Twopack - It appears to me that you are the narrow minded kind of individual that reads the Sun for your air power knowledge and current affairs.
I dont doubt you have been further east than Cyprus but I am wondering where the Air to Air threat is over there? Bar Iran maybe?! The F3 packs more punch than you may ever know now that the radar upgrade/jtids/amraam and asraam are fully functional. We wouldnt have gone to Telic at all had we not been capable of functioning as well as, or better than the Yanks.
Did anyone know 9-11 was going to happen or was the mighty USA caught on the hop when they really needed QRA? I agree that QRA sits for 99.999% of the time in a chair praying that they dont actually have to go and "do the job" as that will make more headlines than anything going on in Iraq or the Stan.
My final rant about your CAS comment. Of course the F3 is not in Afghanistan doing CAS instead of the GR4!! They are a bomber, the F3 is designed for Air to Air (maybe the Beano didnt explain that!). Im sure some SF mate would not appreciate a theatre full of F3s on CAS instead of a dedicated bomber. The same reason the GR4 fleet dont share QRA duties in the UK/Falklands. Its a Tornado but different.
Im looking forward to my next bout of Air Combat and a posh champagne lunch! You clown!
