messiach
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Well there was a definite sabotage attempt by internal saboteurs to derail turbine development. Even till last year with mohmand dam, the interest was to purchase OTC solution for HETs. Some houndfaces lit up. & I, as per usual gave a surruptous welcome to the hounds. Apart from IK, i dont think anyone would like to see me back.
The truth is always in the middle. I'm aware, first hand, of conceit/arrogance in some circles (e.g., we tend to make fun of the Turks for some reason, even though they by whatever means are moving ahead, while we haven't).
But I also know of situations where well-meaning PAF efforts were shut down by the US and/or India, e.g., the attempt to buy MBDA & Thales equipment for the JF-17.
Likewise, the M2K/-5 drama can't be reduced to avoiding corruption, I think the fact that Paris wouldn't extend a line-of-credit also played a huge role. There were even efforts for Airbus MRTTs from Europe that got shut down by external pressures on vendors. I think the 1-2 bad apples within seem a lot bigger than they are when you're up against a lot of external pressures.
That said, I do hope we adapt our SOWs for the JF-17. As we've said dozens of times already, if the Ra'ad/II can't fit on the JF-17, then we should figure out a way to make it fit, even if it means creating a new Ra'ad variant.