So what will be considered the first front-line warplane sold to post-Saddam Iraq?

[MadRat]

The post-war Iraqi government will eventually need to maintain their own borders. Post-Saddam Iraq has virtually no air force save for a few helicopter squadrons. I'm guessing that the U.S. will sell the Iraqi government its next batch of planes. Does anyone have any guesses as to what they will be? The requirements will be something that will not upset the current balance of power between Isreal and the rest of the arab countries around Iraq.

Things to keep in mind:

* Syria maintains MiG-25R's - need to be able to intercept these planes
* Iran maintains a small number of F-14's and F-4's
* some neighbors operate MiG-29's

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MadRat
The post-war Iraqi government will eventually need to maintain their own borders. Post-Saddam Iraq has virtually no air force save for a few helicopter squadrons. I'm guessing that the U.S. will sell the Iraqi government its next batch of planes. Does anyone have any guesses as to what they will be? The requirements will be something that will not upset the current balance of power between Isreal and the rest of the arab countries around Iraq.

Things to keep in mind:

* Syria maintains MiG-25R's - need to be able to intercept these planes
* Iran maintains a small number of F-14's and F-4's
* some neighbors operate MiG-29's

They still might go with migs as they are more durable than our aircraft.

IF they buy US aircraft, I would lay bets on f-16s

 

[Drift3r]

They will recieve crap planes to deal with crap Russian mig's and crappy old French made planes. They will not get anything that will put Israel in danger of being out-gunned.

 

[kaizersose]

start with the f-4's. tons of them around and lotsa spare parts at a barebones cost. plus we could 'take care of them' real easily if need be in a fight. nothing advanced for a while, we dont want them falling into the wrong hands.

 

[Dari]

Damn all that. Iraq should have the latest toys just like the saudis and Omanis do. Why the phuk should israel get special preference when she can hold her own against the best of the best? It would be incredibly stupid and foolish to insult the iraqis by treating them like babies and handing them "hand me down" warplanes. Hell, the Egyptians were receiving some of the most advance training on one of our most advanced warplanes. Unfortunately, their EgyptAir plane went down as they were returning home in 1999. It is widely believed that the Israelis had a hand in it.

 

[Odoacer]

I put my money on the F-16. The F/A-18 may be a possibility as it's been exported to a few countries I believe, but may be too expensive for Iraq right now.

The reason Saddam didn't have any (good) planes is because Iran stole them all during the first Gulf war. heheh

 

[tnitsuj]

The new Iraq will have no air force, and a light infantry only Army and Border guards. *according to the US

 

[sandorski]

JSF.

 

[Ldir]

Why does Iraq need more planes? Use the planes hidden in the desert. The neocons said they proved Iraq hid WMD's.

 

[mastertech01]

We sold Iran a number of F14 Tomcats, which were mysteriously disabled for combat after they ran us out of country, and have no service parts to keep them up in the air. Just because you buy from us doesnt mean you can fly them indefinitely without continued support.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: mastertech01
We sold Iran a number of F14 Tomcats, which were mysteriously disabled for combat after they ran us out of country, and have no service parts to keep them up in the air. Just because you buy from us doesnt mean you can fly them indefinitely without continued support.

Actually the Iranian F-14's are up and flying. They took them apart and reverse engineered a lot of the parts (I am going to assume a lot of the electronics are non-original). Thier was a big stir in the aviation community when they flew several squadrons of them during a national/revolution day celebration a while back. No one thought this was possible given the lack of scares. The Iranians have alse kept thier Cobra gunships and UH-1s flying via foriegn imports and reverse engineering.

 

[mastertech01]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: mastertech01
We sold Iran a number of F14 Tomcats, which were mysteriously disabled for combat after they ran us out of country, and have no service parts to keep them up in the air. Just because you buy from us doesnt mean you can fly them indefinitely without continued support.

Actually the Iranian F-14's are up and flying. They took them apart and reverse engineered a lot of the parts (I am going to assume a lot of the electronics are non-original). Thier was a big stir in the aviation community when they flew several squadrons of them during a national/revolution day celebration a while back. No one thought this was possible given the lack of scares. The Iranians have alse kept thier Cobra gunships and UH-1s flying via foriegn imports and reverse engineering.

Ah, well I was just going on a show I saw on History channel the other day.

 

[Bulk Beef]

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: mastertech01
We sold Iran a number of F14 Tomcats, which were mysteriously disabled for combat after they ran us out of country, and have no service parts to keep them up in the air. Just because you buy from us doesnt mean you can fly them indefinitely without continued support.

