Balearic Islands (AU)

[swin_lad]

Actually by just adding pylons and intergrating new software the EF.3 would have made a brilliant multi-role a/c

[Thiel]

The F-16 would seem to fit your needs perfectly. It's cheap, capable, designed for maintainability and it has certainly withstood the test of time. The fact that you could get workshares in it is an extra bonus that you can use to sway the treasury, especially if you manage to become part of the original European consortium.

[Blackbuck]

Not to go off topic (too much) but the Super Tornado IDS / Tornado J is pretty much that but actually meant for it... The ADV airframe adapted for the IDS role. The EF.3 on the other hand would still have the recesses for Skyflash/AMRAAM in it's belly which might be unconducive to mounting pylons to (the remaining hard-points wouldn't really warrant the effort in the conversion either) . Going back to the Tornado-J, the extra airframe room and tankage would be wonderful to have. I'm not sure about mounting LAU-127s to the underside of the fuselage at least in quadruple. You may get away with two under fuselage mounted ones and 4 wing mounted. Bottom line, the Super Tornado would be an ideal strike aircraft for most places and would remain current until at least 2025 with the right upgrades and MLUs.

The F-16 early on has no real option for strike of sorts compared to other types around at the time.

[Thiel]

Considering how he's in all likelihood replacing Hunters it'll still be a major step up and of all the options it's likely to be the cheapest over all, especially when you include workshares (This was one of the main reasons why Denmark didn't choose it.)

[eswube]

If You want a post-Hunter/pre-Eurofighter multi-role combat plane, that isn't Jaguar and isn't too big, complicated and expensive, then I'd opt for Mirage F1 (esp. F1E). True, it's not too British, but You can't have everything.

As for F-16 - well, it has some merits, but I'd say it's so dull. I mean, there are so many countries using it...
(I admit it, I just don't like this plane )

[Thiel]

I mean, there are so many countries using it...

Gee, I wonder why that is.

[eswube]

I mean, there are so many countries using it...

Gee, I wonder why that is.

Gee, I wonder that too.
Maybe for the same reason why so many countries were using F-104 Starfighter? (hint, hint)
Many journalists and lawyers made careers because of those attempts to find out true reasons behind Starfighters popularity at one point...

(Yeah, that was provocative. But I wrote earlier, that F-16 indeed has it's merits, so I don't know what was Thiel's point about it, besides putting it out of context)

[Rhade]

In most cases ... because many countries want to be on good terms with US. Btw. F-16 is not a plane ... it is a PC with jet engine and wings + pilot optional.

No problem Trojan, indeed a mod of Jag can be a very capable plane. In that case I would say that he is a perfect choice for RBAF.

[denodon]

I would definately consider the mirage variants as well, either the f1 or the III, they're good multi role aircraft, reasonably affordable and with good performance. If you were looking at them the export Mirage 50 model could suit quite well.

If you're looking American, like others have said both the F-5 and the F-16 could fulfill the roles you are looking for to some degree. I personally prefer the F-5 and it's Trainer variant but each to his own.

[indiajuliet]

Thanks for all of your comments, and sorry for the slow reply. I certainly think that it would've been between the Jaguar and Mirage. I have to agree with you, eswube, I wouldn't choose the F-16 either, I'm not a big fan of American aircraft.

How about using an upgraded Jaguar as the main multi role aircraft, with the option to also utilise armed Hawk trainers if required? I'd love to be able to use a Tornado, and you are right about the Super/J, Blackbuck, it would be good but I think entry into service may have been too late and possibly too expensive, and thus the Jaguar may have been chosen out of necessity.

Does this sound feasible then: 4 squadrons, of 8 aircraft each, equipped with (AU) Jaguar FGR.2 and 1 OCU squadron of 8 aircraft with (AU) Jaguar T.3, maybe similar to the Jaguar FGR aircraft Nighthunter and Blackbuck drew for DC or would I need to use the proposed big wing variant in order to fulfil being a 'multi-role' aircraft?