonnybigwallet · 27-04-2018 12:41pm

Can't see the Swedes biting on this one at all. They don't need an overseas base in Ireland as any threat to their sovereignty comes from the East. Can't see the French wanting to buy into this either....especially as the aircraft won't be coming from Dassault.

ectoraige · 27-04-2018 12:42pm

Leonidas BL wrote: »

LMAO are you suggesting it would bring a few good looking women into mcgarrigles?

Can't you just picture Anna and Jens rocking their Donegal Creameries jerseys?

ectoraige · 27-04-2018 12:53pm

jonnybigwallet wrote: »

Can't see the Swedes biting on this one at all. They don't need an overseas base in Ireland as any threat to their sovereignty comes from the East. Can't see the French wanting to buy into this either....especially as the aircraft won't be coming from Dassault.

I don't know why this thread isn't in the Walter Mitty section. but nevertheless...

It would have to be in the context of improved defence of EU airspace, post Brexit, with enough money and sales dangled at Sweden.

Geographically and logistically, a few French Rafales would be the better fit, but politically it would go down like a lead balloon due to our neutrality.

Larbre34 · 27-04-2018 5:24pm

We were never really neutral, just soft non aligned with a massive EU / NATO bias. With our membership of PfP, PESCO and now fully operational with the EU Naval Force (none of which I object to) neutrality isnt even a conversation anymore. As Britain diverges more and more back into antiquity, its less and less appropriate that we should be under their umbrella for anything.

If there is likely to be a genuine threat to our area of responsibility from Russian patrols, we should be able to deploy to meet them. Yes there will be protests, but they should be ignored, because they will mainly come from hypocrites who fail to see the connection between demanding sovereignty on one hand and the definition of that status being the ability to exert it.

It wouldnt take much reclamation to make Sligo long enough, but so long as there is quick access to the Atlantic the squadron could be anywhere, Farranfore would do either. Nice view for spotters on Inch Beach of the QRA flight going supersonic over the bay.

roadmaster · 27-04-2018 5:31pm

Lads never mind the Russians! It’s the brits we need to be worried about. With brexit coming shortly it’s not going to be long before May and Boris say it’s time to get our empire back and we are the first on the list!

Snickers Man · 30-04-2018 10:32am

BoJack Horseman wrote: »

Is there a name for this US/UK/Russian military alliance that exists only in your mind?

Not yet.

But if you read your history, and examine the forces at play, you will surely see the possibility of such an outcome.

Brits/Yanks and Russians weren't exactly kissing cousins in the 1940s but they were quite happy to support each other against Hitler. Who was it who said "Countries don't have friends; only interests"?

Was the common effort against Hitler really a "military alliance", treaty bound with clearly articulated rights and responsibilities allocated among the participants? Or a hastily thrown together marriage of convenience that was betrayed almost as soon as the guns fell silent?

Were the Soviets really the West's allies? Even in Western minds?

Who liberated Auschwitz? The Allies
Who murdered 20,000 Polish officers in Katyn? The Soviets.

Now answer those two questions the other way round. They're just as truthful but a little incongruous to our ears, no?

The Soviets fought on the same side as the Anglo-American alliance but were never really thought of as being of the family. An arms length relationship of convenience against a common enemy.

Which is all a similar arrangement would be in coming years.

I'm not saying it WILL happen, but there are plenty of portents to suggest that it MIGHT.

Something for us (ie the Irish) to think about.

Snickers Man · 30-04-2018 11:01am

roadmaster wrote: »

Lads never mind the Russians! It’s the brits we need to be worried about. With brexit coming shortly it’s not going to be long before May and Boris say it’s time to get our empire back and we are the first on the list!

I do think the threat from Britain is certainly likely to re-emerge post Brexit.

Not because they "want their empire back" but because the strategic alignment of Europe is likely to change, Britain is likely to become first an economic and then a military rival to Europe (as she traditionally has been) and she will want to defend herself from any potential threats.

That means she has to secure her western back door, ie Ireland.

Some of the more strategically minded British politicians see this instinctively. Now of course they are not going to send the tanks rolling over the border immediately. That will hopefully, from their point of view, be unnecessary.

