wtsimpson7
New Member
Yeah, I think F-16's are a pretty good choice for their air force.
thx , as someguy said that the f-16 is the cheap and Good option for us ,, but i hope we don't stick on we need Air Superiority ( eg : F-15E ) and some better Tech Jets ( eg : Typhoon , Raffale and maybe mig-35 or su-35 ) so in my opinion we mustn't but the Economic Problemo is getting it Bad as the Salaries Take 50 Billion a year that makes Iraq with 14 B for this Year and the PM refuses to put salaries DOWN .....Welcome Almaleki. Basrah is a very cool city.
There are economies of scale in maintaining and operating aircraft. Therefore, I think the IqAF (Iraqi Air Force) should stick with F16s and F16 derivative aircraft.
Unfortunately, I don't think the IqAF can afford more than 36 F16s at this time. I think the Iraqis should wait for oil prices to rise above $60 before ordering more combat supersonic jets.
What combat supersonic aircraft do you think Iraq should buy? I think the Iraqis should consider the F/A 50 instead of additional F16s. What do the rest of you think?
In tactical air support, how does the F/A 50 compare to the F 16? Would both aircraft have comparable fuel economy and annual operations costs? Would the only difference in life cycle costs between the two aircraft be in their one time acquisition costs? Does an F 16 cost about $300 million per unit in life cycle costs over 20 years ($60 million + $12 million per year in operations costs) versus about $260 million per unit for the F/A 50 ($40 + $11 million per year in operations costs)?
What combat supersonic light attack aircraft with some multifunction capability has the lowest life cycle operations/maintenance costs?
Now this might seem like a dumb question; but how do the operations/maintenance costs of F16s compare with the AT-6B light attack turboprop aircraft Iraq is buying? (How much cheaper is the AT-6B in fuel economy and operations costs?) What functions is an F16 better than an AT-6B at other than air superiority and ground air defense suppression?
Could Iraq make do with an air force filled with only 36 F16s and AT-6B aircraft?
Might AT-6Bs cost perhaps $172 million in life cycle costs over 20 years ($8 million a year in operations costs + $12 million one time acquisition costs)? Are these estimates in the right ball bark?
I notice motorized and infantry divisions. But there seems to be very little difference. Could you explain the rationale behind it to me by any chance?Some of my friends and I keep close track of the Iraqi military. One of them maintains a complete order of battle for the Iraqi military (including the Iraqi Air Force):
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/03/iraqi_security_force_26.php
http://www.longwarjournal.org/oob/index.php
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/03/coalition_cuts_comba.php
We would greatly appreciate your insights if you would visit.
Hardly. The best deterrence against any of the above is heavy American political support. 36 F-16's are a chew toy for the Saudis, or Turks. The UAE, Jordan, and Syria don't have the means to start a war of aggression. Only Iran might be a competitor on roughly the same level. And even then, only because most of what they fly is either outdated or obsolete.The purpose of the 36 F16s is to deter Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Is 36 F16s enough for that purpose?
You will find that military capability does not reside in platforms alone and that for every advance or platform, there is often a strategic counter. The key is to out think the aggressor, so as to enable you to out fight the aggressor. And I mean it at both strategic and tactical levels. Technology only gives you more choices, it does not make the choices for you. While advances in technology can be game changing, it does not remove the need for the player to plan, sense and respond.Is the best F16 type aircraft on the market the F-16 E block 60?
...What is the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for each F 16 type plane relative to each other?
The F-2 is not for export or sale. If you don't know that, you don't understand Japan.Or is it the Mitsubishi F-2? Could Iraq buy some Misubishi F-2? Japan might be willing to sell some to reduce the unit cost for development and to extend the production cycle of the plane?
(i) I will bet with you that an Iraqi block 60 F-16 operating on it's own can be easily neutralized by many other advanced F-16 operators operating older model F-16s. This is where training, doctrine and technology levers comes in. Both Turkey and Israel have air forces designed to gain air superiority in their immediate regional environment.anan said:(i) Akhoiya Almaleki, the F 16 is very good at air superiority. In fact it is so good, that Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, UAE and some other countries are nervous about America selling them to Iraq.
(ii) But Almaleki, make sure America sells you Iraqis the best version of the F16, the F-16E Block 60.
(iii) Use your powerful American lobby and Iraqi American community to push for it; and don't let the Israeli/Saudi lobby stop it. The F-16E Block 60 is in some ways better than any F 16 the US air force flies.
Please note that you do not speak for the rest of the world and there are many other factors to consider. I seriously doubt that you are an American, though you clearly have an anglo-education (that has failed you, in terms of an awareness of other perspectives ).I am American. But I want Iraq to have the most kick ass military the Arab world has ever seen in recorded history. And believe you me Akhi Almaleki, Iraq is well on its way to getting there. Iraq is the only Arab country to win a major war since 1918 when the arabs won there freedom from the Ottoman Turks.
I think a powerful and self reliant Iraq will smash all the Takfiri around the world by its mere existence. I think the world owes an enormous debt to the Iraqis that few of us realize. The Iraqis are fighting for the freedom of all of us (from Thailand to Russia to Afghanistan to Mumbai to the Pakistani Shia to Indonesia.)
I really like the BM-30 Smeresh ArtilaryAlmaleki, just a heads up: the Su-37 is a prototype of the Su-27M, with a thrust vectoring engine. It's not an actual production item, and will never see a production run. The Su-35BM is already superior, from what I can tell.
In general, a deal for Russian jets is unlikely unless it's for something really inexpensive such as second hand MiG-29s, with refurb. and modernization in Russia.