Lankan Ranger
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Sri Lankas MRCA MIG-29 vs JF-17 vs F-16
SLAF expected to replace MIG-27 & Kfir with MIG-29 or JF-17 or F-16
Sri Lanka, having spent lavishly to win a two decade long civil war, is now looking to modernize its armed forces, especially the air force. The main prospects are MiG-29s and JF-17s, second hand F-16s are also a contender.
A decade ago, Sri Lanka received the first of eleven MiG-27 fighter-bombers. The MiGs were not only cheaper than the more capable, Israeli Kfirs they had also purchased, but the MiGs were cheaper to maintain and, because of their swing-wing design able to hit targets more accurately at low altitudes. The MiGs were also better at avoiding, or absorbing, enemy ground fire. That's what the MiG-27 was built for.
The 20 ton MiG-27 is a ground attack version of the MiG-23, The MiG-27 carries a 30mm cannon (with 300 shells), and up to four tons of bombs or missiles. Sri Lanka also had a dozen Israel Kfir fighter bombers. Israel stopped using the Kfir in the 1990s and was selling them off cheap. The Kfir is a 14 ton aircraft with two 30mm cannon (with 120 shells each), and can carry up to five tons of other weapons (at short range).
Sri Lanka has been using the Mig-27s and Kfirs to attack LTTE rebel base camps and artillery positions. The MiG-27s proved to be decisive weapons, given their ability to get down low, survive enemy fire, and accurately deliver bombs.
Sri Lanka got MiG-27s largely because they were so cheap (about $2 million each, versus $3 million for a Kfir). Ukraine had lots of old, Cold War era, MiG-27 fighter bombers. These were well worn aircraft, with only about a thousand flight hours left on them. But the Ukrainians were willing to sell them cheap, and, as a bonus, offer inexpensive refurbishment services, that would add 2-3,000 flight hours to the aircrafts life.
The first batch of seven MiG-27s (one was a trainer version) were bought between 2000-2003, for an average $1.72 million each. The aircraft performed well, even though two crashed and one was destroyed on the ground. In 2007, another four were purchased, for $2.5 million each.
Ukraine had inherited thousands of warplanes (including hundreds of MiG-27s) in 1991, when the Soviet Union was dissolved. The dissolution deal had military equipment belonging to whatever new country the stuff was in, when the Soviet Union broken into 15 new countries. Ukraine had no need for most of these, and there was not a big market for second hand Russian warplanes in the 1990s. But some of the better stuff was kept in decent shape, so Sri Lanka was able to get some proven combat aircraft at a fraction of what any alternatives (new or used) would cost.
The popularity of the MiG-29 is partly the result of Sri Lanka almost buying some of these aircraft three years ago. Back then, the government was negotiating the purchase of 12 MiG-29 jet fighters, for about $15 million each.
There is interest in the JF-17 because it is a co-production of Pakistan and China, two countries that were useful in selling weapons to the government during the civil war. The JF-17 is being offered for about $15 million.
While used F-16s can be had for less, the United States was less helpful to the government during the civil war, not wanting to get involved in a messy conflict.
Cannot post the link due to restrictions .
SLAF expected to replace MIG-27 & Kfir with MIG-29 or JF-17 or F-16
Sri Lanka, having spent lavishly to win a two decade long civil war, is now looking to modernize its armed forces, especially the air force. The main prospects are MiG-29s and JF-17s, second hand F-16s are also a contender.
A decade ago, Sri Lanka received the first of eleven MiG-27 fighter-bombers. The MiGs were not only cheaper than the more capable, Israeli Kfirs they had also purchased, but the MiGs were cheaper to maintain and, because of their swing-wing design able to hit targets more accurately at low altitudes. The MiGs were also better at avoiding, or absorbing, enemy ground fire. That's what the MiG-27 was built for.
The 20 ton MiG-27 is a ground attack version of the MiG-23, The MiG-27 carries a 30mm cannon (with 300 shells), and up to four tons of bombs or missiles. Sri Lanka also had a dozen Israel Kfir fighter bombers. Israel stopped using the Kfir in the 1990s and was selling them off cheap. The Kfir is a 14 ton aircraft with two 30mm cannon (with 120 shells each), and can carry up to five tons of other weapons (at short range).
Sri Lanka has been using the Mig-27s and Kfirs to attack LTTE rebel base camps and artillery positions. The MiG-27s proved to be decisive weapons, given their ability to get down low, survive enemy fire, and accurately deliver bombs.
Sri Lanka got MiG-27s largely because they were so cheap (about $2 million each, versus $3 million for a Kfir). Ukraine had lots of old, Cold War era, MiG-27 fighter bombers. These were well worn aircraft, with only about a thousand flight hours left on them. But the Ukrainians were willing to sell them cheap, and, as a bonus, offer inexpensive refurbishment services, that would add 2-3,000 flight hours to the aircrafts life.
The first batch of seven MiG-27s (one was a trainer version) were bought between 2000-2003, for an average $1.72 million each. The aircraft performed well, even though two crashed and one was destroyed on the ground. In 2007, another four were purchased, for $2.5 million each.
Ukraine had inherited thousands of warplanes (including hundreds of MiG-27s) in 1991, when the Soviet Union was dissolved. The dissolution deal had military equipment belonging to whatever new country the stuff was in, when the Soviet Union broken into 15 new countries. Ukraine had no need for most of these, and there was not a big market for second hand Russian warplanes in the 1990s. But some of the better stuff was kept in decent shape, so Sri Lanka was able to get some proven combat aircraft at a fraction of what any alternatives (new or used) would cost.
The popularity of the MiG-29 is partly the result of Sri Lanka almost buying some of these aircraft three years ago. Back then, the government was negotiating the purchase of 12 MiG-29 jet fighters, for about $15 million each.
There is interest in the JF-17 because it is a co-production of Pakistan and China, two countries that were useful in selling weapons to the government during the civil war. The JF-17 is being offered for about $15 million.
While used F-16s can be had for less, the United States was less helpful to the government during the civil war, not wanting to get involved in a messy conflict.
Cannot post the link due to restrictions .