First gambit is to cosy up to Ireland and get us to see that we really belong in lockstep with them. So there will be (indeed are already) some foghorns sounding off that Ireland's best interest is in leaving the EU with Britain, or at least as quickly afterwards as possible. Mr Rees-Mogg has said as much. So too has Mr Farage.
Keep an eye on the opinion columns of the Daily Telegraph for similar points of view. Some will be conciliatory and point out how great the Irish are, and what good friends we have become and even in the bad old days sure weren't the Irish the most heroic soldiers in the British Army, surely we belong together and that will sort out this "hard border" nonsense etc etc

Some will be downright dismissive and say that Ireland isn't really a separate country, it's part of the British Isles, it's been a possession of the crown since the 12th century, any idea of Irish nationhood is a myth, look how quickly they gave up their sovereignty to Brussels etc etc
It is already the stated opinion of the Telegraph that the importance of "avoiding a hard border" in the agenda of Brexit negotiations is just the EU cynically exploiting the Good Friday Agreement to put a stop to Brexit once and for all. We, the Irish, are not acting in our own interests by insisting that although there is no issue with Britain leaving the EU, that cannot absolve Britain from honouring existing commitments she has made in international treaties that she has signed. No. We're just pawns in the hands of the dastardly Eurocrats who have far more interest in screwing Britain than aiding us.

Once those lines of argument fail, the talking will get harder and the big stick will start to be brandished. We have a choice to make: team up with the British and kiss goodbye to Europe; or reaffirm our commitment to Europe and become an existential threat to Britain by virtue of our geography.

It's really ****ed everything up this Brexit malarkey.

tac foley · 30-04-2018 12:19pm

Apart from arguing that, geographically, the island of Ireland IS part of the British Isles - a physical fact that can readily be ascertained by reading most any atlas- the thought that an imminent invasion by the British Armed Forces is keeping you awake at night is sad indeed.

Again, like many others before you, you are confusing 'Britain' with the United Kingdom, possibly deliberately in order to foment discontent and garner support among your like-minded fellow citizens, if, indeed, there are any, since the United Kingdom, at least, part of it, already occupies the North of the island. Of course the Republic of Ireland is a separate country and sovereign nation, and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Please rest assured that your 'Chicken Little' dreams/nightmares are baseless.

tac

Snickers Man · 30-04-2018 12:37pm

tac foley wrote: »

the thought that an imminent invasion by the British Armed Forces is keeping you awake at night is sad indeed.

..Please rest assured that your 'Chicken Little' dreams/nightmares are baseless.

tac

What part of " of course they are not going to send the tanks rolling over the border immediately. That will hopefully, from their point of view, be unnecessary" did you overlook?

What I described were strategic calculations based on a set of circumstances that are very likely to evolve after Brexit. (Or will you insist on UKexit with the same vehemence that you urged us to consider the subtle difference between "Britain" and "UK"?)

Strategic calculation is ONE of the reasons (there are others) why HM Government was so keen to hang on to Northern Ireland while the rest of the island gained independence. And strategic calculation is forming a big part of their negotiating position during the Brexit (sorry UKexit) talks.

Ireland is going to be inveigled, cajoled and in the long term strong armed by Britain to join them outside the EU. If necessary. Of course we don't know what is likely to happen in the outside world to influence this. The whole thing could become moot thanks to forces beyond Europe's immediate influence.

But as Charles de Gaulle once said "Geography is the constant factor in the making of history."

tac foley · 30-04-2018 1:31pm

Dream on, Sir - your alarmist ravings are based on whatever video 'game of empires' you may or may not be playing. You wrote - 'Ireland is going to be inveigled, cajoled and in the long term strong armed by Britain to join them outside the EU.'

I can only assume that you really believe that this might happen, and that alone is enough to place your posts in the 'flat earth' and 'I was raped by goblins from Sirius' categories.

tac

roadmaster · 30-04-2018 1:54pm

I just what to point out i was only taking the pi**s about the british taking back there empire. I think this thread has gone a bit mental

Snickers Man · 30-04-2018 4:12pm

OK.

Put this in a time capsule for 20 years and see how things have turned out.

But the bit about the likes of Farage and Rees Mogg saying that Ireland should do as Britain has done and leave the EU has already happened. Do you think it's because THEY are so concerned for OUR welfare?

