Croatia set to buy ex-Israeli F-16's

Boman · by **Boman** » 28 Mar 2018, 14:49

According to scramble.nl magazine, Croatia intend to buy ex-Israeli F-16's;

The Croatian National Defense Council said on 27 March 2018 that the Croation Minstry of Defense should accept Israel’s offer to supply its air force with surplus Israeli Air Force F-16s.

Last year, five countries - Greece, Israel, Sweden, South Korea and the United States - were asked to tender a new fighter in the Croation request to replace the eldery MiG-21 fleet of the Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana (HRZ i PZO, (Croatian Air Force).

It is now said that the Israeli offer for twelve F-16s, in a contract worth USD 500 million, is the best offer for the Croation MoD.

The recommendation of the Council must now be formally approved by the Government.

Not sure if these are F-16A/B's or surplus F-16C/D's, but would assume A/B's?

edpop · by **edpop** » 28 Mar 2018, 21:22

Here is an old article on what they will do with their Mig-21's.

http://airheadsfly.com/tag/croatian-air-force/

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 29 Mar 2018, 08:13

Surprising they would sell any of the D's???

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 29 Mar 2018, 08:14

I assume they would come with CFT's???

basher54321 · by **basher54321** » 29 Mar 2018, 08:48

Seen a mixture of things - the Croatian end seems to think 10 x F-16C and 2 x D Baraks which if so could make them Block 30 (Barak II was supposed to be Block 40). Only the F-16I (Block 52) could mount CFTs that I know of - although the Barak Ds Block 30s do have a dorsal spine.

Lieven · by **Lieven** » 29 Mar 2018, 09:12

Also see: Croatia finally settles on Israeli F-16 offer (F-16.net) :-)

xplax · by **xplax** » 29 Mar 2018, 13:16

As far as we know in Croatia, this is the deal, and today it is approved by out government.

Included in offering price ~ 480mil$ , and also asked in RFP(from press conference with Croatian MoD):

10+2 planes on Barak 2020 standard, block 30. 10 SS and 2 DS
USA aa and ag missiles
2 simulators
3 spare engines
BVR compatibility (probably AIM-120 and/or Derby/Derby-ER)
SLEP in cooperation with LM (3000 flight hours)
3 years of full support in Croatia (Israeli parts,tech and out techs training), and full maintenance support during use (15-25 years)
Training for our 6-8 pilots and 50 mechs in Israel
Infrastructure (hangar for all planes and lvl 1 + lvl 2 maintenance )
Free hands to buy any aa/ag missiles from Israel during usage period
Software support during usage period
Government to government deal, full guarantees

And some more stuff...

Planes are now on 4,800 flight hours, with coef. 1.6, meaning 7,680 hours. When they reach 8,000 they go on SLEP.
First 2 planes arriving 2020, 6 in 2021 and 4 in 2022.

We are jumping from 2nd gen ex-Soviet Mig-21 to 4th gen west F-16 Barak 2020 Block 30, so we need to build whole system.

Gripen C/D MS20 offer was without armament, without government to government deal, and without this long support and many other things. Price was around 1.2 billion$

USA offer for Block 70/72 was way too costly for us, around 1.6 billion$, without armament

Lieven · by **Lieven** » 30 Mar 2018, 12:09

Thank you xplax for sharing those details!

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 30 Mar 2018, 13:21

A big step up for Croatia.

airbarba · by **airbarba** » 30 Mar 2018, 14:28

XPLAX

"10+2 planes on Barak 2020 standard, block 30. 10 SS and 2 DS
USA aa and ag missiles
2 simulators
3 spare engines
BVR compatibility (probably AIM-120 and/or Derby/Derby-ER)
SLEP in cooperation with LM (3000 flight hours)
3 years of full support in Croatia (Israeli parts,tech and out techs training), and full maintenance support during use (15-25 years)
Training for our 6-8 pilots and 50 mechs in Israel
Infrastructure (hangar for all planes and lvl 1 + lvl 2 maintenance )
Free hands to buy any aa/ag missiles from Israel during usage period
Software support during usage period
Government to government deal, full guarantees"

Does it mean

no Israeli Avionics?
no Spice,Delilah,GBu 15 and JDAM programing
HMCS by ELBIT,Lithening TGP?

I was pleased to see that deal is done but without Israeli Avionics and all mentioned above,not so sure anymore as they will be nothig better than standard BLK30 C/Ds with more power and stronger landing gear?

xplax · by **xplax** » 30 Mar 2018, 16:13

@airbaba

They are and will stay on Barak 2020 standard.

-no Israeli Avionics?
Stays same as current Barak 2020.
-no Spice,Delilah,GBu 15 and JDAM programing
For a/g armament, what we buy, that we get.
-HMCS by ELBIT,Lithening TGP?
Stays same as current Barak 2020.

Boman · by **Boman** » 01 Apr 2018, 13:26

Will be interesting to see what color scheme will be chosen?

juretrn · by **juretrn** » 01 Apr 2018, 13:31

Boman wrote:Will be interesting to see what color scheme will be chosen?

Low chance:

High chance:

Boman · by **Boman** » 02 Apr 2018, 10:15

My thoughts exactly @juretrn - will be nice to see a Viper with black antiglare panel in front of the cockpit

airbarba · by **airbarba** » 02 Apr 2018, 12:18

Most likely NATO grey as by Mig 21 bis.

Here is edited fiction skin from Falcon BMS sim.