Lebanon Airforce

[Malcolm Bezzina]

Not sure if this topic was brought up....:
Malcolm

The Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr announced on 16/12/2008 that an agreement has been reached with Russia to supply Lebanon with 10 MiG-29 ( Fulcrum ) fighters. The statement was also confirmed by the Russian Defence Minister, who reiterated the willingness of Moscow to supply the Lebanese with their defence needs.

Mr. Murr is currently on an official visit to Moscow with a shopping list for new equipment required by the various branches of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The list is believed to include tanks, artilliery and air defence systems, in deals which might reach an estimated total of 1 billion USD.

It is believed that Lebanon is also interested in acquiring Russian-made helicopters, possibly including a number of Mil Mi-35 attack gunships.


The news comes at a time when the US has also made public its intentions to help Lebanon rebuild and modrnize its Armed Forces, including the supply of up to 60 M-60A3 MBTs, as well as the possible delivery to the LAF of up to 8 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters.

These new developments constitute a major, indeed radical, rejuvenation in re-equipping and modernizing the LAF. They come shortly after the LAF has succeeded in putting back into operational service 4 Hawker Hunter fighter jets brought back from storage, and it seems certain that the new MiG-29s are intended as logical replacements for these aircraft, providing the LAF with its first supersonic new generation fighter equipment since the delivery of 12 Mirage-3EL/DL fighters from France back in the late-1960s.

This is obviously fantastic news for the Lebanese Air Force and its fans all over the world, and , no doubt, many people will be waiting to see the MiG-29 flying in LAF colours hopefully some time soon.


It will also be interesting to see whether the LAF will select the Cobra or the Mi-35 , or possibly both, to meet its future requirement for a new attack helicopter.

[kiwi]

USA vs. Russia: "Anything you can do I can do better." Looks like a fight for bragging rights