"D'ye know what? D'ye know what? Twenty years ago, you all laughed at me. Well, I have to say, you're not laughing any more are you?"
Snickers Man, 2038 (if he's still alive)

tac foley · 30-04-2018 4:49pm

Messrs Farage and Rees-Mogg don't a gnat's fart about Ireland's welfare - one is a 'who-was he' and the other is a wannabe. They were simply suggesting that perhaps Ireland's best interests were not well-served by its continuance as a member of the EU, not actually proposing that earnest consideration should be given to leaving now, and that if they didn't, the UK government might be forced to make the decision on their behalf by force of arms.

tac

Snickers Man · 30-04-2018 5:29pm

tac foley wrote: »

Messrs Farage and Rees-Mogg don't a gnat's fart about Ireland's welfare

Agreed.

tac foley wrote: »

They were simply suggesting that perhaps Ireland's best interests were not well-served by its continuance as a member of the EU, not actually proposing that earnest consideration should be given to leaving now,

If we both agree on point 1, and we do, then why should either gentleman bother their backsides making point 2? Seems like a contradiction, doesn't it?

Because they see it in Britain's interest that Ireland leave the EU, not Ireland's, because as we both agree, they "couldn't give a gnat's fart about Ireland's welfare"

Why so? Loads of reasons. No need to worry about hard borders in Ireland or borders down the Irish Sea. No need to worry about a smaller cheaper English speaking country vying with Britain to be a recipient of inward investment to address the European market. The emotional fillip of seeing another country turn its back on the "European project". But underneath that there is the strategic concern.

Come on. You used to be a military man. Think it through. A hard border between RoI and NI, apart from the inevitable local strife that is likely to instigate, would by definition isolate Ireland from Britain like never before, or at least like the 1930s of the Economic War. And at least back then we were in the Commonwealth.

But now, Ireland is part of a larger treaty-bound association of states. It is becoming more closely entangled in the military side of things via arrangements like PESCO. Granted Ireland's contribution to this is not huge but the ties it is making could be important.

Ireland would inevitably have to become even more closely tied economically to Europe to replace lost or restricted markets in the UK. And it is not unreasonable that European countries could start to make demands on Ireland for greater military co-operation. All very soft and touchy feely at first but the implications of Ireland cosying up to an alliance that includes the successors to the Spanish Armada, the Grande Armee and the Luftwaffe COMBINED would not be lost on British strategic planners.

None of this analysis envisages anything like "tanks rolling over the border" but it does suggest jockeying for position, wars of words (or tweets) accusations and counter accusations. Soft economic threats leading to larger strategic ones.

While Britain remains closely allied to mainland Europe, and IF the eventual Brexit agreement makes provision for a customs union of some sort, much of this danger dissipates. We go on being much the same sort of partners we have been for the past number of decades.

But a hard Brexit, with all the implications that has for British links to Europe and possible break up of NATO (not a completely unlikely scenario) and Britain will start to loom threateningly in Irish eyes.

sparky42 · 03-05-2018 2:52pm

Let's just have some clarity here, Germany with a budget of over €30 billion for it's military has the capability to arm just 4 Eurofighters for Air to Air currently, and has only about 30 that are even flight worthy with supply issues for faults for the rest.

In other words, having Fast Jets and sustaining/supporting and using them is expensive and not easy, and what we could spend for such capability could be off far better usage in other areas of deficiencies in the DF.

prinzeugen · 04-05-2018 2:43am

sparky42 wrote: »

Let's just have some clarity here, Germany with a budget of over €30 billion for it's military has the capability to arm just 4 Eurofighters for Air to Air currently, and has only about 30 that are even flight worthy with supply issues for faults for the rest.

In other words, having Fast Jets and sustaining/supporting and using them is expensive and not easy, and what we could spend for such capability could be off far better usage in other areas of deficiencies in the DF.

Playing on numbers. Lots of Luftwaffe/RAF tranche 1 jets are stored or RTP.

Flight radar tells a different story daily. Perhaps you should do some reading?

thomil · 04-05-2018 11:07am

sparky42 wrote: »

Let's just have some clarity here, Germany with a budget of over €30 billion for it's military has the capability to arm just 4 Eurofighters for Air to Air currently, and has only about 30 that are even flight worthy with supply issues for faults for the rest.

