Yep, though that would be a side grade for the Viggen. Like going from Phantom to the Tornado.
Not really what Id call a “top tier” aircraft. Especially if the 12.7s I suspect to see get added. That would leave Sweden with another 11.7 for the foreseeable future
I am not sure why they would add the C first anyways, those “confirmations” aside
jokes on you it is only germany that suffers… italys F16 seems to have been AMRAAM capable
It would be but the T/W ratio would be 0.2 higher and close to 1:1 as well as smaller, better radar and overall maneuverability. As an 11.7 it would be much easier to use for grinding than something 37D.
F-16As with AMRAAM capability? What?
If we are getting MR-ARH in that update, do you think China will be getting a second platform for it alongside the J-8F/PL-12 ? After all, it 's bc of that combination that we were told this type of missile would be appearing all at once.
I reckon J-10A
Neither am I, Gripen A can also use the AIM-120, to me it makes 0 sense as the Gripen C can use Meteor and all Gripen A’s could be retrofitted into Gripen C. Realistically all it does is make them heavier because of the refuelling probe.
I suppose its entirely down to what is added alongside it. If they wanted something speicically at 12.7, then that would be needed
Gripen A would have been great if it only needed to be a 12
https://www.f-16.net/f-16_armament_article3.html
Knowing gajin that would be enough of a reasoning to add them to the F16
Historically, Italy 's F-16 ADF 's only operated w/ AMRAAM - they only have Sparrow ingame due to having the technical capability.
The optimal solution would be to add BVRAAMs as well as a competitive platform for every nation in the same update
I think it heavily depends on what the Soviets get. If the Soviets get the SU-27, J-11 is a given, they are essentially the same. If not in December China could still see the JF-17 which is pretty much an exact equivalent to something like the Gripen C which we have confirmed.
Reasonable options would be the J-8F with PL-12, JF-17, J-11 or the J-10.
China has a ridiculous amount of 4th gen’s they could easily see a new airframe for every major update for the next year.
Gripen A could be loadout buffed anywhere from 11.3-12.7. I suppose one advantage is that the Gripen A has a complicated relationship with LGB’s, technically it can carry them, but they never received targeting pods until they were converted to Gripen C. Maybe CAS functionality is why they chose the C model.
I think later they will have to somehow split the Gripen into Blocks which will be tricky because they never had blocks, so I imagine they will have to go back and add the gripen A as a 12.3 with AMRAAM, and then a Gripen C at a higher BR with Meteor.
realy not looking forward to the AMRAAM update, f4f ice gonna be such a pain against the gen 4 aircrafts, at least we have 1 final glory with the mig20 that is coming
If we ever see Meteor, Im guessing we’ll have Gripen Es by then
I’ll have to trust you on that then
It seems weird to me however. Shouldn’t they be Block 20 MLUs, like the taiwan ones then?
They were probably just meant as placeholders till Italy got Typhoon, probably didnt want to invest money into getting more modern F-16s
One of the main purposes of the ADF project was to convert older F-16 's into BVR-capable interceptors for the US-ANG 's home defence mission. It was from the stocks of those airframes that Italy replaced it 's non-AMRAAM capable Tornado ADV 's as a leased stopgap between the retirement of the F-104S ASA and the introduction of Eurofighter.
I refuse too believe that they wouldn’t add the J-11 at the same time they add the Russian flanker. They are essentially the same airframe so it would more or less be a copy paste job and would give china a competitive plane at the same time