Future Air Corps Jet ?

[Silver]

Any chance we will see this sight in our skies in the forseeable future ?

(From Franks site)

[Come-quickly]

No...

[FMolloy]

Not sure I like the orange nose, looks a bit 'comic relief'.

[Thorpe]

I dont Know about the orange nose. Ill get back to you on that, but for the rest of the picture of it in Aer Corps colours. I have to say I like it. Its better than having nothing in the air to defend our country. If only i was true.

[Goldie fish]

Put that pointy thing away before you put somebodys eye out with it.

Seriously,I see no advantage having either the L39 139 or L159 instead of the Pilatus. The Turboprop engine is a jet so officially we have jet trainers! Other than that the only jet interceptors should be purpose built for that task,not a compromise of many roles..But we will never be able to afford that luxory in the current Economic Climate. When it comes to pure military aircraft,we have always been a generation behind..indeed the Fouga in its original form predated the Vampire it replaced..They were a step backwards which will never be regained.

We should concentrate on actual requirments...not what ifs..admirable an aspertion as it may be.

[Rooster]

Possibly the BAe Hawk? If Zimbabwe can afford them then why not Ireland, it would easily fulfil all possible roles and has the required performance.

[Bravo20]

"If Zimbabwe can afford them then why not Ireland"

Zimbabwe isn't really burdoned by inconsequential expenses such as social welfare, education, medical services......you know those things that make life that bit bareable.

Also I would take with a pinch of salt the opinion of country whose solution to a severe drought problem is to prohibit the publication of all weather forecasts without first obtaining government approval.

[paul g]

Those hawks were donated by the British at the time of Lancaster House in the Early 1980's at a time when Zimbabwe's air force was in reality the Rhodesian air force. Some were blown up around 1982, allegedly by South African commando's, and a lot of the white pilots were purged, intrestingly enough half them were Irish citizens.

[Silver]

Irish citizens in Zimbabwe Air Force ?

Tell us more, paul g.......

[paul g]

Well they were more Rhodesian then Zimbabwean, after the commando raid in 1982, Mugage arrested and tortured the top six officers in the Zimbabwe air force; three of them had irish passports. Could have been the Granny rule since only Israel and Greece had ever allowed anybody to travel on the Rhodesian passport, and only an idiot would turn in a European passport for a Zimbabwean one, but one of the officers was the brother of the protestant Bishop of limerick, so presume he was from the Republic. They were put on trial and acquited, but still expelled, cause celebre in white south africa, since it marked the beginning of the first big exodus of whites out of Zimbabwe.

[Gunner Al]

other options??????????

other options??????????

[EagleEye]

Just wondering if the new Aer Corp aircraft the pliatus has ejection seats. Not to well informed on the aircraft specs.

[Silver]

Yes, the Pilatus PC-9M turboprop has ejection seats.
It will be the first Air Corps aircraft since the Vampire jets (retired 1975) to have ejection seats.

It also has a Head-Up Display screen (HUD), as fitted to all modern combat aircraft.

[EagleEye]

will the pilots have to undergo special training in the use of these saet. And how is it done. In a simulator or something

[Gunner Al]

Or what about this??

WE WISH!!!!!!!! :D :D :D