BlackDragon98
Banned
The initial cost of a F-16 is at least $14 million in 1998.
you can buy 6 F-5s for every F-16
I think NZ would stick with the F-5
What if New Zealand acquired a fleet of fast jet combat air craft circa 2000
- Thread starter Blue cat
- Start date
you can buy 6 F-5s for every F-16
I think NZ would stick with the F-5
I think NZ buying F5's (of any description) would require more POD's and changes than buying the contemplated F16's.
BlackDragon98
Banned
Why?
The F-5 is cheaper and easier to maintain.
They are literally designed for countries like NZ.
Because (unless they were extensively upgraded perhaps as Singapore did ?? and I still have my doubts they would be as good as the A4 for strike missions but this is just speculation on my part) they won't provide the type of capability that I believe New Zealand had with their upgraded A4's,
That being said I am inclined to agree that an aircraft such as the F5 (preferably if they have already been refurbished and lightly upgraded) is likely an affordable option for a nation such as New Zealand to stay in the fast jet game and have at least a notional ability to fly certain types of missions. New Zealand apparently had greater aspirations.
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BlackDragon98
Banned
True, but one must always remember this:
Greater aspirations in the modern age are almost always downgraded into horrible compromises.
Examples:
Avro Arrow became a moldy old bunker.
Zumwalt class ends up with no main gun ammo.
The XM-25 was cancelled because of one little accident.
The examples are endless.
Riain
Banned
Here is the story.
Don't think of this as a 'normal' fighter acquisition project where there are other options like F5s. There aren't, it was either this unusual deal or nothing.
That said initially NZMoD and Government was on board, but that was because NZ hadn't bought fighter for almost 30 years so was ignorant of the true costs. When they started looking into it they found everything cost a million bucks: tech pubs a million, 5 user groups 1 million each, engine hush kits 1 million each etc etc etc. It was after this became apparent that the deal fell over.
BTW the F5 is no better than the A4K, which makes it worse in the real world.
NZDF F-16 Fighting Falcon
www.adf-serials.com
Don't think of this as a 'normal' fighter acquisition project where there are other options like F5s. There aren't, it was either this unusual deal or nothing.
That said initially NZMoD and Government was on board, but that was because NZ hadn't bought fighter for almost 30 years so was ignorant of the true costs. When they started looking into it they found everything cost a million bucks: tech pubs a million, 5 user groups 1 million each, engine hush kits 1 million each etc etc etc. It was after this became apparent that the deal fell over.
BTW the F5 is no better than the A4K, which makes it worse in the real world.
I suspect most F5's were likely quite a bit worse in terms of radar than the A4K.
I only ask because history shows that up here, the Irish Air Corps wishlist has always been vastly beyond what any Government or Finance department will ever let them have.
Errolwi
Monthly Donor
'At some point' being essentially immediately, may as well do it before bringing them into service. They had been sitting in storage for a while.
Pretty much I mean there's the Canterbury and the OPV project for the Navy and the Lav's for the Army...
It was in the mix as a potential A-4 replacement prior to the Kahu decision in 1983-84, but without a significant order from other customers it was never a serious prospect for the RNZAF.
Now being augmented by retired RAAF F/A-18+ airframes as that service introduces the F-35.
It was rejected by the RNZAF at the time of the initial A-4 purchase for that reason, and others.
I think he meant the Australian's are introducing the 35 so Canada is getting the older 18's from Australia while the Canada figures out what the hell they want...
No likely about it. Even the cancelled F-16's had a less capable radar than the APG-66(NZ) fitted to the Kahu Skyhawk.