Originally Posted by
bigsmelly
Umm,.. I think i should clarify here.
In my imagined world, both the RN and RAF only operate a single fast jet type , which is CATOBAR and "multirole".. And then there is a successor program for the next generation. ...
Of course that rather rules out European participation unless it's Rafale M or navalised EF.
It's the argument that operating a single type would save a bunch of money.
The point is, historically the CATOBAR carrier weight penalty hasn't stopped these types being very effective at non-maritime roles.
We decided to have carriers, so we might as well have a common aircraft that can operate from it.
(edited, I wasn't clear)
Well said. Not long before his death, Sandy Woodward argued for CATOBAR QEs with the Super Hornet as the air component. One suspects that navalising the Typhoon would have used up an ocean of money but that might have been an option. BAE were keen at one point.
Whatever, we now have these 65,000 ton monsters with a F35B air arm that’s seriously challenged for range and payload and whose AEW is of necessity a low altitude helicopter based system. And don’t start me on the lack of proper missile defences.....