Originally Posted by
WideSpectrum
With an ever reducing fast-jet fleet why do we need a fast-jet trainer? It's time to face reality - team to train overseas.
I think you could reverse that logic somewhat: if the UK has a good training standard and continues to export aircraft, increasing the capacity of the training system will allow sale of training to export customers while amortising UK costs.
It’s a shame this approach wasn’t taken with the Hawk TMk2 already, which might have both supported export customers and other nations as well as reducing the training timeline for UK aircrew. The Hawk production line is closed now, so that ship has sailed, but if Aeralis comes good then it still might be an approach with a future UK trainer.
If there isn’t a UK trainer after Hawk, continuing to endorse the existence of RAFAT will be more difficult. Taking a display team to back political messaging worldwide isn’t quite the same in an aircraft which showcases someone else’s engineering. I hope Aeralis do well, but they face a significant challenge.