Originally Posted by
Evalu8ter
BVRAAM,
I think that over the service lifetime we’ll likely end up with 150+ F35 tail numbers. However, I agree that the average in-service fleet will be nearer 100. The remaining tails will be attrition and later Blocks that enable advanced capability more cheaply than upgrading older Blocks. Inevitably, there will be a blend of As and Bs.....
As I said to you before elsewhere, I'd absolutely love for that to be true - the more fast jets buzzing the place, the better. I just can't see the Treasury committing to the stated maximum, much less more.
Remember, the UK ordered 250 Typhoons in a time when we had several hundred Tornado GR's and F3's, a bunch of Jags and both types of Harrier. We no longer have all of those jets and we only have just under 160 Typhoons - that's bad.
Maybe we can expect an additional Typhoon Squadron from SDSR20?