And here's more reason why the Typhoons are more attractive at this point and the more we see things develop, the more convinced I am that the EAF should just forgo France and pursue Italy with the help of the UK on the Typhoon because look at this count of all those that own the SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles which are essentially both the same. The SCALP is the French version of the cruise missile and the Storm Shadow is the British variant of the same exact missile.
Storm Shadow/SCALP EG
Egypt 50 ordered for the
Egyptian Air Force in 2015 as part of the
Dassault Rafale deal.
France 500 ordered for the
French Air Force in 1998. 50 MdCNs ordered in 2006 and a further 100 ordered in 2009 for the
French Navy. As of 2016, France will reduce its stocks down 100 missiles.
GreeceUnknown number ordered for the
Hellenic Air Force in 2000 and 2003.
Italy 200 ordered for the
Aeronautica Militare in 1999.
IndiaUnknown number ordered for the
Indian Air Force in 2016 as part of the
Dassault Rafale deal.
Qatar 140 ordered for the
Qatar Air Force in 2015.
Saudi Arabia 300+ ordered for the
Royal Saudi Air Force in 2006.
United Arab Emirates 600 ordered for the
United Arab Emirates Air Force in 1997. Known as
Black Shaheen.
United Kingdom 700-1000The Independent estimated the order for the
Royal Air Force to be in the range of 700-1000.
Now it's possible that since this was the first order and it accompanied a HUGE mega deal with the Mistrals and FREMM and all the Rafales etc. and so the EAF might not have wanted to spend a lot of money or couldn't afford more than 50 in that go-around and would order more the next time around. But something tells me that the 50 units is more a restriction imposed by France than an inability to pay for them. Saudi Arabia with 300+ units!? UAE with 600 and ToT to build the Shaheen?! A7a!
Hence, if the EAF chooses to purchase the Typhoon through Italy, I bet its chances of getting more Storm Shadows variants to go with those aircraft would be much higher but also the Meteor missile I bet the Italians would expedite them a lot quicker than the BS length of time it's taking France to deliver them. And even when and IF France does deliver the meteors, you can bet the count will be very low compared to India or any others whom are ordering it like Qatar also. Heck there's even talk that the Indian Meteors were delivered even before the first Rafale arrived in India LOL! Tell me something isn't fishy with that picture!?!?