Actually the Iranian F-14's are up and flying. They took them apart and reverse engineered a lot of the parts (I am going to assume a lot of the electronics are non-original). Thier was a big stir in the aviation community when they flew several squadrons of them during a national/revolution day celebration a while back. No one thought this was possible given the lack of scares. The Iranians have alse kept thier Cobra gunships and UH-1s flying via foriegn imports and reverse engineering.

Ah, well I was just going on a show I saw on History channel the other day.

It's estimated that 10-20 of the 79 they started with are still flying. Apparently the Soviets helped them out a bit (with the reverse engineering that tnitsuj mentioned).

They also did not have the best track record during the Iran-Iraq War, and Iran decided that the F-14s were too valuable to risk in combat.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: Ldir
Why does Iraq need more planes? Use the planes hidden in the desert. The neocons said they proved Iraq hid WMD's.

People like you ruin the P&N forums.

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Tabb

Originally posted by: Ldir
Why does Iraq need more planes? Use the planes hidden in the desert. The neocons said they proved Iraq hid WMD's.

People like you ruin the P&N forums.

They did say that though.

 

[kylebisme]

exactly, which made it funny and a wecome treat in the p&n forums for me.

 

[Bowfinger]

Originally posted by: Tabb

Originally posted by: Ldir
Why does Iraq need more planes? Use the planes hidden in the desert. The neocons said they proved Iraq hid WMD's.

People like you ruin the P&N forums.

Lighten up. You neo-cons take yourselves too seriously. You need to learn to laugh at your foibles.

The rest of us do.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: sward666

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: mastertech01
We sold Iran a number of F14 Tomcats, which were mysteriously disabled for combat after they ran us out of country, and have no service parts to keep them up in the air. Just because you buy from us doesnt mean you can fly them indefinitely without continued support.

Actually the Iranian F-14's are up and flying. They took them apart and reverse engineered a lot of the parts (I am going to assume a lot of the electronics are non-original). Thier was a big stir in the aviation community when they flew several squadrons of them during a national/revolution day celebration a while back. No one thought this was possible given the lack of scares. The Iranians have alse kept thier Cobra gunships and UH-1s flying via foriegn imports and reverse engineering.

Ah, well I was just going on a show I saw on History channel the other day.

It's estimated that 10-20 of the 79 they started with are still flying. Apparently the Soviets helped them out a bit (with the reverse engineering that tnitsuj mentioned).

They also did not have the best track record during the Iran-Iraq War, and Iran decided that the F-14s were too valuable to risk in combat.

Thier is also a big difference between "flying" and combat ready. Iranian pilots are not very well trained by all accounts (typical of most 3rd world nations) and would not fare well against any reasonably competent enemy. A Saudi F-15 pilot managed to down two Iranian F-4's before they even knew he was there during the tanker wars.

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: Tabb

Originally posted by: Ldir
Why does Iraq need more planes? Use the planes hidden in the desert. The neocons said they proved Iraq hid WMD's.

People like you ruin the P&N forums.

And the people you support ruin America.

 

[Bigdude]

They will need no Air Force. The US Air Force will have bases there forever.

 

[wirelessenabled]

You don't have my choice listed ------ F22s.

The F22 program has a serious cost overrun problem. The quantities the military can purchase are being cut all the time. What better way to lower the cost per unit than to sell 50 or 150 or so to the Iraqis? We can pay for it out of their oil revenues

Oh I know that those revenues have already been pledged three times over. What difference does one more pledge make. Pledges are only for today's news. Nobody ever expects them to ever be honored.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Don't make the F-16A & F-16C anymore.
Get their own 'ID' designator = F-16i

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Don't make the F-16A & F-16C anymore.
Get their own 'ID' designator = F-16i

I threw some non-possible choices in there if you didn't notice.

 

[MadRat]

Originally posted by: sward666
It's estimated that 10-20 of the 79 they started with are still flying. Apparently the Soviets helped them out a bit (with the reverse engineering that tnitsuj mentioned).

They also did not have the best track record during the Iran-Iraq War, and Iran decided that the F-14s were too valuable to risk in combat.

The reverse engineering never took place. Isreal scientists and missile specialists changed out the bootstrap, fire control and fusing parts in their Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles to make them operational. They never did get the Pheonix missiles operational.

The main reason they backed off was because of the inability to re-equip their forces to make up for any losses. They also found their radar invaluable as AEW (airborne early warning) pickets to fill gaps in the defensive coverage. The F-4's were also irreplaceable, but Iran squandered a good number of them in long range bombing missions just to prove the point about capability. Neither side really showed they could do much of anything with thier inventories.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Well then, lets go with AWACS, J-STARS, SR-71's, and S-3B's.
Or should we stay with Spads, Fokkers, and Junkers ?