Slater

Are the Orion weapons transferable to the P-8's?

I really thought that Gripen would come out on top: https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/riat/2018/07/11/slovakia-selects-f-16-over-gripen-for-new-fighter/

I thought that Meteor was the future long(er) range missile? http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/united_kingdom_18-03.pdf

Wonder if New Zealand and Australia could pool their maintenance and support resources? https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/09/another-win-for-boeing-new-zealand-commits-to-the-p-8-with-16-billion-deal/

The latest iteration of this kit comes with the Orpheus recon pod. Was this pod widely used among F-104 operators?

The profile almost looks like a US Mk 82 or Mk 83.

Just think... a couple years later and the Nimitz would sail into a timestorm and emerge just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

Is this approximately similar to current USAF Gunship Grey?

Yes, Slovakia is cleared to purchase the aircraft should they choose to do so. Although I suppose Congress could always veto the sale if something unusual happened.

I think the A-10 would be well suited to another Vietnam-type environment.

Probably way too costly for fuel, maintenance, etc.

Text: WASHINGTON, Apr. 4, 2018 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Slovakia of F-16 Block 70/72 V configuration aircraft for an estimated cost of $2.91 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 3, 2018. The Slovak Republic has requested a possible sale of fourteen (14) F-16 Block 70/72 V configuration aircraft; up to sixteen (16) F-16 F110 General Electric or F100 Pratt & Whitney engines (MDE); fifteen (15) M61 A1 Vulcan 20mm Guns (MDE); sixteen (16) APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars (MDE); fourteen (14) Modular Mission Computers (MDE); fourteen (14) LINK-16 (MIDS-JTRS) secure communication systems (MDE); sixteen (16) LN260 EGI Embedded Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation Systems (EGI) (MDE); fourteen (14) Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (MDE); fourteen (14) Improved Programmable Display Generators (iPDGs) (MDE); thirty (30) AIM-120C7 air-to-air missiles, one hundred (100) AIM-9X air-to­ air missiles; twelve (12) AIM-9X Captive Air Training Missiles, two (2) AIM-120C7, twenty-four (24) AIM-9X additional guidance units; two hundred twenty-four (224) each Computer Control Groups and Airfoil Groups for GBU-12 Paveway II 5001b Guided Bomb Kits; twenty (20) Enhanced Computer Control Groups for Enhanced Paveway II (GBU-49); one hundred fifty (150) KMU-572F/B Guidance Kits for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) 5001b Guided Bomb (GBU-38); sixty (60) LAU-129 Guided – Missile Launchers; thirty-six (36) MK-82 or BLU-111 500 lb Inert Fill Bomb; four hundred (400) MK-82 or BLU-111 500 lb Bomb Bodies; four hundred (400) FMU-152 Joint Programmable Fuzes; and six (6) AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Pods. Also included are fourteen (14) Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II; fourteen (14) AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems; sixteen (16) AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites; sixteen (16) AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispensers; Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF), Secure Communications and Cryptographic Appliques; Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); ground training device (flight simulator); Electronic Combat International Security Assistance Program (ECISAP) support; software and support; facilities and construction support; spares and repair/replace parts; personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documentation; missile containers; DSU-38A/B Illuminated Target Detector (GBU-54); munition support and test equipment; aircraft and munition integration and test support; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $2.91 billion.

How likely is this request to actually happen? http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/slovakia_18-10_0.pdf

Presumably Storm Shadow doesn't use any US parts?