GarryB wrote:There has been no official statement regarding the cancellation of the purchase, but pressure from the US is intense so I rather think the deal is not cancelled simply because if they did cancel it they would say so because that would get the US off their back even if it would disappoint the Russians I am pretty sure the Russians understand the position Egypt is in.
Unfortunately the EGY gov. doesn't make those official statements or announcements, particularly with acquisitions and specifically Russian ones. That's one of those misconceptions that they perform the standard announcements or press releases or even updates etc. The only time they'll do that is if the supplier insists on having an induction ceremony, then that's what they do. Case in point almost all the French equipment, from the Rafales to the frigates and corvettes were put through major induction ceremonies.
With Russia, it's the complete opposite. Not only is it not announced let alone ceremoniously inducted, but they're hidden or kept quiet. Case in point all the new BUK & TOR SAM systems as well as the S-300VM which eventually were leaked out or exhibited at exercises and made to be guessed on when they were acquired. The TORs & BUKs were in operational service for at least 2 years before anyone noticed them hahaha!
The EAD purchased both of the huge radar complexes in the Protivnik GE and Resonance SE. The latter was completely unknown, and the former was barely noticed by the news during one of the parades! A picture was taken of the GE and posted in the news and that was how we all found out about it loool. Then eventually the Resonance SE was revealed.
This is how and what they do when it comes to Russian purchases and the reason for this is quite simply known. It's not so difficult to face the fact that Egypt plays both sides of the coin and rightfully so. It has to maintain its friendship with the US and it wants to be able to purchase certain Russian platforms as well. Having your cake and eating it too is what they usually say about things like this, but in this case, it's more like trying to mix oil with water.
The threat of CAATSA specifically on the purchase of the Su-35s is not to be taken lightly like you said. These sanctions could easily cripple an already sensitive and rapidly growing economy that's currently exacerbated by inflation. 105 million people not being held hostage, or the military getting their 30 Su-35s? And to think the deal is still in play begs the question - what the hell is going to change in terms of the threat of the sanctions in let's say 1 year, 2 years or even 5 years down the road? Nothing. So the notion that these things are still in play is noble and hopeful, but unrealistic TBH.
GarryB wrote:The US are nasty vindictive bastards so you need to be very careful when you go up against them because they have lots of strings to pull and lots of allies who are your enemies that can do nasty things too
That's exactly right and it has no qualms about destroying whatever it can to exercise its disdain for Russia. Egypt's place with the US is incomparable to the UK or Israel for that matter. There are some strategic benefits to the US for maintaining a positive relationship with the matriarch of the Arab world, but not at the cost of the ultimate world order!
Funny thing is these are negotiable conditions the US sets forth (offering the F-15s in return) but think of the power it has to be able to initiate such policies as brutal as sanctions on an entire, sovereign nation in the first place! If it can perpetuate such policies to begin with, think of the extent of the actual punishment it could easily afford.
GarryB wrote:They have no morals or ethics and will happily block your access to medicine or food or a range of other things and watch your cancer patients die or your children die.
Madeline Allbright was interviewed about the 600K Iraqi children that died because of US sanctions and she just brushed it off as a necessary thing to ensure continued US access to Iraqi oil.
I remember that very well. And here's the other thing that never gets considered when certain individuals get all butt-hurt from their obtuse national pride getting poked is look what happened to our next door neighbor to the west. Now with Egypt joining BRICS, it opens up another threat for the west and its supposed belligerent policing of the world. That move has already marked Egypt in a certain way and could easily complicate things moving forward.
Sisi has done an AMAZING job all things considered. Putting aside all the positive and successful local endeavors he's helped create and put into place, but just looking at the military acquisitions he's pulled off in the past 10 years only are phenomenal! Practically half or more of the entire air force & navy were modernized and local industries have gotten huge developmental boosts and during that time, he's been able to acquire large and potent military assets from Russia. 46 Ka-52s, 46+ MiG-29M/M2, S-300VM, TORM2s & BUKs and even negotiated the two mistrals originally intended for Moscow. He's even helped the military schedule regular armored, infantry & special forces training exercises with Russian counterparts.
