Hopefully they return to the UK this season, I'm sure they will for at least one event. Not all doom and gloom, there are 3 new F-16 operators in Europe with Romania, Slovakia & Bulgaria soon so maybe 1 or all of them might start up a demo eventually. They all used to demo their Soviet era jets after all. Less F-35s the better for me but I'd be surprised if none of the new operators did a demo in due course
Mmmmmm. Bulgaria who have attended two UK shows, ever (with transport types). Don't hold your breath. Slovakia haven't demo'd anything here for years, take deep breaths. Romania have provided their MiG21 display in the UK twice, and may be watching their borders a bit more closely for now. Not sure they will be filling the Western European void readily.
Wasn't necessarily expecting them to be regulars here, but Slovakia & Romania did used to get around Central Europe quite often so achievable to see if people really wanted to...I saw Slovakia's MiG-29 demo at at least 3 different events between 2014 & 2016. Fuel range was cited to me as a reason we rarely saw it here (by the pilot of the static example at Leeuwarden in '16). With all 3 having more modern, long-legged & NATO compatible equipment I don't think it's a stretch to think we may see more of them than we used to. Time will tell....
Pilot was obviously full of BS, as Slovakian MiG29 was a UK regular in display through the 1990s, regular trophy winners along with the Hungarians. They just got old and decrepit and they seemed less keen on showing them off further west. I can see Slovaks and Romanians pitching up static occasionally, Bulgarians have not got history.
It was the same pilot as flew the 2 seater to RIAT in 2012....where if you recall it ended up at Brize Norton due to....lack of fuel. I only spoke to him as they'd been confirmed for RIAT 2016 the day before....but he said to me then he was sceptical they'd be coming....they cancelled a few weeks later
Its only lack of fuel because something was rehearsing at the time so they had to divert. No different to F-16s, F-5s and others that have done the same.
You can't claim its lack of range to get somewhere you've attended multiple times before. MiG29s have attended Fairford from seven different nations, several further than Slovakia and in general they all fuel stop along the way. So its a nonsense claim as the reason for non attendance. Do you think the Aussie F-111 made it without stopping?
This Tweet suggests that one of the last JASDF Kawasaki C-1s has been flown to Hamamatsu for decommissioning before being preserved at the base’s “air park” (not sure if that means the on site public museum or a private static park as most JASDF bases have).
By my count, there are just two C-1s left in service; the silver test/development one at Gifu, and the special retirement one still at Iruma (the lumpy EC-1 is also still knocking about). All will be gone by the end of this financial year.
This Tweet suggests that one of the last JASDF Kawasaki C-1s has been flown to Hamamatsu for decommissioning before being preserved at the base’s “air park” (not sure if that means the on site public museum or a private static park as most JASDF bases have).
By my count, there are just two C-1s left in service; the silver test/development one at Gifu, and the special retirement one still at Iruma (the lumpy EC-1 is also still knocking about). All will be gone by the end of this financial year.
Judging by Japanese Twitter, the platypus-looking EC-1 also had its final operational flight today.
Remains to be seen if it’ll be flown out/preserved.
Interesting. That’s the first time I’ve seen a forecast figure. Circa, what, 115 each among the three partner nations?
Seems a bit low, especially by Japanese numbers. If the raf are to replace about 100 typhoons with (idk) 30 ish of these, seems a bit strange
I hadn’t realised the RAF planned to purchase so few? The amount of money that’ll have been put into this project surely they’ll buy a reasonable amount?
2025 shows:
RIAT
Cosford Air Show
Duxford Battle of Britain
Interesting. That’s the first time I’ve seen a forecast figure. Circa, what, 115 each among the three partner nations?
Seems a bit low, especially by Japanese numbers. If the raf are to replace about 100 typhoons with (idk) 30 ish of these, seems a bit strange
I hadn’t realised the RAF planned to purchase so few? The amount of money that’ll have been put into this project surely they’ll buy a reasonable amount?
Nah I misread the post lol. 115 each approx. I thought it was 115 to made
i tried so hard, and got so far... but in the end, it doesn't even matter...
I hadn’t realised the RAF planned to purchase so few? The amount of money that’ll have been put into this project surely they’ll buy a reasonable amount?
Nah I misread the post lol. 115 each approx. I thought it was 115 to made
I was going to say even by modern RAF standards that’s low
With all the talk recently about increasing the defence budget and growing the military I would expect them to possibly buy a few more than 115..?
Once these jets come into service (assuming they do and all goes well) how long will it be before the typhoons are retired?
2025 shows:
RIAT
Cosford Air Show
Duxford Battle of Britain
