Balearic Islands (AU)

[alejandro]

I just tried be friendly

[indiajuliet]

Operational rotary wing assets of the Balearic Islands Defence Force, operated by RBAF and RBCG. All RBAF squadrons of Joint Helicopter Command (4 Group) are co-operation squadrons with either RBN or Army.



I've struggled to think of a decent Group and individual Squadron badges like I did for the RBAF Typhoon Squadrons so they may appear later when I get around to it.

[Rhade]

I think ( if this is a modern time "this day" asset ) you need to replace your Wildcats with Lynx AH.9. AW159 will enter service in 2014.

[Blackbuck]

Not AH.9s for the duties he has in mind. Super Lynx is a much more sensible choice. AH.7s and AH.9s are battlefield taxis and scouts... Considering your location Bell 212s or 412s could also be employed.

[indiajuliet]

Rhade, you make a very good point. Sorry if I didn't make it clear, but as with my organisation chart, I'm planning for around 2020. I would anticipate that the Lynx Wildcats were replacing older Lynxes, probably the AH9 for land based ops - thanks for spotting that though, I'll make it clearer next time!

Blackbuck, very true, I did consider them but thought they may be a bit too old by the 2020 timeframe. I don't know when the Italians plan to retire them as they're used by a number of their services, and what they are to be replaced with? Thanks for your advice as always, I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge of all things aircraft.

I think I may try to do a plan of aircraft currently operated or in the recent past, detailing the transition of retirement and procurement to reach the 2020 organisation. At least it should give me a chance to put the Tornado in RBAF markings, and maybe Jaguar! I don't think the budget of the Balearics would stretch to Harriers/Sea Harriers too, or that they would have a requirement for STOVL, unfortunately... Maybe just a drawing for fun

[Trojan]

Why Tornado? I get it comes from the mother country but does it really fit your requirements, wouldn't jaguars that are upgraded be enough? I could be completely wrong here though, it just seems a little much though especially considering its rather large and expensive yet not multi role and you would probably have to buy both versions adding to costs.

[Rhade]

Jags are not multi-role, I don't think that RBAF would need a dedicated ground-attack aircraft. They don't have a natural enemy, also Balearic air force is, for me, a defense forces. In other hand ... and this is just my opinion, Balearic Islands was probably never a rich country. That thing may change after 80' but before that RBAF would use some outdated, small numbers of planes ... maybe even not Brits jets, some F-106 or F-4's. You don't need a top grade super air force every time if you don't fight all the time like Yanks.

[eswube]

Balearic Islands was probably never a rich country. That thing may change after 80' but before that RBAF would use some outdated, small numbers of planes ... maybe even not Brits jets, some F-106 or F-4's. You don't need a top grade super air force every time if you don't fight all the time like Yanks.

I'm not sure if F-106 or F-4 are suitable for such small and "not so rich" country - they are expensive and relatively maintenance intensive (not mentioning that there is really no point in buying F-106 to use it outside SAGE system).
In the real world there would probably would be Hawker Hunters in use up to 1970s, then replaced by someting like Northrop F-5 or Dassault Mirage F1, and then in the 2000s Eurofighter Typhoon.
As for the Jaguar - it's indeed a ground attack plane, but I'd say that using it as general-purpose fighter in a country located like Balearic Islands isn't necessarily so weird. After all, Oman used Jaguars and New Zealand A-4 Skyhawks for air defence roles, so why not?

Btw. - personally I find the concept of small, 8 aircraft fighter squadrons slightly strange, but maybe that's just me.

[Blackbuck]

Rhade, you make a very good point. Sorry if I didn't make it clear, but as with my organisation chart, I'm planning for around 2020. I would anticipate that the Lynx Wildcats were replacing older Lynxes, probably the AH9 for land based ops - thanks for spotting that though, I'll make it clearer next time!

Blackbuck, very true, I did consider them but thought they may be a bit too old by the 2020 timeframe. I don't know when the Italians plan to retire them as they're used by a number of their services, and what they are to be replaced with? Thanks for your advice as always, I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge of all things aircraft.

I think I may try to do a plan of aircraft currently operated or in the recent past, detailing the transition of retirement and procurement to reach the 2020 organisation. At least it should give me a chance to put the Tornado in RBAF markings, and maybe Jaguar! I don't think the budget of the Balearics would stretch to Harriers/Sea Harriers too, or that they would have a requirement for STOVL, unfortunately... Maybe just a drawing for fun

I believe NH-90s will replace their rather diverse fleet of Bells that said, for the 2020 time frame Wildcats are perfectly appropriate.

Why Tornado? I get it comes from the mother country but does it really fit your requirements, wouldn't jaguars that are upgraded be enough? I could be completely wrong here though, it just seems a little much though especially considering its rather large and expensive yet not multi role and you would probably have to buy both versions adding to costs.

They are multi-role enough for his needs, especially if you look at the AU ones nighthunter and I came up with in the FD area of the boards.

Balearic Islands was probably never a rich country. That thing may change after 80' but before that RBAF would use some outdated, small numbers of planes ... maybe even not Brits jets, some F-106 or F-4's. You don't need a top grade super air force every time if you don't fight all the time like Yanks.

I'm not sure if F-106 or F-4 are suitable for such small and "not so rich" country - they are expensive and relatively maintenance intensive (not mentioning that there is really no point in buying F-106 to use it outside SAGE system).
In the real world there would probably would be Hawker Hunters in use up to 1970s, then replaced by someting like Northrop F-5 or Dassault Mirage F1, and then in the 2000s Eurofighter Typhoon.
As for the Jaguar - it's indeed a ground attack plane, but I'd say that using it as general-purpose fighter in a country located like Balearic Islands isn't necessarily so weird. After all, Oman used Jaguars and New Zealand A-4 Skyhawks for air defence roles, so why not?

Btw. - personally I find the concept of small, 8 aircraft fighter squadrons slightly strange, but maybe that's just me.

In the eighties you've got a multitude of types to pick from that are suitable aircraft but I'm definitely a fan of using Jaguars (especially the AU ones with radar etc), they're a little limited on load carrying capability (at least without the proposed big wing). F-4s aren't too far fetched but are as noted expensive to operate and somewhat complicated... If it were me I'd opt for the big wing Jaguar transitioning to the Typhoon from the mid 2000s onwards.

[Trojan]

Well Blakcbuck your and nighthunter's AU Tornado's are for sure multi role, so he could use those, but the real were ones weren't so much, though I guess he Doesn't need incredible air defense so the ground attack versions could suffice. Jaguars with radar which is what I meant when I said upgraded like the ones nighthunter and Blackbuck made would be multi role capable just to clarify Rhade sorry should have made it clearer and he could also go for AMX with a multi role radar, and Hawk 200 if he wants to go even cheeper, or F-20, theres a lot of options.