Israel finishing deal for V22 Osprey plus KC35

[Abingdonboy]

Nope, only the IN is thinking of it's purchase to operate from it's future ACs.

I don't think the no. will be huge IF India goes for it.

I've heard the IAF is interested in the V-22 also for SAR and Spec Ops duties, the former being the more pressing.

 

[sancho]

U.A.E AF 26 F-16 [if these are BLK 60] means Rafale negotiations has finally stalled.

No, they are additional once and have no relations to the M2Ks, the Rafales on the other side are meant to replace the M2Ks in a buy back deal.

Israel will be the first ever foreign buyer of osprey....
This time at Farnborough i had a chat with V-22 manufacturer's representative and asked him why no foreign country is using this plane.He blamed the stringent arms export regime the US government imposes on the country's arms manufacturers..
He said Libyan air chief had visited their stall and showed interest but he knew they wont get permission to export the plane to Libya,and that leaves them with a very narrow market as every other country is in the US embargo list for one reason or another.

Obviously they don't sell it to any country, but the main problem remains costs. For a VTOL aircraft it's highly expensive to procure and operate, which doesn't make it useful for any country.

 

[Safriz]

No, they are additional once and have no relations to the M2Ks, the Rafales on the other side are meant to replace the M2Ks in a buy back deal.



Obviously they don't sell it to any country, but the main problem remains costs. For a VTOL aircraft it's highly expensive to procure and operate, which doesn't make it useful for any country.

This one is a bit unique i would say...The engine is a 13 stage rolls Royce (and i was surprised to see 13 stages on an engine of such small size until i realized it was a turbo shaft) which isnt too difficult to maintain..
The main trouble may come with the hydraulics which change engine direction for VTOL and levelled flight.

But the flyaway cost may be the problem..its a bit too much

 

[Luftwaffe]

No, they are additional once and have no relations to the M2Ks, the Rafales on the other side are meant to replace the M2Ks in a buy back deal.

There is no deal in place for Rafale so far, U.A.E rejected current Engine and some systems, French want money for the development U.A.E refused plainly. Actually U.A.E were looking to buy either more F-16 Block 60 for the replacement of M2K or some other platform preferably French Rafale or FA/18-E/F but there were many disagreement and French were looking for more money to fund the program for development of further variant, logical choice.

 

[sancho]

There is no deal in place for Rafale so far, U.A.E rejected current Engine and some systems, French want money for the development U.A.E refused plainly. Actually U.A.E were looking to buy either more F-16 Block 60 for the replacement of M2K or some other platform preferably French Rafale or FA/18-E/F but there were many disagreement and French were looking for more money to fund the program for development of further variant, logical choice.

Not really, since the M2Ks don't need any replacements. The oldest were just upgraded to 2000-9 level a few years back, that's why the F16s has no relation to them. The only reason why the UAE think about a new fighter, is because France offered a buy back option for the Mirage (France either buys them, or finds another country that would buy them), which no other country or manufacturer can and why there is no real competition there. UAE only evaluated the Rafale and negotiations are also hold only with the French, while other foreign manufacturers still propose the UAE their fighters separately.
The technical negotiations btw are cleared long ago and the UAE accepted the current engine even after the Libyan conflict. The main issue now is still costs and more importantly some side benefits they want from France (additional landing rights for their Airlines). So they are just milking the French for more benefits!
The UAE is more than happy with the M2K-9 and has no real need to replace them anytime soon, imo the EF would be the better fighter for them alongside the Block 60, but this is a political deal and sooner or later they will go for Rafale, or simply keep the Mirage.

 

[shivgan3]

Interesting Post!

 

[Archdemon]

By preferring USA radars and missiles Israeli MoD destroying local industry, incomprehensible stupidity