*** Posted by Kim Nielsen ***
[History has shown though that we did make the right choise ;-)

I think F-16 was the "pilots choice" from the beginning!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Might bee! But:

I have been doing some road racing during the last ten years.
Due to the tight pupolation in Denmark is motorcircuits always a controversial subject and the overall posssibility is only two, more or less useable, circuits.
A possible way to compensate for this lack of training and competition-facilities is to involve the runways and like of the different airbases. But for very long have all danish airstrips been ment for deploying of the F 16's, and while F 16's are so wounerable to any little item (stone or bolt/nut is the same in that matter!) on the runway, due to the placing of the engine inlet, It is impossible to be aloud to use this alternative, wich for instanse is very popular in the F 16 less Germany!

Where I tend to with this tale, is the strategic mis-design of the F 16 in this matter! the problem in general, is well known of both sides of a conflict - we have all seen Iraqui airbases been clusterbombed to make them unusable - and I find it for a major handicap of the F 16, that it demands an newly broomed surface to take-off from.

Caused by the Swedes idea of "total defence", including layout of puplic streets to suit as alternative airstrips, and shelters blown out of the mountains hidden out in the woods, is one of the other contenders in "the veapon bargain of the century" the Saab Viggen much more useable while constructed to STOL take-off's from very rough airstrips (even plain ground!!).
Though I love the F 16, I think that the wars and conflicts in the time in between "the european weapon-trade", have shown that the Saab Viggen might have been the better trade!???

The last argumentation in this case is that the Russians also are focusing on the danger of being grounded by bad airstrips. The late MIG's and Sukhoi's are able to shut the engine inlets and take air from a kind of grill-opening on the upper surface of the wings during take-off!
Again - What use do You have of a perfect plane, if it's grounded for any reason!!?

Kim Nielsen