Xeric
RETIRED THINK TANK
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
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If you had read what i have written in my last line, things would have been better dear.Enigma.
For me a World class Air force is one that meets the following criteria.
1. Combat fleet 60% Mature 4th Generation Fighters
2. Extensive Use of BVR force multiplers like Awacs/ refullers
3. Serious Combat experiece less than a decade ago or a massive History of major world conflict like Germany Japan.
4. Serious plans to induct near 5th Generation ie Typhoon/Rafale class fighters or indeed one of the dosen or so receipents of JSF from 2015.
5. Regular exposure to the best training/excercises with the major players ie USA & Nato or Russia.
6. Major aero/space industrial base to maintain and improve on network centric warefare and to upgrade anmd maintain current/future fighter fleets without running to client states for every spare nut and bolt.
In this Regard the following are World class Air forces
USA
ussr
China
UK
France
Japan
Israel
Germany
Sweden
2nd Tier of near World class Air forces exist because they forfill 75% OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA.
Turkey
S Korea
Taiwan
Saudi
But South Asia not at this time
P.S. BTW, we are in contest with the IAF, not the other airforces