ArmChairCivvy wrote: ↑08 Nov 2021, 04:50
...It is clear that there cannot be any guarantee of on the part of Germany as to its long-term participation to the successive upgrades that mark the life of a complex airborne or ground weapons system....
...echoes of Eurofighter; without it being mentioned (as the French themselves pulled the rug from under the original prgrm)?
You got a source for that opinion?
Germany upgrades it's kit systematically and consistently. Leopard is on what now? A7 I think. Their Boxer and Puma/Lynx programs are best in class and already being further developed.
Complete Eurofighter fleet is being equipped with Aesa radars and they initiated the EF quadriga program, i.e. Tranche 4.
What are the germans not upgrading is the real question?!
UK Aesa upgrade for EF? Apparently RnD is funded but no indication if or when the upgade might actually be installed.
Germany has now ordered about 200 Eurofighter. It's expected to order another ~50 in the near future as Tornado replacement.
That'll putt them at around 250 overall.
The UK? Aren't even planning to order replacements for Tranche 1 and are unlikely to buy anymore, substantially failing to reach it's initial commitment, an approach that is currently being repeated on F-35 where it seems unlikely the UK will fulfill much more than half it's original commitment.
Meanwhile the Challenger is just now getting full Hunter-killer function and infra-red optics. (Actually the Germans are providing it).
Ajax seems to be a complete failure. Warrior upgrade scrapped.
Plus a navy that will soon be wihtout AshM, frigates sporting half empty VLS... Is there even a perfunctory timeline for QE self-defence upgrades or Crowsnest?
This forum is hilarious