I really don't think we need to worry to much about the French F104 class. It may well be a setback with respect to getting the F16 class to France, but in the rest of the world the F104 won't make it. F16 is too well developped there and customers will simply not be interested in another 135+ kg "singlehander". The Asians and Aussies are already spoiled by the Taipans, A-cats and F16's. They will not be impressed by a 135 kg boat, they feel the 125 kg Viper is pushing its luck as it is. The US will be out of reach because of the Dollar-Euro exchange rate going south. UK and NL are going F16. And because of (again) the Dollar-Euro exchange rate, the VWM Blade will be very attractively priced against any EU build F104. Less cost, less weight, more performance; A difficult choice if there ever was one.

Shouldn't be to hard to survive this.

Besides, if we really have to then the F16 class can do well without France, but the F104 can not do well without the rest of the world (outside of France).

Wouter