U.K. Defense Ministry Pushes JSF In-Service Date to 2017

[BossEyed]

From Aviation Week:

Aviation Week & Space Technology
06/11/2007, page 30

Douglas Barrie
London

British Defense Ministry revises its planning dates for the F-35

Printed headline: U.K. Delays JSF

The U.K. will delay service entry of the Joint Strike Fighter by three years, to 2017, and is exploring options for further postponing the Harrier GR9's retirement.

The ministry had been planning to introduce the Joint Combat Aircraft, as the U.K. refers to the Lockheed Martin F-35, into service in December 2014. British industry officials close to the program suggest the latest delay has resulted at least in part from budgetary issues related to Equipment Program 07 deliberations.

At the same time, consideration is being given to the option for pushing the Harrier GR9 out of service date (OSD) beyond 2018-19.

<snip>

If the U.K. sticks to its present carrier acquisition program, GR9s would serve for several years on the new class before the arrival of the JCA.

[AlJH]

Wow. Never saw that one coming.

[Widger]

So much for a capability holiday, more like a capability "your'e fired!"

[VuctoredThrest]

Blow the dust off the SHAR so that it can 'support' the GR9!!

[Jackonicko]

"Hullo, Cosford?

You know those Jaguars.....?"

[BluntedAtBirth]

If the U.K. sticks to its present carrier acquisition program, GR9s would serve for several years on the new class before the arrival of the JCA.


Did anyone spot the 'if' at the start of that sentence...

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Nobody could have predicated that, could they? It wasn't mentioned in the discussions on the Sea Jet thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98152) and elsewhere, was it?

I guess the Government couldn't see it coming either.....:rolleyes:

So, what was alleged to be a six year capability gap is now eleven years!

Wibble!

[Ian Corrigible]

See Future Carrier (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=221116&page=58) thread.

I/C

[MrBernoulli]

.................... by which time it will be obsolete!

[Biggus]

What makes you think/assume it will make the 2017 date now being quoted......

But then again, there won't be a CVF for it to operate off of before 2017 anyway. Does anyone seriuosly believe the 2012 and 2015 dates still being quoted! 5 years from, what, nothing, to in service - never. Even if it is build in sections and then put together it will take more than 5 years just to construct, then about on 6 months+ of sea trials, etc, etc........

[GreenKnight121]

Exactly... they are just adjusting the "Dave's here" date to match the realistic in-service date of the first CVF. :ugh:

[L J R]

RAAF is getting F-18F as an interim stop gap measure. Anyone else want some??

[WhiteOvies]

USMC quoting 2024 for the end of the AV8B - shows you when they think they'll get JSF!
So start the bidding for the UK - Higher or Lower? :rolleyes:

[WE Branch Fanatic]

USMC quoting 2024 for the end of the AV8B.........

And theirs have got radar and air to air missiles too. Fancy that! Cannon as well.

I wonder if the decision to equip AV8B+ with radar and AMRAAM, and the decision by Spain and Italy to provide their Navies with them had anything to do with events in the South Atlantic in 1982?

[Not_a_boffin]

On the other hand this may just be the public airing of a definition of ISD that's been known about for at least two years, rather than definite slippage.

Interestingly enough, I read somewhere this week that LM are offering the USN a one or two year early LRIP of Dave-Charlie......

Do the above two combined offer an opportunity? It would mean we could bin the RVL and I'd be able to sleep much better knowing that......