Those who are "leaking" (untrue) stories of Rafale and F18 have two agendas: to try and deflect the overrun costs of the whole programme, and/or to try and steal a march for FAA ownership. The fact is the F35 (once it is sorted out) brings far more capability than the “cheap” alternatives ever will – we would have some serious capability gaps elsewhere that F35 was planned to fill. The Treasury might also have a view, as we will make more money through the F35 work share (that is dependent on our tier 1 participation in the programme) than the costs of the programme by a number of factors. We could throw them away and still make on the deal, but only if we buy them first. So all those who are peddling the alternatives need to come clean about what it would do to our UK sovereign industrial capability, GDP and our resultant tax bills.
But Capt P.U.G. Wash, the F35 is Bloody Ugly!
FB
