Final work-up to Typhoon FGR.4

[skippyscage]

I covered this for a UK magazine back in May - now it's been published I can release to the web.

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/ff354/skippyscage/fgr4/klsv20080603-010.jpg

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/ff354/skippyscage/fgr4/klsv20080603-426.jpg

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/ff354/skippyscage/fgr4/klsv20080603-499.jpg

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/ff354/skippyscage/fgr4/klsv20080603-501.jpg

All taken at Nellis AFB, and nicely tooled up for the most part.

the rest of the set can be seen here (http://www.skippyscage.com/aviation/nv/nellistyphoon/index.php)

edit: I've re-linked via Photobucket...

[L J R]

Reminds me of the time I dropped my first GBU-10 in 1986, oooh bugger, that was 22 years ago!

[Backwards PLT]

I like the first photo - a really nice looking, capable aircraft. And a Typhoon in the foreground.

[Green Flash]

a really nice looking, capable aircraft

Backwords PLT - I spotted them too! Can you see the Raptors behind them? :E

[advocatusDIABOLI]

Is picture 3 demonstrating the ability to take a bunch of 'good news' all the way to the 'Initial Approach Fix' and back?

Advo

[tonker]

The picture shows many different generation aircaft all working together, with the latest in the background.:E

[NutLoose]

Look at that beautiful operational fighter all ready to roll...... I take it that thing in the foreground all blanked up is Tech......

[NDW]

Isn't the typhoon a beauty...Especially with all the gear :ok:

Afghan and Iraq here it comes....:}

[TiffyFGR4]

Yeah...Those other aircraft in the background....Wishing they could carry six LGB's, six air to air missiles & a centre line drop tank in one go & still remain agile.....And of course a 27mm gun for good measure :E Don't throw a paddy :}

Anyway...

Glad to see the RAF making progress with Typhoon.....Why aren't theother partner nations doing the same thing? Usually when you get a new toy, you'd want to see what it can do.....RAF seem to be the only air force to be doing this with Typhoon....

Hope later on they change the colour of Typhoon, the same dark(ish) grey as the Tornado GR4 and with the PROPER COLOURED ROUNDALS!!! (Dark blue & red).

[tonker]

I guess when you have stealth on your side there is no to carry so many bombs, and of course then there is blended wing we carry lots of fuel inside no need to carry old fashioned unstealthy draggy fuel tanks.:E

[Eagle402]

PROPER COLOURED ROUNDALS!!!

I'm presuming you mean 'roundels'. You really do need to lose that SerboCroat spellchecker !

[Ewan Whosearmy]

Yeah...Those other aircraft in the background....Wishing they could carry six LGB's, six air to air missiles & a centre line drop tank in one go & still remain agile.....And of course a 27mm gun for good measure Don't throw a paddy


Asides from the fact that you have missed the point about the F-22, I think you'll find that the other aircraft in the background are, 1) an EA-6B, which doesn't need to carry bombs; and, 2) a bunch of Super Hornets, which can, err, carry more weapons in weight and quantity than Typhoon, and are not slouchers in a phone booth.


Glad to see the RAF making progress with Typhoon.....Why aren't theother partner nations doing the same thing? .....RAF seem to be the only air force to be doing this with Typhoon....


Who says they are not 'making progress'?

And perhaps my mind is playing tricks on me, but ISTR the Italian Air Force achieved IOC with Typhoon some time before the RAF did.

[TEEEJ]

Super images, Paul. Well done!

:ok:

TJ

[TiffyFGR4]

Eagle402, only one letter out, good job on spotting that, you win a cookie! Jesus, talk about knit picking* :rolleyes:

Ewan,

I never said they were slouchers, but can a Super Hornet carry six 1000lb LGB's, six air to air missiles & a centre line drop tank? Not really bothered about the F-22! Not trying to start a argument......

And, I'm just surprised that the other Typhoon operators haven't tried to get a ground attack capability on their Typhoon's into service as quickly as the RAF has. Thats all I'm saying.

