F-35 Cancelled?
Some nice thoughts here but please don't be under any illusion that the F-35 aircraft programme might yet be cancelled by the DoD or that the UK might yet dump its committment to buy the F-35B. That isn't going to happen - not under the this Coalition, a potential Labour Coalition or even if we end up with a one party government post the next General Election. This programme is sacrosanct on both sides of the 'pond' even if numbers of aircraft remain open to question.
Like many of you I would also love to see a new British designed and British built replacement aircraft for Harrier but it just isn't going to happen. We do not have the political, financial or industrial capability to achieve this but worse is that in a risk averse world driven by short term thinking neither do we have the will. Rest assured though that for good or bad, for better or worse F-35B will come and despite the prospect of even more damage to UK defence as a likely result of SDSR 2015 I believe that we will retain both new aircraft carriers. For now, my fear is that we might see a further drive towards base and personnel cuts in the Royal Air Force and merging of additional Royal Air Force and Royal Navy operational capacity and support services.
As to a future 'new' maritime capability committment - best put that dream back its box.