Saw your post as I was ready to post on something different that surprised me which will follow...based on the info I provided concerning the Thai acquisition of the GRIPEN, about one year.
See Page #3 Post #21 Item A3. this thread from last years Patch Post input.
Now for the surprise...we'll need to extend the service life of the German F-4 by 13 years as it stands right now. Current end game time is 2000. Before my time, here's a couple of refs. We cannot just increase end time unless it's done as a stop gap. The F-4 in Germany has undergone several upgrades since that need proper evaluation that the Patch Post provides or someone else's version thereof. Right now I have already plenty to support Dec. 2013 or 2014 as the best end date. Here's what got the ball rolling on this, because I thought they went away myself a handful of years ago from the LUFTWAFFE. The last ref is one of the most famous units in the LUFTWAFFE and the CO said for this article 2014, they are the last SDQ. to have and are a little plane heavy. As a side note 20 F-4 have been offered to CROTIA for free to replace their older MiG-21 fighters.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/31107/
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123009465
http://www.touchdown-aviation.com/re...richthofen.php
http://www.touchdown-aviation.com/re...richthofen.php
The pictures are great and I like the idea if possible to at least offer country prototypical photos of equipment where practical and without causing undue stress.
Have to get dinner going, I'm just a multi talented guy and CINCLANTHOME can use the break.
Regards,
Pat