On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 12:33:45 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr."
wrote:


"Paul J. Adam" wrote in message
...
In message , Alan Minyard
writes
Interesting comment, since the EU does not have "modern fighters"

Eurofighter? Rafale? Gripen?

How many of them are actually in service? Hmmm....

Several squadrons of Gripens, one squadron of Rafale IIRC(certainly
they have done a dpeloyment on CdG), and Typhoon is still some way
from squadron service. Otherwise for "modern" we have to rely on F-16
MLU which there are dozens of in Europe and oh look are roughly
equivalent to a Block 50 F-16C which is the most modern in the USAF.

Tornado GR.4? Harrier GR.9?

How many? Last I heard, both of those aircraft were on their way out in the
near future.

You heard wrong - GR.9 is to be replaced by F-35 sometime next decade
(first deliveries were to be in 2010, but that has slipped IIRC), and
Tornado will be around even longer before being replaced by FOAS.

They also have no organic strategic transport aircraft

We're assured that the A400M will be wonderful.

If they decide to buy and field more than three.

Current orders stand at 180 aircraft - IIRC that is slightly more than
3.

and
no usable attack helos.

Lynx AH.7? Tiger? Mangusta?

Hardly up to Apache standards.

But the Dutch have apaches (AH-64D no less), so I guess they're good
enough for your standards?

Any more sniping uninformed comments?

Peter Kemp