tridriver states that:-
"Unfortunately, in these frugal times, the RAF has become 'air centric' to protect its core capabilities"
What now are the core capabilities for an Independent Air Force? Hunting down the Taliban leadership using Reaper/Tornado would represent the Strategic use of airpower but is not being done. RAF fast jets simply add to the already significant amount of US tactical airpower available over Afghanistan. We now function under US leadership so is this needed just to have our boys looked after by their comrades? Guess PM Cameron was persuaded it was.
I would argue that core capabilities
were chopped to maintain the Tonka in service to 2015 and the next Review. Beyond that it's still going to be down to Politics with a move to a Typhoon only fleet just as likely as pending the F-35C.
The long term question is then be who "owns" the F-35C in 2020. Two services "want it" but one would be just as happy to buy a cheaper more versatile fourth generation aircraft to have the numbers needed to fill the decks of it's carrier(s).
If a fifth generation aircraft is needed it would be but most of the time it would be based ashore.
