Vekkinho Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 We in Croatia have 2 MiG-21s and we always have a 24/7 alert with 2 MiG-21s (in turns of course). LOL!, you forgot CL-415s are there too! [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Kaktus29 Posted May 14, 2014 Posted May 14, 2014 reason why Swiss need Grippen or Belgium F-35 is obviously for political reasons, not defensive or strategic ones.. in case of major war this small-medium nations(belgium, netherlands, swiss, sweden) act like cannon fodder to the major force that would conduct the war against their enemy.. so Germany, Italy,France,UK, and most of all US would be in 1st category, the small nations are BOUND to spend money and buff up their militaries so US gets its worth out of them when war happens.. how foolish it is for this nations to surrender their sovereignty like that is another question for another thread.. p.s.: @scrim.. lol. Sweden wouldn't last a week if Russia attacked? nonsense, its disgraceful you make such nonsense, Sweden has top notch ground troops, difficult terrain, terrific anti-armor and anti-personnel weapons and determined nation and soldiers, even if US attacked there would be no chance of winning Sweden in 2 weeks let alone Russia.. such hysteria is what makes warmongering elites in Sweden cut from reality and quite isolated from most of the freedom sane humanity.. NATO in numbers is like 112, Russia is like 14.. and somehow NATO members have the right to be terrified by Russia while Russia has no rights to be afraid of NATO.. logic western style.. 1+1=giraffe..
PLP Posted May 14, 2014 Author Posted May 14, 2014 If there is something I don´t understand about the Swiss decision to purchase the Gripen is why it is intended to work alongside the Hornet? Isn´t it overkill in terms of maintaining and educating personel and equipment with two fighter systems capable of the same tasks, even the major airforces in Europe are (or are in the process) of operating just one multi-role fighter type. But I guess that Swiss don´t have to do just as everyone else does. But it just makes you wonder why! :) The Swedish media reports almost daily about all the negative sides opposing the deal. That the radio communication (?) in Gripen will be American made and therefore cannot be trusted in the wakes of the NSA-scandal according to the Gripen opposition in Switzerland. But both their current fighters are American made! Are the debate really this - excuse the expression - childish in Switzerland for the time being? This fighter-deal have been edged with that various sides are just throwing poop on each other it seems...in public media. But that leads to the question - how educated are the voters about the matter? Do the voters seem to have a pretty natural point of view, or does it seem to be angled in favor to which media or party that yells the most? I think there is in general here as elsewhere a huge underestimation of the voter's intelligence (remember in the last US elections how popular a speech by Bill Clinton - where he basically stated facts - was when everybody else on both sides were using a much more populist rhethoric), and the debate basically boils down to either Switzerland will be invaded if we don't buy them or they are useless pieces of crap we are buying for a non-existant threat. I think it is a great shame that there has not been an intelligent discussion about the couple last votations in general in most medias. The whole problem - in my personal opinion - stems from a huge mismanagement of the initial purchase by our defense minister, who basically tried to buy the Gripens behind the parliaments back. To your other point, I think that rotating two different fighter types isn't such a bad idea, since it makes us immune to the all-so-current gap bridging problems between two fighter generations when the older is at the end of its life and the newer is delayed. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
PLP Posted May 14, 2014 Author Posted May 14, 2014 reason why Swiss need Grippen or Belgium F-35 is obviously for political reasons, not defensive or strategic ones.. I respectfully disagree, I think we are one of the few countries not buying airplanes as political bargaining chips - purely politically, buying the french Rafale or European Eurofighter makes much more sense (no disrespect to Sweden meant, just a cold economico-political analysis.) [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]
Kaktus29 Posted May 16, 2014 Posted May 16, 2014 @plp ... usa doesn't care what Swiss buy as long as they buy, and buff up their armed forces.. being in the western block Swiss is not in danger of being invaded, but if Swiss don't buy weapons it would give a signal to US that Swiss doesn't play ball and ironically they WOULD be in danger (from financial problems-aka sanctions).. its politics ..not tactical, strategic reasons).. Weapons or NOT, If swiss is in cross-hairs of bigger nations like Germany, France it ceases to exist..same with Czech, slovenia, Slovakia, even Poland.. so to say Swiss need weapons to protect themselves is nonsense, they need them to REAFFIRM their allegiance to their camp.. if not, repercussions come..and they bite more than abrams..
Bimbac Posted May 23, 2014 Posted May 23, 2014 Weapons or NOT, If swiss is in cross-hairs of bigger nations like Germany, France it ceases to exist..same with Czech, slovenia, Slovakia, even Poland.. Let them try! :mad: Anyway, with only 12 Gripen C fighters, we are able to protect our airspace on 24/7 basis, while protecting Baltic allied countries (24/7) for 4 months per year as well (twice). So I assume that 32 Hornets would be OK. :thumbup:
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