Fighter squadron for sale!
Date: 19 June 2008
The level of perceived threats varies from country to country and some cannot allocate defence budgets to the acquisition of the latest combat aircraft.
With this in mind, the Defence Materiel Disposal division of Armscor is here (the Eurosatory 2008 exhibition, Paris) to seek customers for Cheetah C fighters that are surplus to the requirements of the South African Air Force.
Deliveries of the Gripen fighter have led to the release of 21 Cheetah C aircraft, 11 of which are fully serviceable. It is envisaged that a customer would acquire all the surplus fighters and use some as a source for spares. The company's sales manager Thati Phalatse told the Eurosatory Daily that in addition to the aircraft, Armscor has 30mm DEFA cannon and ammunition for sale along with laser guided bombs, Darter beyond visual range missiles and various unguided iron bombs.
Operated by a single crew, the Cheetah C - a major upgrade of the Dassault Mirage III - has a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 and a 4,900ft/min rate of climb. Clearly this ‘one careful owner' aircraft is no slouch!
Source: Janes News Briefs
