Originally Posted by
Asturias56
The latest " World Naval Review" repeats that the RAF are aiming to stop F-35B numbers at 48 and order F-35A for the bulk of the remaining "requirement"
i think the most remarkable thing about that old chesnut is the clear deliniation between the RAF/MOD, where you never hear it from anyone above Leading Cadet in the ATC, and the internet warrior world where you hear it all the time.
in land based operations the A has a number on undeniable advantages over the B - but in the defence bigger picture, the advantages than an all B fleet has: training and logistics, as well as the ability to surge an almost endless number of B's and B air and ground crew to/through the carriers - massively outweigh the advantages (range and internal carriage of a 2000lb class weapon) that the A has over the B.
everyone in the RAF understands that, and has understood that for years.