ON CONTINUE A ... SE PRÉPARER
Après un destroyer de la classe ''Cutter'', un second qui est sur le point d'arriver et un troisième en commande, c'est maintenant sur le ciel que se porte l'attention des défenseurs philippins.
C'est donc le choix d'une douzaine de chasseurs F16 qui semble faire l'unanimité, aussi bien du côté philippin, que du côté américain, le pourvoyeur de ces matériels militaires.
Mais ce ne sera pas suffisant !
Il va falloir une couverture radar, aussi bien pour guider que pour protéger ces appareils, des moyens de défense anti-aérien, etc. L'escalade ?
De plus, on ne forme pas des pilotes de chasse dignes de ce nom en quelques semaines, c'est une race à part et les Philippins n'ont plus aucune filière de formation depuis de très nombreuses années. Un F16, c'est quelque peu différent d'un C172 ou même d'un bronco !
Ce qui est intéressant, c'est que Taïwan et l'Indonésie possèdent également des F16.
Le Sud-est Asiatique ... une chasse gardée pour la vente ... d'armes américaines ?
The Philippines wants to acquire F-16 fighter jets from the United States as part of stepped up efforts to defend the archipelago, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday.
The nation lagged behind in protecting its territory, del Rosario said, with air cover next on Manila's wish list after it bought a refurbished US Coast Guard vessel this year with plans to acquire two other similar vessels.
Chances were "high" that Manila would acquire the fighter planes, but del Rosario did not reveal further details.
China has caused disquiet in Washington and Asian capitals with its claim to all of the South China Sea, a region that encompasses vital shipping lanes and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and mineral reserves.
"We are upgrading the capacity of our armed forces for territorial defence. I think we are behind the curve" in terms of military capability in Asia, del Rosario told reporters.
The Philippines, which has one of the most poorly-equipped militaries in Asia, retired the last of its fighter jets in 2005.
Any jet deal would be for second-hand F-16s with Manila on the hook to pay for reconditioning, maintenance and pilot training, del Rosario said.
Last month, the US and Indonesia announced the planned transfer and upgrade of two dozen US F-16s to the Indonesian air force.
Filipino officials raised the potential jet deal during a visit last month by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who pledged a wide-ranging commitment to its former colony, from military to economic cooperation, and said Washington must address "new challenges" in the region.
The Philippine foreign minister on Wednesday also downplayed reports the US was planning to station navy ships in the country, which hosted two US military bases until 1992 when their government lease was not renewed.
"Essentially, we have not discussed anything regarding specifically the Philippines except for the assistance they are willing to provide in terms of improving our (military) capacity," he said.
The Philippines will seek a squadron of F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard ship from longtime ally Washington amid simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday that he and the country's defense chief will meet their U.S. counterparts in Washington next year to discuss the requests. The Philippines has turned to the U.S., a defense treaty ally, for warships and planes to patrol South China Sea areas it claims.
Del Rosario said the requests for 12 F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard cutter have already been relayed to American officials and their initial response was encouraging.
"We are getting good signals," Del Rosario told reporters.
The Philippines wants to build "a minimum credible defense posture and the U.S. has expressed their willingness to help us," del Rosario said.
Washington has provided a Coast Guard cutter and agreed to send another one next year to the Philippines, which is locked in territorial disputes with China and four other governments.
The Philippine military, one of Asia's weakest, only has about six aging fighter jets. It relaunched the first U.S. Coast Guard cutter it acquired from Washington as the local navy's biggest and most modern warship in an austere ceremony led by President Benigno Aquino III last week.
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
The Fighting Falcon is a fighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that makes it a highly nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and has 11 hardpoints for mounting weapons, and other mission equipment.[1] Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter.
In addition to active duty US Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations.
C'est donc le choix d'une douzaine de chasseurs F16 qui semble faire l'unanimité, aussi bien du côté philippin, que du côté américain, le pourvoyeur de ces matériels militaires.
Mais ce ne sera pas suffisant !
Il va falloir une couverture radar, aussi bien pour guider que pour protéger ces appareils, des moyens de défense anti-aérien, etc. L'escalade ?
Ce qui est intéressant, c'est que Taïwan et l'Indonésie possèdent également des F16.
Le Sud-est Asiatique ... une chasse gardée pour la vente ... d'armes américaines ?
The Philippines wants to acquire F-16 fighter jets from the United States as part of stepped up efforts to defend the archipelago, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday.
The nation lagged behind in protecting its territory, del Rosario said, with air cover next on Manila's wish list after it bought a refurbished US Coast Guard vessel this year with plans to acquire two other similar vessels.
Chances were "high" that Manila would acquire the fighter planes, but del Rosario did not reveal further details.
China has caused disquiet in Washington and Asian capitals with its claim to all of the South China Sea, a region that encompasses vital shipping lanes and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and mineral reserves.
"We are upgrading the capacity of our armed forces for territorial defence. I think we are behind the curve" in terms of military capability in Asia, del Rosario told reporters.
The Philippines, which has one of the most poorly-equipped militaries in Asia, retired the last of its fighter jets in 2005.
Any jet deal would be for second-hand F-16s with Manila on the hook to pay for reconditioning, maintenance and pilot training, del Rosario said.
Last month, the US and Indonesia announced the planned transfer and upgrade of two dozen US F-16s to the Indonesian air force.
The Philippine foreign minister on Wednesday also downplayed reports the US was planning to station navy ships in the country, which hosted two US military bases until 1992 when their government lease was not renewed.
"Essentially, we have not discussed anything regarding specifically the Philippines except for the assistance they are willing to provide in terms of improving our (military) capacity," he said.
The Philippines will seek a squadron of F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard ship from longtime ally Washington amid simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday that he and the country's defense chief will meet their U.S. counterparts in Washington next year to discuss the requests. The Philippines has turned to the U.S., a defense treaty ally, for warships and planes to patrol South China Sea areas it claims.
Del Rosario said the requests for 12 F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard cutter have already been relayed to American officials and their initial response was encouraging.
"We are getting good signals," Del Rosario told reporters.
Washington has provided a Coast Guard cutter and agreed to send another one next year to the Philippines, which is locked in territorial disputes with China and four other governments.
The Philippine military, one of Asia's weakest, only has about six aging fighter jets. It relaunched the first U.S. Coast Guard cutter it acquired from Washington as the local navy's biggest and most modern warship in an austere ceremony led by President Benigno Aquino III last week.
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
The Fighting Falcon is a fighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that makes it a highly nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and has 11 hardpoints for mounting weapons, and other mission equipment.[1] Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter.
In addition to active duty US Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations.
Avis, critiques et commentaires, sont comme d’habitude les bienvenus.
A tous et à toutes je vous souhaite le plus joyeux et merveilleux Noël qui soit.
Que sautent les bouchons et que le champagne pétille dans vos verres, que le chapon, l’oie ou la dinde rôtisse dans le four, que le foie gras grésille dans le poêlon, n’oublions pas les huîtres ou le saumon fumé, que la bûche soit d’une tendresse exquise …
Que sautent les bouchons et que le champagne pétille dans vos verres, que le chapon, l’oie ou la dinde rôtisse dans le four, que le foie gras grésille dans le poêlon, n’oublions pas les huîtres ou le saumon fumé, que la bûche soit d’une tendresse exquise …
Encore et encore, à tous, un merveilleux Noël !
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