Budget Air force

[tigercat]

Given that many countries armed forces are being forced to tighten their belts and that a large amount of the warfare that is occuring is not high tech cutting edge aircraft vs high tech cutting edge aircraft  or even fighter vs fighter but COIN and ground attack  if you needed to equip a force using cheaper aircraft , older models or converted civilian craft what models would you choose and what weaponry would you equip them with

[deathjester]

Given that many countries armed forces are being forced to tighten their belts and that a large amount of the warfare that is occuring is not high tech cutting edge aircraft vs high tech cutting edge aircraft  or even fighter vs fighter but COIN and ground attack  if you needed to equip a force using cheaper aircraft , older models or converted civilian craft what models would you choose and what weaponry would you equip them with

Bae Hawk.  Combine the Goshawk fuselage with the Hawk 200 nose, the Hawk 100 wing, and the reheated Adour engine to give you an agile, all weather, supersonic multirole fighter, that is also carrier capable!

[upnorth]

The Pilatus PC-9 and Embraer Tucano would certainly be strong contenders  for COIN work.

The L-39 Albatros or the Macchi MB.339 would be good alternatives to the Hawk.

[deathjester]

I suppose it depends on the scale of your budget - I feel that the Hawk has more capability and adaptability in it than other trainers, but if you can only afford 2nd hand Cessna 172's, then you just have to do the best you can!

[philp]

There is also the Budgie Air Force.



I'll get my coat.

[Radish]

Now then.....

there is a possibility of a Budgie flown aircraft appearing before too long

[GTX]

There is also the Budgie Air Force.

Are they allies or enemies of the Penguin Empire?

regards,

Greg

[tigercat]

or the Macaw Parrotmilitary

[NARSES2]

or the Macaw Parrotmilitary

On any cricket tour I've been on that would have attracted the biggest fine of the weekend 

[Taiidantomcat]

Anyone who works in aviation knows there is no such animal as a "budget air force"  ...maybe the RAF but thats only recently-- I will get my coat

Seriously though the above suggestions are good ones... Turning a civilian machine, built to do civilian work into a warplane brings up a lot of problems with weight/structure. Its not as easy as strapping a rocket pod on and wiring it up.

[rickshaw]

Procurement is invariably tailored to and justified by the threat that is perceived - both at the present and in the long term.

That is tempered by how money the government of the day is both willing and able to spend on defence matters.

Low threat perception invariably results in limited defence procurement.   High threat perception invariably results in a loosening of the purse string.

You could be like Qaddafi and have a "boutique" military where the actual threat was low, the perception of it was at a low-medium level for the most part but a great deal of money was squandered on equipment that for the most part sat in the desert doing nothing (primarily 'cause no one really knew how to use it).    That sort of thing resulted in T-55s being used in Chad while T-72s were paraded in Tripoli.

Each sort of environment you expect to operate bring their own needs as well.   A high-tech, Northern European Plain scenario where you're likely to be facing a high-tech foe means you need high-tech whereas a low-tech, Afghanistani COIN operation won't need the same level of sophistication to some degree.

If I was running a country, with a low threat problem, I'd tend to procure aircraft which could be used for multiple roles (ie armed trainer or light transport aircraft and helicopters) and which could help in developing the country.

If I was running a country, with a medium threat problem, I'd tend to procure more advanced versions of above, which tend to be more specialised but which can still have multiple uses, usually equipped with more advanced sensors.  To that would be added a core of advanced, highly specialised aircraft, such as fighters, etc.   Few in numbers but important as "force multiplers".

If I was running a country, with a high threat problem, then I'd tend to procure highly specialised aircraft - advanced fighters, strike aircraft, etc.  Again the emphasis would be on advanced sensors and other "force multiplyer" assets, such as small AEW&C or tanker aircraft.