Originally Posted by
Warren Peace
Well maybe the T1 needs a new lease of life. By using the Red airframes, and the best of what 100 Squadron scrapped, and the very successful pilot production system that 100 had going, then the backlog in the pilot training pipeline could be fixed in months.
Bae Systems should have the decency to resolve T1 spares problems, as it’s their product, fitted with a Rolls Royce engine, that has created a need to use the T1.
As for losing the Reds, who's mad enough to prevent the training of more pilots, just to show what the RAF was once able to produce, but nowadays can’t?
The T1 is entirely inadequate for Advanced FJ training today. It was inadequate in the mid 2000s, hence the attempt to upgrade to the T2. Sadly, one could argue that the T1 "works" and is better than nothing, but that would be entirely missing the point. Add that to the Ascent/MFTS shambles and you have the fustercluck that the RAF (and RN) are living today. Weird how nobody could see this coming...
As for what else, either the M346 or T50 would be better suited to modern fighter training. Maybe even get on board with the T7 project. Anything but a Hawk please.