Showing posts with label Kfir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kfir. Show all posts

Friday, February 7, 2014

Would you buy a used warcraft from these men?

The British government let a 330 million pound ($546 million) contract to modify 25 helicopters.  The choppers, EH101 Merlins currently in service with the Royal Air Force, will be modified to serve at sea with the Royal Navy.  The modified choppers will be used by the Command Helicopter Force as assault choppers, troop carriers.  Modifications include a folding main rotor, a folding tail, beefed up landing gear, and a new avionics suite.  This comes out to $21.84 million dollars per chopper.
   Compare with a new Blackhawk ($6 to $14 million depending on which website you believe)
   Far away from Britain,  Israeli Aircraft Industries is offering used, refurbished, Kfir jet fighters for $20 million apiece.  The Kfir's were retired from Israeli Air Force service in the 1990's and stored in the Negev desert to keep them from rusting.  They have only a few hundred flying hours on them and IAI will tear them down, remanufacture and rewire them and equip them with up-to-date avionics.  Such a deal for fairly decent mach 2 fighter.
    Compare with a new F-35 which are going for $60 million apiece, give or take a few million for bargaining with wily salesmen.  I think the used Kfir fighters are a reasonable deal, but I fear Her Majesty's government has been taken to the cleaners on the chopper deal.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Would you buy a used jet fighter from this nation?

The Israelis are offering used, but refurbished, Kfir  fighters.  $20 million apiece.  Mach 2+,  Datalink compatible with NATO standards.  Phased array radar, missiles.  Guaranteed for 8000 more flying hours. Air to air refueling.   " The Kfir was designed to be a tough fighter jet. well-built and 'young in spirit'.  The Kfirs we are selecting for refurbishment logged only a few hundred flight hours , their structure is intact, without cracks or fatigue," says Yosef Melamed, general manager of Israeli Aircraft Industry's Lahav division. The aircraft were retired by the Israeli Air Force in the late 90's and stored in the Negev Desert, where it's dry and doesn't rain often.  The Israelis claim the refurbished Kfirs are as good as any other 4th generation fighter. 
   Compared to used F16's at $51 million, or used Tornados for even more, the price is right. 
   Owned by a little old lady and driven only on Sundays.
   Such a deal.