SG always wanted to able to sell their produced weapons so not
just rely on only sales to SAF, licensed production of G36 might
not allow us to export it.
STK's foreign sales will ensure that it is be a viable biz entity ,
not just relying on local sales.
Let say RSN is to maintain a 4 boats sgn, then having 2 new one
and 2 older one sound logical.
All 4 of the same class of sub will be easier for training ,
maintainance and general logistics support.
But you see SSKs need major upgrade or replacement perhaps every 2
decades, so if we bought 4 at the same time, 2 decades later we
will either have major upgrade or replacement for all 4 of them at
the same time frsme which means another major financial
outlay.
Or we could staggered such thing by two newer subs and two older
one.
The Swedish offer give us opportunity to do so, the 2 upgraded
Vastergotland subs let's say deliver to us by 2008, it mean they
will not need any major overhual till 2028, and we still keep 2 of
the Challenger class till 2018 which by then we should be looking
at two new subs(either A26, U212 etc) ready to replace them.
In this way , we always always have at least 2 subs that are modern
& are not near the end of svc life where major overhual or
replacement is required.
It is rumoured that we are having observer status for the A26
project, which should be ready in the middle of next decade, which
is abt time for us to junk the Challenger.
Well, as you said it, low cost, Igla was chosen becos of that
and we are licensed porducing them locally.
They are meant to support ground troops, atm we dun need better one
becos of our superioty of our AF as compare to other AF in the
region,
