More F-16 for Iraqi Air Force & EF-2000 Naval Version to India

Posted on | augustus 5, 2011 | No Comments

F-16

Iraq made ordered to US government for exporting F-16 warplane to the countries since March 2009. The purchase requirement is made for 36 warplanes for the Iraqi air force. In allowance of the purchasing, Iraqi sent 10 pilots to the US Air Force for flight training. But the US congress agreed to sell 18 F-16IQ as the first batch to Iraqi air force. The agreement was taken at September, 13th 2010. Iraqi has to paid US for US$ 4,2 billion for the warplanes. But the sales was halted on February 2011 due to different priorities for the Iraqi air force role. The priorities decision itself was made by the Iraqi government due to field asessement.

However Iraqi government which rule by Maliki was still want to goal the F-16 contract. So far unknown from where and how does Iraqi government will pay for the planes unless the country allow US or other western countries in mining their oil in the Iraqi soil as the payment.

Eurofighter Will Introduce EF-2000 Naval Version to India

India, Skyblu – In order to win the competition of 26 India MMRCA program which worth US$ 10,4 billion, Eurofighter EF-2000 have to compete with French Dassault Raffale M. Eurofighter GMbH based in Germany design special batch EF-2000 which can be operated on the aircraft carrier same to Dassault Rafale M which has been served the French Air Force since back on 1998. French operate the Rafale M at their Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier run by nuke power.

BAE(British Aerospace) was in responsible to re-design the air superiority fighter jet to Indian aircraft carrier. Altough the Eurofighter itself were built by four nations such as : Germany, Italy, UK and Spain.

In result, the fighter jets will be quipped with 90 Kn of thrust vectoring gas nozzle and also catapult. The fighter jets will take off from ski jumped Indian aircraft carrier.Eurofighter Gmbh is also strengthening the aircraft structure in maintaining the plane from corrosion due to sea salt.

Indian aircraft carrier, INS Viraat is ussually carry 30 UK based Harrier jump jet on board. But up to now, only 10 Harriers can be operated with the others 20 out of service or crash during mission.

Indian said they will exile their INS Viraat sea aircraft carrier and replace with new Admiral Gorshkov sea aircraft carrier vessel(Ex-Russian built vessel). The vessel will be operate in within several years from now with sail name INS Vikramaditya. The vessel is now in Sevmash shipyard on Russia. INS Vikramaditya will be carrying new Russian MiG-29 K naval based fighter jets on board. The take off phase was also using ski-jump take-off with arrested landing (STOBAR) feature.

India navy bought 2 aircraft carrier vessel from Russia along with about 45 MiG-29 K fighter jets. India was also planning their new domestic design fighter jet, Tejas could operate within their both aircraft carriers.

So for Eurofighter Gmbh., this will be the first challenge in fulfill the asian market need for the next generation fighter jets. Malaysia and Japan are also on the potential customer list. Lets hail for the Eurofighter consortium in fighting on these markets surely with the reasonable price.

AUTHOR: Ricky
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