This is mostly due to massive corruption and incompetency within the German MoD and less of an issue to do with the aircraft and weapons systems themselves. What's more, it's not limited to the Eurofighter force. The supply/readiness situation for pretty much the entire Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces for those who don't know the term) has been a clusterf**k (sorry for the language, that's the most harmless word I could think of) for at least the last 10-15 years.
There's helicopters whose cabin floors buckle under the pressure exerted by uniform boots (NH-90), warships that pump toxic gas through their hull (Braunschweig class corvettes), entire tank squadrons shut down by lack of spare parts, the last refit of the Tornado fleet left the cockpit instruments so bright that night vision goggles were rendered useless, I could go on and on. Hell, the Bundeswehr can't even provide field rations to their soldiers anymore.

Using the German Armed Forces as a reference is like using the Irish healthcare system as a benchmark for all systems worldwide.

sparky42 · 04-05-2018 1:05pm

prinzeugen wrote: »

Playing on numbers. Lots of Luftwaffe/RAF tranche 1 jets are stored or RTP.

Flight radar tells a different story daily. Perhaps you should do some reading?

I go on what the German's are reporting:
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/22465/Germany_Faces_Acute_Shortage_of_Operational_Eurofighter_Typhoon_Fighters#.WuxL8ZdG2Uk

While they can fly with the pods turned off, operationally they are handicapped, along with the fact that they are short on air to air missiles.

sparky42 · 04-05-2018 1:07pm

thomil wrote: »

This is mostly due to massive corruption and incompetency within the German MoD and less of an issue to do with the aircraft and weapons systems themselves. What's more, it's not limited to the Eurofighter force. The supply/readiness situation for pretty much the entire Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces for those who don't know the term) has been a clusterf**k (sorry for the language, that's the most harmless word I could think of) for at least the last 10-15 years.
There's helicopters whose cabin floors buckle under the pressure exerted by uniform boots (NH-90), warships that pump toxic gas through their hull (Braunschweig class corvettes), entire tank squadrons shut down by lack of spare parts, the last refit of the Tornado fleet left the cockpit instruments so bright that night vision goggles were rendered useless, I could go on and on. Hell, the Bundeswehr can't even provide field rations to their soldiers anymore.

Using the German Armed Forces as a reference is like using the Irish healthcare system as a benchmark for all systems worldwide.

That's not bespoke to Germany though, the NH-90 has been a problem child for all those that bought it, while other nations have subs that can't surface (Spain), ships that can't provide enough power (UK), transports that can't meet spec (A400) the list is pretty endless. And yes without question the Bundeswehr is a basket case, that doesn't change the reality that operating FJ is expensive, resource heavy and beyond the budget that the Irish public are willing to provide to the DF.

andy_g · 06-05-2018 1:12am

But adding to this, who said it had to be a current type fighter?
The Aer Corp could go for older examples, the F5 (loads of them in the bone yards)
A4 sky hawks. Again a few in storage etc. Both examples were made to be cheap to operate. Only took the Turkish 4 hours to replace a faulty engine in a F5 at Malta last September.

Psychlops · 06-05-2018 11:52pm

andy_g wrote: »

But adding to this, who said it had to be a current type fighter?
The Aer Corp could go for older examples, the F5 (loads of them in the bone yards)
A4 sky hawks. Again a few in storage etc. Both examples were made to be cheap to operate. Only took the Turkish 4 hours to replace a faulty engine in a F5 at Malta last September.

Its "Air Corps", why do people still get that wrong il never know.

An A4 Skyhawk from the 1950's? Really?

There is a reason these aircraft go to the boneyard. The majority of them end up being used as fodder for missiles.

If you go that way you are looking for a lot of hassle with regards to age & parts, if I was to go for "point defence" I would go for the BAe Hawk T2, already wired for sidewinder/ASRAAM. Proven Aircraft too, or the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle which is a supersonic trainer.

andy_g · 07-05-2018 3:33am

Psychlops wrote: »

Its "Air Corps", why do people still get that wrong il never know.

An A4 Skyhawk from the 1950's? Really?