Amazing pictures btw, good job :ok:

[NutLoose]

TiffyFGR4Yeah...Those other aircraft in the background....Wishing they could carry six LGB's, six air to air missiles & a centre line drop tank in one go & still remain agile.....And of course a 27mm gun for good measure :E Don't throw a paddy :}

Perhaps the F22 does not need six LGB's as it tends to kill the target with only one drop....... same for the missiles... :}:p;)

I should also imagine throwing paddys BTW has also gone the way of tossing dwarves at targets, it's no longer considered PC to do so......

http://www.minbu.connectfree.co.uk/dwarf.jpg

Dwarf Throwing (http://www.minbu.connectfree.co.uk/dwarf.htm)


Perhaps after reading all of the posts on here TiffyF4GRYeah you should enquire if it is possible to get this sophisticated piece of equipment incorporated into your Cockpit....:ok::}:D;)

Cheshire Fishing - Fox Micron EOS and EOSX electronic bite detector (http://www.cheshirefishing.co.uk/shop/foxpics/Microneos.htm)

[theron]

Perhaps the F22 does not need six LGB's as it tends to kill the target with only one drop

i thought that the lgbs used by both aircraft were the same? if this is the case then why would an lgb drop from one be more successful than from the other?

just curious.

[VARIABLE_KNIFE]

Would look even better if they began integrating Paveway IV onto the jet, preferably with twin weapon racks. Apart from the cannon, are any forward firing weapons being considered?

[_Benjamin_]

F22 wont be much use levelling six LGB targets in one sortie though eh?

Great pictures, thanks.


Perhaps the F22 does not need six LGB's as it tends to kill the target with only one drop....... same for the missiles...

[advocatusDIABOLI]

Ben,

No, you're right. But 6 (or more) slimline JDAMs will do the trick just as well.

Advo

[MostlyModerate]

surely, Tiffy, that should be nit picking ??

[_Benjamin_]

Sounds expensive. :ok:


Ben,

No, you're right. But 6 (or more) slimline JDAMs will do the trick just as well.
Advo

[Eagle402]

surely, Tiffy, that should be nit picking ??

Elegantly done Mostly Moderate. I was going to comment but didn't want to needle the lad....

[TiffyFGR4]

Ohhh teheheee, careful there, if you get much sharper you'll cut yourself...

So anyway...

Anyone here think that Typhoon should maybe get the Small Diameter Bomb / Small Smart Bomb in its inventory in the near future?

Just making friendly conversation. =)

[Backwards PLT]

As we are on friendly conversation, thought that I would point out that my earlier comment was a bit of banter, I am generally a Typhoon fan (even though they wouldn't give me a job!). I take your response as a good nibble rather than a proper bite!

So looking at the loadouts a proper question or 2. Presumably in the 6 GBUs, 6 AAMs, CL tank configuration there is no room for a pod? Kinda makes the GBUs pointless (oh noes gulf war I buddy lase again!). Still work for early days AI I guess with known tgts and EPWIIs.

So if the pod has to go on CL (does it?) that means to have decent fuel they need underwing tanks - does this reduce the load to 4 GBU16s/EPWIIs (plus AA stuff)? Can it fly in this config with 4 EPWIIIs? (I know not cleared yet).

Seems the problem is pod and CL tank are mutually exclusive which is a pity as I know the Typhoon still flies v nicely and goes a decent distance with the CL. Is this true? Can 2 AMRAAMs be dropped to allow more AG weapons?

As VK alluded to EPW4 on twin racks would be nice. Not sure what forward firing weapon, other than the gun, he wants though. Its not as if anyone would use rockets in this day and age!!!!!

[Truckkie]

As VK alluded to EPW4 on twin racks would be nice. Not sure what forward firing weapon, other than the gun, he wants though. Its not as if anyone would use rockets in this day and age!!!!!


Better look at some recent Harrier footage from Afghanistan then!

[West Coast]

Its not as if anyone would use rockets in this day and age!!!!!

