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To: sukhoi-30mki

Wow, good for the F16 people. A 40 year old concept is still making it happen.


7 posted on 12/14/2011 9:33:54 PM PST by lurk
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To: lurk
By far the best choice for Oman. The new block F-16 is still a capable fighter (goes to show what an amazing design the F-16, and F-15, are for them to still be able to keep up with modern designs from Europe), and considering the possible foes (or lack of) that Oman would be facing, and the fact that any engagement with a more capable foe (e.g. Iran) would most possibly include participation from the United States as well as the Emirates, there was really no need for Oman to purchase anything more capable than the F-16 (and the Eurofighter is far more capable than the F-16).

This was easily the most prudent choice - Oman gets a good fighter, continues to build close relations with the United States of America, adds to a similar purchase made (which means the training and support networks are already in place), and gets it at a cheap price (compared to what the Eurofighter would have cost they can get 2 or more Vipers for the cost of one Typhoon - and that is fly away price only ....add support and logistics for a new fighter as compared to what was already existing for the F-16, and the total price of the Typhoon would have been even higher). That is the best choice.

Now, for a country like (say) India that faces real opponents (Pakistan and China), such a luxury does not exist - which is why they are deciding between the Eurofighter and Rafale, and why the F-16 (a more advanced variant than the one Oman is getting) got dropped from the competition.

8 posted on 12/14/2011 9:53:43 PM PST by spetznaz (Nuclear-tipped Ballistic Missiles: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol)
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