More delays for the F-35

[Reinhardt]

Originally Posted by orca

Whilst we have one of them listening, could we ask the French for a little help?
Can you quickly explain to us why having Aeronavale pilots flying Rafale M is better than simply embarking a few Armee de l'air chaps every now and then?

In France, Armée de l'air would like to swallow Aéronavale.
They already succeeded in taking UAVs and SAMs from the Army, they developed the combat rescue (you know, when helicopters remain on standby for days, even weeks..) to keep their choppers flying, they experiment sea rescue with their helicopters, they even tried anti-piracy patrol with the AWACS... facing incredible cuts, they try desperately to take the assets from the other services.
Problems:
- Aéronavale is much older and senior than Armée de l'air (first century celebrated last year) and admirals will not give away so easily.
- Air Force people just don't want to go at sea (everytime they are embarked on carriers, they need to be shuttled back home every two months - maximum - to be replace by others) For the same reason, their choppers crew prefer airfields and airbases to open country and bush camps along with the Army choppers...
- more than the plain technique of landing on carrier deck, operating at sea (maritime strike, ASW, coastal or blue ocean patrol) request some familiarity with naval operations. The majority of Aéronavale pilots are bridge-qualified, and will take a command (frigate, carrier, LPD) in the future. So they are sailors - simple as that.