So it's not some huge national shame that he was smart enough not to push the Su-35 deal at the very expensive cost of crippling sanctions. Crazy.
Do not talk about things in which you are insulted
lmaaaoooo. Google Translate doesn't do certain languages justice.
Nothing but a donkey braying.
GarryB wrote:That is just rude.
Thank you for dealing with this. I would apologize to you but I'm sure you would agree I have nothing to do with that emotional brain farting donkey braying. Still, I am sorry you have to deal with such scuzzy behavior. This is the 2nd uncalled filthy outburst from that individual.
GarryB wrote:Gomig-21 on the other hand was excited by Egypt getting Su-35s and all the delays and talk of US sanctions and CAASTA has led him to think it is not going to happen... well I can't say categorically that he is wrong... can you?
Man, I was so excited you're 100% on the money and it wasn't really hard to tell, right? lool I mean look at all my posts on this and other threads and rightfully so. China came out and bought 24 (or was it 36?) to add to their killer fleet of Su-27s, Su-30s J-11s and J-16s and when it was revealed that the EAF had ordered the beastmode, we were all in seventh heaven. Thinking how potent the air force would be, how well the MiG-29Ms would complement the Su-35s and how it would actually create a 2nd air force within the EAF. Who in their right minds wouldn't be excited about that? But I don't allow that to influence my sense of reality!
GarryB wrote:But even if it was cancelled then it is only a matter of time before they do order aircraft because it would be silly thinking America will sell them decent aircraft any time soon or even at a reasonable price. US aircraft and weapons are extortion.
That was the other exciting aspect of the Su-35 joining the Egyptian air force. In many ways, it would've solidified the direction they were going in as far as what you're alluding to - what's the next step? And by the initial MiG purchase, followed by an Su-35S purchase, it must be the Su-57 (or maybe even the 75) that they're quite possibly thinking of. Talk about exciting! That gave us great points of discussion and predictions and so on. But with the order pretty much kiobached, Egypt joining BRICS and the reality of possible sanctions, I worry that the path is going to be a little bumpy to say the least. Not sure how they could go back to the deal and not risk the consequences.
Can we imagine something like this?
Couldn't imagine. 5 squadrons of MiG-29Ms and 35s, 5 squadrons of Su-35SEs and another 5 of Su-57s. Unfortunately, I think the only place in the Arab world that beast is headed to is Algeria. Hope I am as wrong as hell!
GarryB wrote:A protection racket where the actual protection is a promise... you can bet Kiev thought the US would come roaring in to save them or at least fast track them into HATO to protect them from the Russians, but after spending the better part of a decade goading Kiev to poke the bear, a year and a half ago the bear responded and the US and HATO have not helped at all.
You bring up another good point - what about the payback that could be coming in whatever form of punishment for President Sisi refusing to send military aid to the Ukraine? Do we think that's going to be brushed under the rug? They've already started by rehashing the human rights excuse and withholding $300 million from the military aid which most of us wish the EGY gov. would simply get rid of that to lessen those crippling conditions. But $1.2 billion is a lot of free military so it's not surprising that they're not giving it up anytime soon. But it will always have its drawbacks.
GarryB wrote:That is interesting... the story I read was that they claimed they were expecting brand new build fuselages, but the airframes they got had been sitting in a factory for a while... they hadn't been used, but were not brand new production... which I thought was rather petty.
My bad! You're 100% correct about that. I confused the two. It was the Su-30MKAs (and not the MiG-29SMTs) that at some point was scheduled for either engine overhaul or some major maintenance process that needed them to open it all up and in places they never needed to before and that was when they discovered certain Israeli parts and weren't happy about it. They should've known IMO. You're not a huge military like the Algerian one and not study everything about one of the best fighters out there that you're going to be purchasing for $60+ million a piece. It was a bit surprising that they were surprised lol.
This thing is so hot from any angle.