There is a reason these aircraft go to the boneyard. The majority of them end up being used as fodder for missiles.

If you go that way you are looking for a lot of hassle with regards to age & parts, if I was to go for "point defence" I would go for the BAe Hawk T2, already wired for sidewinder/ASRAAM. Proven Aircraft too, or the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle which is a supersonic trainer.

Yes Really??!!

People keep mentioning A/C that can intercept there ya go has the speed for it.
Also the F5 was also another mention and are currently still in use by some military agencies, reason A/C go to a bone yard is due to the fact it may not be financially viable for said organisation, or is outdated for specific use.

sparky42 · 07-05-2018 4:25am

andy_g wrote: »

Yes Really??!!

People keep mentioning A/C that can intercept there ya go has the speed for it.
Also the F5 was also another mention and are currently still in use by some military agencies, reason A/C go to a bone yard is due to the fact it may not be financially viable for said organisation, or is outdated for specific use.

I'd love to see the operational rate for those that are still flying F5's, even those that had undergone massive rebuilds far beyond anything in the Boneyard.

The issue of supporting legacy hardware and in particular the man hours for supporting them is major (what's the pay rate for those countries you are basing off of for example?).

Let's take an example of what you are suggesting, our CASA's, they have huge hours on them that has meant they've had to be reset twice now and are the longest in service which means they increasing eat manhours to keep them flying.

Bigus · 07-05-2018 6:44am

How a about a couple of stripped out Honda Jets @ say $4m a pop , with a few old fashioned weapons attached here DIY style ?

ohnonotgmail · 08-05-2018 2:44pm

andy_g wrote: »

Yes Really??!!

People keep mentioning A/C that can intercept there ya go has the speed for it.
Also the F5 was also another mention and are currently still in use by some military agencies, reason A/C go to a bone yard is due to the fact it may not be financially viable for said organisation, or is outdated for specific use.

so you are suggesting the A4, an out of service subsonic attack aircraft, as an interceptor?

Leonidas BL · 08-05-2018 3:06pm

A4 wouldn't be worth a fiddlers. I don't think the F5 would be a lot of good either. It would use all its fuel to catch the target and then have to turn back. F-16's or Griphen seems to be the most affordable option with actual capability's.
They dont even need the multi-role goodies. Couple of ATA missiles, good radar and maybe external fuel tanks and you have a good interceptor/air policing fighter.

yrreg0850 · 08-05-2018 3:15pm

tac foley wrote: »

Of course the Republic of Ireland is a separate country and sovereign nation, and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.

tac

Not any more.
Do you not realise , the goverment cannot "Blow it's nose" without permission from Brussles or Angela M.

feargale · 08-05-2018 3:22pm

The air defence system we need is an automatic answering machine that will keep repeating "we surrender" in English, Russian and Chinese.

tac foley · 08-05-2018 5:02pm

About four years ago I recall suggesting the Gripen.

My opinion has not changed.

tac

sparky42 · 08-05-2018 5:37pm

tac foley wrote: »

About four years ago I recall suggesting the Gripen.

My opinion has not changed.

tac

It would serve pretty much anything and everything we would need Fighters for, and even comes from a "neutral" nation so that might be more acceptable. Sadly it still hits the political reality.

tac foley · 08-05-2018 6:44pm

I even built the 1/72nd scale model and used a spare set of Irish Air Corps decals on it, including the pizza sign. It looked VERY good. A friend of mine got it for Christmas...

Sadly, it seems that is about as near as you are going to get.

tac

roadmaster · 08-05-2018 7:09pm

So when we get these nice fighter jets and we intercept a bear and say a hello what then? Id say we would head home for the evening and that would be that its not like we are going to shoot it down. Then later in the evening the phone rings in casement that a casa is needed for top cover and guess what the officer in charge says sorry we cant help you as we have no budget to put a casa in the air because we spent all our money having fun with the russian lads.

tac foley · 08-05-2018 7:25pm

All these negative thoughts are getting me down.

Anybody here got something positive to say?

tac

roadmaster · 08-05-2018 7:27pm

The weather was good so i just had the first BBQ of the season!

tac foley · 08-05-2018 7:29pm

YAY!!!!!!!!

tac

Fighter jets for the Air Corps?

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