Navy carrier jets 'can't land in hot weather' 10 May 2013 Nick Hopkins
Navy carrier jets 'can't land in hot weather' | UK news | The Guardian
"Report warns of problems with Joint Strike Fighter and exposes costs of MoD U-turns.
The hi-tech jets that will be flown from the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers cannot land on the ships in "hot, humid and low pressure weather conditions", a report warns today.
The version of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) that has been bought for the £5.5bn carriers is still in development but currently cannot land vertically – as its predecessor the Harrier jump jet could – in warm climates without jettisoning heavy payloads, the National Audit Office says.
Though the Ministry of Defence insists the problem will be overcome by the time the first carrier is ready for service in 2020, it is one of a number of concerns pointed out by the NAO over a project that has been bedevilled by delays and cost increases....
...Other hurdles must also be overcome, the NAO states, including the landing difficulties. "The STOVL is unable to land vertically on to a carrier in hot, humid and low pressure weather conditions without having to jettison heavy loads. The department advised decision makers of this risk but stated the solution it is developing will be ready by 2020."..."
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UK Watchdog: Faulty Data Drove F-35 Choices for New Carriers 09 May 2012 ANDREW CHUTER
UK Watchdog: Faulty Data Drove F-35 Choices for New Carriers | Defense News | defensenews.com
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Carrier Strike: The 2012 reversion decision 10 May 2013
The MOD acted promptly to revert to the decision to buy the vertical take-off version of the Joint Strike Fighter but will have to manage significant risks
Carrier Strike: The 2012 reversion decision | National Audit Office
Downloads:
• Executive Summary (pdf - 117KB)
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/upl...ve-summary.pdf
• Full Report (pdf - 332KB)
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/upl...ull-report.pdf