Irish fighters

[Clark Griswold]

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/government-considering-purchase-of-military-jet-aircraft-1.4289801

So they are thinking, probably not gonna buy methinks but if they do decide to acquire Air Defense and Sovereignty capability and you were the decision maker, what air platform and air defense systems would you choose?

As Ireland is not a member of NATO, there is no reason (technical compatibility, treaty or politically) they could not buy from Russia, China, whoever...

JF-17 with Israeli or Italian avionics & weapons? 

[Prozac]

Gripen maybe (still in production?). Low cost, buying from another neutral country, keeps production in Europe, has some NATO commonality. 

[Clark Griswold]

That could be a possibility, Thunder beats it on price though but Gripen brings more capes and is from a fellow European neutral country.

This would be a good customer for a light fighter version of the T-7


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[di1630]

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/government-considering-purchase-of-military-jet-aircraft-1.4289801
JF-17 with Israeli or Italian avionics & weapons? 

I did an exercise with JF-17’s....I wish all our enemies would buy them.

Used F-16’s are the way to go. Proven jet, cheap, versatile.



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[Clark Griswold]

25 minutes ago, di1630 said:

I did an exercise with JF-17’s....I wish all our enemies would buy them.

Used F-16’s are the way to go. Proven jet, cheap, versatile.

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Ha - that bad?

That could work (second hand Vipers) or Mirages.  I think Vipers would be cheaper to operate with a larger market of spares (frames and parts) as the 35 comes online.

[Alpharatz]

Lease the capes from the Brits (and French?) as needed ...Like Once a year?  Incredible expense to guard airspace the size of Minnesota?

[Clark Griswold]

Yeah but there is something to a nation state with the means to having the capability to secure and control your territory in all domains even if the threat is low

National pride maybe or a reaction to Brexit?


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[Clark Griswold]

On 6/29/2020 at 9:38 PM, di1630 said:

I did an exercise with JF-17’s....I wish all our enemies would buy them.

Used F-16’s are the way to go. Proven jet, cheap, versatile.

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More on Irish fighters and how Air Defense / Interception works now between GB and Ireland:

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ireland-considering-purchase-of-jet-fighters/

Éire go Brách