Free Republic

A force to be reckoned with Posted on 9 August 2010 in Defence The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) or Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya, is one of the largest air arms in the region and is also one of the longest established. Formed in 1930 as the Egyptian Army Air Force, it became fully independent in 1937. Initially it had close links with the British Royal Air Force and was primarily equipped with British-supplied aircraft. Spitfires gave way to Meteors and Vampires before the 1952 revolution, after which the new president, General Gamal Abdel Nasser, turned to the Soviet...

Following its leftist allies lead, Bolivia has ordered six K-8 trainer aircraft from China. Venezuela paid about $25 million each for theirs, but it's not known what Bolivia will pay. China has exported K-8s to several other countries (often at bargain prices), including Myanmar (Burma). Bolivia wants to use the K-8 as a light strike aircraft (against rebels and drug gangs), with secondary duty as a trainer. Also being purchased are ten Mi-17 transport helicopters. The K-8 (also called JL-8) is a 4.3 ton, two seat, jet trainer. It uses a American, Chinese or Ukrainian engines. Originally, China was going...