"Bjørnar Bolsøy" wrote in message
...
Alan Minyard wrote in
:
On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 19:25:08 GMT, "Bjørnar Bolsøy"
wrote:

The Grippens are a gift. When something is completely "free"
it rather skews the "cost/benefit" equation. This was simply
a PR stunt on the part of the Swedes.

Al Minyard

On the other hand it shows that it is possible to produce
an advanced and effective weapons system at a manageble
cost. In the words of Colonel Per-Olof Eldh:

http://www.gripen.com/gripen_news/gr...ws_2001_01.pdf

"Compared to other fighter aircraft
currently in service, Gripen is a totally
superior product," he boasts. "It is a
perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication,
and by far the best handling aircraft
I have ever flown."

"While its flyaway price is comparable to that of a
new F-16 C/D, Gripen's operating cost of less than
US$2,500 / flying hour (including fuel and all levels
of maintenance) is unrivalled.


Regards...

This has no relevance, as the Gripens are completely free.

It's simply cost-effective.

And quoting company web sites is not a good way to
achieve credibility.

Al Minyard

It's a pilot with 3,500 hours in jets, and the
statement is nothing spectacular, it simply
emphasises the superiority of a 4ht generation
fighter compared to older designs.

If it is so superior to the latest F-16 Blocks, then why has it been
repeatedly outsold on the foreign market by what you apparently consider
some kind of "third generation" fighter? You are saying it costs the same,
offers OPTEMPO savings in comparison to the F-16's, and yet it has managed
to sell what, maybe a third the number of F-16's sold externally since the
JAS-39 entered into the fray?

Brooks



Regards...