Originally Posted by
flighthappens
Or: UK don’t have the money for their planned typhoon upgrades - how can they make Tempest work.
The project as a result of the four partner nations is unnecessarily complex in terms of getting unified decisions on cost and direction. Despite this and subsequent the BAE apologist viewpoint that some people offer, there are many I have spoken to in the project at different levels seem to think the RAF aren’t getting VFM.
EAP: the Typhoons peers have had E-Scan for well over 10 years. F-15C (2006), F-22 (IOC), F-18E/F (2007). At present the typhoon AESA is many years from service.
Not just the UK. Some years ago a trick question was doing the rounds at EF: "Which Nation is paying their bills?" The answer of course was "None of them." Note that I wasn't having a dig at the UK in particular. (Note also that all of the peers you mention have the benefit from the world's largest military budget)
As an "apologist" if I had any to defend industry, I'd point out that industry initially funded around 60% of the AESA investment from their own coffers. This came from a Project Manager I've known for over 20 years so a credible source.
EAP