Steven Den Beste says that, while the Saud clan isn’t happy with our impending war against Saddam, there’s not much they can do. About all they can spare is their Air Force.
Steven, they can’t even spare that.
The Saudi’s best plane in the F-15S. That’s the Saudi-derivative of our F-15, and it’s not as capable as our more modern F-15C/D/Es. Also, they only own 72 of the things. I might add that even in a big push, using every spare part on the shelves, an expert in Saudi F-15S maintenance says they could only get 50-60% of them in the air at any one time. And how many would make it home, with US opposition?
Assuming, of course, the pilots and ground crews actually show up -- something that’s hardly a given. What’s more, their training isn’t nearly up to US standards.
Come war, the Saudis will sit tight, tremble, and hope the National Guard (the Saudi clan’s private tribal-based Army, as opposed to the regular national Army) can put down any insurrection before the scotch runs out.
last I checked, the saudis have no air-to-air tankers of their own. They can have the latest and greatest of whatever aircraft they wish, but they arent going anywhere for very far, or for very long.
Im only concerned about mines and silkworm missles. and whatever fiber optic comm nets that the Chinese subcontractors have been able to get established in Iraq during the past 10 years.
hey- hows those 747 airborne laser tests going?
Er. But wouldn't the tribal-based national guard *be* the insurrection, to be put down by the national army?
Ah, well, they'll always have Switzerland.
