Posted on 11/06/2018 8:40:46 AM PST by DFG
For 40 years, the Dassault Mirage F1 fighter jet saw action in combat zones in Africa and the Middle East as a staple of the French military. Now, more than 60 of the jets will find a home near Fort Worth where they’ll be taking on a new kind of mission as part of a multibillion-dollar opportunity for Alliance Airport’s newest tenant.
Airborne Tactical Advantage Co., also known as ATAC, broke ground last month on a 75,000-square-foot hangar due to open next summer that will house maintenance and pilot-training functions. Mechanics there recently showed off two refurbished jets, the first of 63 F1s purchased from the French government that will eventually make up the fleet.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
Can’t read it, don’t want to remove the add blocker.
Because our military can't afford to equip their own aggressor squadrons.
Same here. Not removing ad block anytime soon
Maybe they’re going to make better real life video fighter jet game ?
Whoever is in charge of ads there needs to have their head examined.
ATAC, a part of Textron’s Airborne Solutions division, has a two-decade history providing adversary air services for the U.S. military, supplying outsourced jets and civilian pilots to play the role of enemy fighters in live training drills against Navy or Air Force pilots.
ATAC acquired the F1 jets to bulk up its existing fleet of nearly 30 jets — made up of a mix of F-21 Kfir, MK-58 Hawker Hunter and L-39 Albatros aircraft — to better compete for the upcoming Air Force contract. At its max, ATAC has provided about 6,000 flight-hours in a given year; the Air Force is looking for up to 37,000 a year.
Why is this a big deal?
We’ve got to get these Dassault weapons off our streets!!
I always loved the lines of the Dassault Mirage F1. A very pretty aircraft to my eyes.
Aggressor squadrons are expensive and the inventory of “aggressor” aircraft in the US is getting too old to maintain. F-5s, A-4s, F/A-18A&B models etc. Just arent viable anymore. Plus using civilian pilots and maintainers for aggressors allows ACDU personnel to focus on training and maintaining our war fighting inventory.
LOL!!!
Well, they might have been able to buy and fly refurbished US jets but the government refuses to sell such things to ordinary Americans.
They WILL sell front line US mil jets to murderous scum like the Saudi Arabians.
Just not Americans.
So folks, remember: you paid for them, but you will never get to use them.
You’re just not foreign enough.
These private aggressor squadrons are simply targets for the U.S. pilots to practice locking up in their radars, and their real training benefit is suspect.
“Because our military can’t afford to equip their own aggressor squadrons.”
They could easily afford it. But they’d rather drop every dime into Lockheed’s pockets for more Joint Strike Failures.
” “aggressor” aircraft in the US is getting too old to maintain. F-5s, A-4s, F/A-18A&B models etc.”
These Mirage’s were mostly produced in the 70’s and early 80’s. They’re not that much younger than the F-5’s and A-4’s which were both produced up until 1979.
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