Nikitas wrote:The question is what cost the CNG can cause and thus thwart any move against the free areas. If in the first 24 hours of the conflict there are substantial ship, plane and armor losses the situation will change fast. These losses, seeing the latest developments, can be caused by relatively cheap "dumb" weapons firing advanced munitions. The 105mm artillery pieces can reach to 25 miles out to sea and smart shells offer 95 per cent hit probability, the same goes for mortar and armor. The situation has economic parameters, as when a 25000 dollar shell can disable a 500 000 dollar ship. The question is whether the CNG leadership follows these developments and actively experiments or whether it is stuck in antiquated stuff taught at the "war college".
As for anti aircraft defence, that is a part where there should have been local technology developed and tactics honed to the point that each enemy sortie has a heavy cost. Again, is there such a commitment or is it deemed enough to buy some impressive sounding "system" and parade it for the crowds to cheer?
Fighters like the F-18F can cause a lot of damage on an unprecedented level.
Firstly, you want to cause maximum infrastructure loss to the enemy. So what will you bomb. All kinds of things like:
1) electricity grid,
2) dams,
3) oil refineries and fuel storage,
4) completely destroy Kyrenia Harbour,
5) completely destroy Famagusta Harbour,
6) destroy all airports,
7) bomb important buildings like their fake Parliament
8. Bomb bases
9) bomb TV stations, highways, communications, radar sites, military bases and generally terrorize the general public to the point that civilians are scared to venture out of their homes.
Make sure there is no electricity and no water.
Also you are able to defend yourself from TAF attacks.
No mortar, artillery or missiles can do all that so efficiently in a matter of a very few hours.
You can also attack large concentrations or build ups of military, convoys, armour, completely destroy all Air Defence and just hit anything that will make life very difficult and miserable for the population. Even the sound of these things in the air will instill much fear and anxiety. There will be anarchy on the streets pre-occupying their security forces. You can also provide the CNG with air cover from possible Turkish attack.
There is no doubt Air Power is extremely important. But it won't win the war. You are maximizing the chances of your own troops survival and its chances to beat the enemy.
Nothing can cause as much mayhem and precise mayhem as having fighter bombers in the air. F-18F, or F35 would be ideal. Very expensive but great capability that will add considerable depth of field.
Most countries will not contemplate sending troops without some form of air cover.
Special Forces are also great because they can paint targets and call in coordinates for a nice precision strike against the enemy.
Paphiti... never mind... I'm still laughing.... 
