Saab JAS39P Grifo & Mirage 2000BP

[ValAstur 1,294]

According to EESP (European Economic Stability Protocol) signed in the middle of 2012 in Brussels by the 27 partners of the EU, the countries with a high rate of debt (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal etc.) had to execute all measures necessary in order to reduce their debts. In article 12 "About the defense of the homeland", the countries of the EU constituted that all redundant units had to be dissolved and the equipment to be sold.

Furthermore, the armies of the affected countries had to change their "non-european" equipment for european equipment. Portugal had therefore to sell their US fighterplanes and replace them by european ones. In exchange, the equipment will be cheaper than for standard customers from outside the EU.

 

The F-16s got sold to Norway. The mayor manufacturers of fighters in Europe were Dassault, Saab and the Eurofighter Corporation. The portuguese air force decided to replace the Vipers from the 301st with Gripens and the ones from the 201st with Mirage 2000B fulfilling in that way the need of a capable multirole fighter-bomber. Both planes started to be delivered at the end of 2012, being fully operational in the early 2013.

 

A Grifo from the 301st...

 

Mirage 2000BP from the 201st with full afterburner...

 

Two Grifos covering two 2000BP on a CAS-Mission

[+KnightWolf45 1,147]