Talk about being more optimistic than the French are about the prospects of their own plane. Can't tell if it's post 8 pm optimism or 2022 optimism or both .
MMRCA 2.0 - Updates and Discussions
- Thread starter Picdelamirand-oil
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By and large, yes. With the exception that the USA prefer to sell F-16 to countries that haven't had yet a western aircraft, so for Slovakia for example it was the F-16 block 70 that was sold. France got Croatia (but that's only because the Americans got too greedy) and Greece (but they're dual-sourcing anyway, so they'll get some F-35 too eventually).
Unless something crazy happens like Ireland deciding to get a real air force, I don't see any new Rafale prospect in Europe.
Let's do a tally:
- Austria. Replaced Saab Draken with 15 Typhoon in 2005. Might want to replace them, but a very long shot.
- Belgium. Currently replacing F-16 with 34 F-35, after selecting them in 2018.
- Bulgaria. Currently replacing Soviet leftovers with 6 F-16V, after selecting them in 2019. More likely to be ordered later.
- Croatia. Currently replacing Yugoslav leftovers with 12 second-hand Rafale, after selecting them in 2021.
- Cyprus. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Czechia. Currently leasing 12 Gripen "legacy" from the Swedish air force. Also have 16 of their domestic L-159 ALCA. Expressed interest in F-35.
- Denmark. Currently replacing their F-16 with 27 F-35 after selecting them in 2012. JSF partner since 1997.
- Estonia. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Finland. Currently replacing their F/A-18 Hornet with 64 F-35 after selecting them in 2021.
- France. Currently replacing Mirage 2000 with a total of 180 Rafale across air force and navy aviation. A total of 225 is planned for the moment.
- Germany. Tornado and Eurofighter country. Will most likely order as many F-35 as they can get away with as soon as they can.
- Greece. Currently replacing its oldest Mirage 2000 with a total of 24 Rafale. More orders are quite likely, and they will also get the F-35.
- Hungary. Started in 2021 an upgrade of their Gripen C/D fleet to give them some of the features from the E/F, such as Meteor and Iris-T.
- Ireland. Small country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all. Airspace is actually monitored by the RAF.
- Italy. Tornado, Typhoon, and JSF partner. Currently replacing their Tornado with 75 F-35 A/B.
- Latvia. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Lithuania. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Luxembourg. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Malta. Tiny country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Netherlands. Currently replacing their F-16 with 38 F-35 after selecting it in 2013. JSF partner since 2002.
- Poland. Currently replacing soviet leftovers with 32 F-35 after ordering it in 2020. Also flying 48 F-16 C/D.
- Portugal. Has 25 F-16 in operation. Like other F-16 operators, will most probably replace them with F-35.
- Romania. Recently finished replacing most of their soviet leftovers with 17 second-hand F-16 from Portugal. Expressed interest in the F-35.
- Slovakia. Currently replacing soviet leftovers with 14 F-16V after ordering them in 2018.
- Slovenia. Small country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all. (Pilatus PC-9 don't count!)
- Spain. Typhoon partner. Needs the F-35B to replace the Harrier.
- Sweden. Home of the Gripen, nuff said.
- Iceland. Small country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all.
- Norway. JSF partner.
- United Kingdom. Tornado, Typhoon, and JSF partner.
- Switzerland. Selected the F-35 in 2021.
- Moldova. Small and poor and very corrupt country that does not operate fighter aircraft at all, sold off all its soviet leftovers for quick cash.
- Turkey. Are you kidding?
- Serbia. Unlikely prospect for political reasons (enmity towards Croatia, closely aligned with Russia).
- Albania. Buys Chinese aircraft nowadays.
- Rest of the Balkans: generally too small and poor and corrupt to afford fighter aircraft.
- Ukraine: not in any condition to buy combat aircraft
- Belarus, Russia: ahahah
Today Albanie hzs made an official ask to become a Nato membre.
I'm placing my bets on Austria, Hungary, Czechia and Romania.
Austria needs geniune multirole capabilties.
Hungary needs a high end jet.
Czechia and Romania may have expressed interest in the F-35, but they may not necessarily get it. The only Eastern European
All 4 countries are options for a Rafale vs F-35 tender, but I think the main competitors will still be the F-16 and Gripen.
Once Russia is done in Ukraine, all of Europe's defence budgets are gonna rise. Russia is also gonna seriously militarise.
And since Spain much more align with India behaviour (neutrality) than I could have thought before I say Spain.
IT would be a political revolution
I mean firstly that a flow of news are coming from the IAF on the MRFA and connex. That's new.
Secondly only Dassault (DRAL) and Suckoï have something existing now.
Yes, but the IAF explained they want a west bird, because already more than equipped with russian jets.
Actually IAF's top officers have been saying the same thing for the last few years, for some reason no one on the internet wants to believe them.
Oct 2021 - New air chief.
114 Fighter Aircraft To Be Procured Under Make In India: Air Force Chief
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Tuesday said the Indian Air Force (IAF) is taking forward the proposed procurement of 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) and that it would be carried out under the Make in India initiative.
www.ndtv.com
Oct 2020 - Old air chief.
IAF chief Bhadauria does not rule out procurement of more Rafale fighter jets
The Chief of Air Staff also said the government is concentrating on procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas (Mark 1A), 114 multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) and having upgraded versions of the LCA besides focusing on indigenous development of the ambitious advanced medium combat...
No clue why people are not believing air chiefs.
Not Sukhoi, but Mig. And Rafale's main competitor will be the Typhoon as usual.
Far too many. Today, the IAF is the weakest link.
Ironically, the IA has the most Russian equipment, but are the least dependent on Russia.
Otoh, the navy has the least Russian equipment, but are the most dependent on Russia, because of Vikramaditya and the SSBN program.