Article

2011-07-12 Iraq

Iraq seeks to buy US-made F-16 fighter jets

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Posted by 2011-07-12 07:39|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 In my ignorance, this feels like ego and oil money burning holes in pockets to me. The little I know about the subject suggests that neither Iran nor Syria are capable of flying much in the way of fighter jets or anything else. Although I suppose having something pretty in Iraqi hangers would give Iran and Syria a good reason not to even try...

Posted by trailing wife 2011-07-12 10:19|| 2011-07-12 10:19|| Front Page Top

#2 1960's F-4s and Mig-23s still beat what Iraq currently has - nothing. 18 F-16s are a down payment to defend Iraq from air attack.

More interestingly, what will the US sell to frenemies when the F-16 goes out of production? Does the US really want them to have access to F-35 stealth technology? Even neo-caliphate wannabe Turkey should not be in the F-35 coalition.

Posted by Eohippus Phater7165 2011-07-12 11:49|| 2011-07-12 11:49|| Front Page Top

#3 This is good for our economy. Let them spend the oil money on F16s. Its not like they will ever be worth a damn in the air. remember, Air to air and ground support is 80% pilot skills.

Posted by 49 Pan 2011-07-12 13:11|| 2011-07-12 13:11|| Front Page Top

#4 Eohippus, I think Lockheed has a nice little business of export F-16 production for a decade yet. It'll take a while to fulfill all the orders in the pipeline, and the plane is a proven design (proven by the USAF and the IAF, the best provers on the planet). Not sure when the F-35 will finally make production but it too will eventually go to the export market.

Posted by Steve White 2011-07-12 15:12|| 2011-07-12 15:12|| Front Page Top

#5 Not worth a damn is still better than the neighbors.

I was under the impression that the US was training new pilots, had rotary aircraft and fixed wing training aircraft, and something which would be like the old Bronco?

Posted by swksvolFF 2011-07-12 17:02|| 2011-07-12 17:02|| Front Page Top

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