We were discussing 6 months a go the problem of the USA not being willing to release the software codes and other data on the JSF to the UK.
The Commons Defence Committee opined that, if no agreement was reached, the aircraft should not be ordered. Government officials duly talked to the USA and Bush signed a nice letter saying it was a good idea. The DoD agreed to hold discussions to sort it out.
We are now at the end of the discussion period, the Memorandum of Understanding needs to be signed - and the Senate/DoD have not moved an inch except for vague assurances. There have been many US correspondents who have said we are bluffing, it is the only choice in town. The other partners, Australia, the Netherlands etc, are signing up, we will as well.
So, it is put up or shut up time. The Defence Committee have put their cards on the table. A decision is needed before the end of the year - just 3 weeks away, including the Xmas holidays. So, what do we do?
BBC: MPs warn over US fighter jet deal
The UK should not agree to a US deal to buy the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter unless the US releases details allowing independent operation, MPs have warned. The defence committee said an assurance was needed from the US "by the end of the year" that all the technical information would be given to the UK.
The $276.5bn (£140bn) Anglo-US project will supply the armed forces of the US, Britain and several other countries. Earlier this year, the government expressed concerns about the deal.........It still remains unclear whether the US will agree to transfer the technology required to give the UK operational sovereignty of the aircraft. The committee said if there is no deal by the end of the year, the government should focus on developing a "plan B" to acquire alternative aircraft.......
ITV.com .........Ministers have previously threatened that the UK could pull out of plans to buy up to 150 of the military planes for the RAF and Navy unless the US agreed to transfer secrets about its software that Britain argues are needed in order to operate and maintain them independently.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush had reportedly solved the impasse in May, when they announced an agreement in principle that the UK would be given access to the classified details on conditions of strict secrecy. However, the committee warned that it was still "uncertain" whether the US was prepared to supply the required information.
The MPs said: "If the required assurances are not obtained by the end of the year, we recommend that the Ministry of Defence switch the majority of its effort and funding on the programme into developing a fallback 'plan B', so that an alternative aircraft is available in case the UK has to withdraw from the Joint Strike Fighter programme. "We must not get into a situation where there are no aircraft to operate from the two new aircraft carriers when they enter service."