PLODERI SLAVONSKIH POLJA

BUSINESS WORLD CULTURE VIDEO POLICY Above: Dassault Rafale, F-16 Block 70; Below: JAS 39 Gripen, F-16 Barak GLOBE EXPERTISE Battle for the Croatian sky: We have analyzed offers for planes, there is no doubt which is the most powerful Croatia chooses between French Rafale, American F-16 block 70, Israeli F-16 Barak and Swedish Gripen C / D By: Jan IvanjekPosted: September 24, 2020 3:26 pm Croatia has restarted the process of procuring new multi-role fighter jets, accepting bids from four countries on 9 September. The US offered the new F-16 Block 70, Sweden reportedly offered the new Gripen C / D, then the Israeli F-16 Barak was offered in a new configuration, and a significant novelty was France which offered used but extraordinary Rafale F3R fighter jets. After sending the request for bids, constant communication and meetings were held with the bidders, which is a standard procedure, in order to ensure Croatian needs. Bids for a total of 12 aircraft will be evaluated by the Interdepartmental Government Commission by the end of the year, when selection recommendations should be made. Due to the approaching end of the life of existing MiGs, the current procurement procedure is the last chance to save the fighter component of the Croatian Air Force and control and sovereignty over the Croatian sky, which is defined in the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. Currently, 21 MiGs are operational 21, and their resources expire in 2023 and 2024, which should be the deadline not only for the delivery of at least the first new aircraft but also for achieving the initial operational capabilities, ie the combat duo on duty to maintain continuity. airspace protection. The retention of fighter aircraft is critical for Croatia, as surveillance of its own skies also brings concrete revenues through fees paid by airlines for flying through national airspace, and the possibility of Croatia offering airspace protection services was mentioned during the last procurement procedure. neighbors who do not have fighter aircraft, which would also have significant political benefits. But air policing is actually the simplest task an air force performs. Tactical-technical study The needs are assumed to be clearly defined in the Tactical-Technical Study, the basic document for defining the needs around new fighter jets. According to her, Croatia is looking for a real combat aviation with a full range of combat capabilities. This includes air-to-air tasks, ie against air targets, at long distances, out of visual range, as well as at short distances, ie in maneuvering air combat. The ability to act on land and sea targets, reconnaissance, providing close air support, and even strategic strikes deep behind enemy lines are required. And all this in all weather conditions, day and night. A good example of the range of ambition is the need for the selected aircraft to have the ability to carry even long-range cruise missiles. The number of aircraft is equally defined, ie 10 single-seater and two two-seater. This ensures the ability to perform tasks smoothly, train new pilots and train existing ones. The operability of any aircraft is not 100%, because regular maintenance should always be carried out on a part of the fleet. So, out of 12 planes, 7-8 are available. The tasks of the combat duo on duty require three planes, two on duty and one in reserve, which are armed and no other activities can be carried out with them. Procurement goes exclusively in a state-to-state arrangement, and a total package is purchased: the aircraft itself, staff training, infrastructure adjustment, spare parts, logistics, multi-year support, simulator and everything else needed to build a new multi-role fighter system. It should be emphasized that this is not a classic public procurement procedure, because Article 41 of the Public Procurement Act, and in accordance with EU regulations, does not apply the Public Procurement Act. An important component in the selection will be industrial and economic cooperation, but also the strategic positioning and importance of bidders. American offer The American offer refers to 12 new F-16 Block 70 fighter planes, the most advanced versions in the fights of the "sixteen" proven countless times. The various versions of the F-16 have more than 40 years of combat experience, more than 4,600 have been produced in various versions, and will remain in the service of the U.S. Air Force until at least 2048. The Block 70 shares the base kite with earlier versions, but most of its avionics and system derivatives are from technologies developed for the F-35, a fifth-generation fighter. The Block 70 can thus be considered a 4.5 generation fighter aircraft, which gives it a significant advantage, and is powered by a single 131-kiloton F110-GE-129 engine with additional combustion. It has the capabilities of sensor fusion, ie the pilot displays the combined data from its own sensors in the most useful way, but also from the sensors of all other platforms that are connected to Block 70 via the Link-16 data connection. This gives the pilot exceptional information superiority over opponents, because he can monitor the positions of his and enemy planes, air defense, sensors, and other targets in real time. An extremely important feature is the APG-83 SABR radar actively electronically scanned grille, or AESA. Unlike mechanical radars, AESA radar directs its beam electronically, without moving parts. This means it can scan the scope of its scope almost instantly, and is much more reliable and easier to maintain. The pilot has a display on the JHMCS II helmet, which shows him all the basic parameters of the aircraft, but also allows the direction of weapons, such as infrared missiles AIM-9X Sidewinder, which can be launched and aimed directly behind the launch aircraft. The latest F-16 also has radar-guided missiles AIM-120D AMRAAM, and a wide range of precision-guided weapons. It can also use JASSM-ER cruise missiles with a range of more than 1000 kilometers. With a total payload of 7700 kg, the F-16 can distribute its cargo to 11 suspension points, two of which are for target containers and the rest for weapons and drop-down fuel tanks. Block 70 can take very deadly combinations into combat. For example, 8 AMRAAM missiles and two Sidewinders for air-to-air and 6 more bombs of 227 kg or two of 900 kg. Although extremely expensive, with a total package price of around $ 1.8 billion, which corresponds to the prices paid by Slovakia and Bulgaria for these aircraft, the F-16 Block 70 is the second deadliest aircraft on offer after Rafale, and provided would absolute air superiority in the Croatian neighborhood. It also has an extremely long lifespan, 12,000 flight hours. Since it is nowhere in service yet, there is no exploitation data, but based on U.S. F-16s, an hour of Block 70 crash would be about $ 20,000