Greetings from Croatia.
There was a lot of debate here about the fighter’s choice and a lot of of unverified report from red tape press.
Problem was in reality that our’s minister of defence initial plan to purchase modern (although second hand ) fighters had to be posponed by some years ‘cause economical crisis and more stringent military acquisition.
That left us with a capablity gap around year 2013, that was worstened by the loss of two jets last november during training .
Renting air coverage from other Nato countries, a solution that some of ours neightbours adopted was immediately refused for national dignity’s sake.
In meantime we received a lot of offers of short-time renting of very used aircraft as gap-filler: f-16, mirages and last one a ridicoulous (apparently) free-of- charge F-4F offer from Germany.
Also this proposed solution misses completely the point however.
It is about Time, stupid:
You can offer us also free of charge F-22s, we still would need about two years to train pilots and ground crews, let alone the need to build a dedicated line of support, but we need fighters NOW.
So, only possible choice will be to overhaul our mig-21f or the time being and wait until we can afford ourselves Gripens (as it is the only modern fighters than can be sobstitute Fishbeds in a quasi one -to-one basis, that is the sole real requisite ).
In exchange for my friendly gesture, I expect a real deal on one of those giant Russki Biplanes you fellows have lying about. Should make an excellent crop duster.
*NROR = Americanski for "No Reasonable Offer Refused."