I think those same words were uttered when the decision was made to leave the gun off the F4

[hulahoop7]

I think you're right about the centre line being taken up by the pod, but if and when those conformal tanks get fitted another two wing stations will become available.

[Phochs3]

Truckkie - Do you think the Harrier would bother with CRV 7 if it had a gun?!

[FB11]

Phochs 3 .

Yes, we would.

The CRV-7 has a better damage mechanism and mitgates the requirement to take away the TERMA and SNIPER from the 2 stations a gun would be mounted.

The latest warhead on the CRV-7 outstrips the capability of a gun which requires a direct hit on the target, even with an HE round. (There's only so much poke you can put into a 27mm or even 30mm round to create frag effects.)

I'd like both but if I had to choose between a gun or CRV-7, the rockets win every time for the Afghanistan piece.

[Phochs3]

Agree that a gun pod that uses up pylons is a pain; that is a deficiency of the Harrier - a gun versus a Sniper pod is a crap trade!
GR7/9 aside, if a platform had an internal gun, would you put CRV 7 or Paveway IV on the spare pylons? I'm guessing ditch the rockets!

[BEagle]

I think those same words were uttered when the decision was made to leave the gun off the F4

Indeed so, Westie! And the USMC exchange-programme back seater on my F4 Operational Conversion Unit course gave us the full benefit of his personal opinion of that 'clever' idea!!

As you might well imagine...:ok:

[TiffyFGR4]

Backwards PLT, glad you didn't take it the wrong way, I said, pretty much the same thing once somewhere else & I almost got lynched for it hehe Didn't mean to wind people up though, it was just a innocent question, curious, you know. =) Shame they wouldn't give you a job though =( What kind of thing would you be doing if you got a job? May I ask? =)

Sorry to go off topic a bit...

"So looking at the loadouts a proper question or 2. Presumably in the 6 GBUs, 6 AAMs, CL tank configuration there is no room for a pod? Kinda makes the GBUs pointless (oh noes gulf war I buddy lase again!). Still work for early days AI I guess with known tgts and EPWIIs."

"So if the pod has to go on CL (does it?) that means to have decent fuel they need underwing tanks - does this reduce the load to 4 GBU16s/EPWIIs (plus AA stuff)? Can it fly in this config with 4 EPWIIIs? (I know not cleared yet)."

Good points.

Well for the first point you made, maybe they could have, a single drop tank, (Centre), six air to air missile & five LGB's. Sacrifice one LGB for the pod, thats still a decent load to carry for any fighter. And maybe his wingman can carry the six LGB's, six air to air missiles & a centre drop tank, and maybe the other guy can 'buddy lase'.

But I, kind of, always thought that Typhoon would have the pod on one of the AMRAAM/Meteor stores, front left. So it'd have the pod, three AMRAAM's/Meteor's, six LGB's, (Or any other A/G weapons they might want to add), two ASRAAM's, & a centre drop tank...And a gun of course.

But I think most Typhoon's will have two drop tanks, four LGB's, six air to air missiles & the pod on the centre store. Depends on the situation really...

I'm not 100% sure about this but, when all the planned weapons are in service, I think the standard load out on a FGR4 will be something like; two LGB's, two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, two SEAD missiles, two ASRAAM's, three Meteors, one laser pod & one drop tank, (Centre store). And the 27mm gun. If thats the case, then thats one hell of a load.

Then theres the RAPTOR, (Recce pod). Will that fit on the centre store of a Typhoon?....

[Safety_Helmut]

I'm not 100% sure about this but, when all the planned weapons are in service, I think the standard load out on a FGR4 will be something like; two LGB's, two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, two SEAD missiles, two ASRAAM's, three Meteors, one laser pod & one drop tank, (Centre store). And the 27mm gun. If thats the case, then thats one hell of a load.

yeah right, what planet do you live on Tiffy ?

S_H

[TiffyFGR4]

Like I said, not a 100% sure. I didn't say it was though.......=/

[hulahoop7]

I think you need to do a bit more reading tiffy, start with newton.

[TiffyFGR4]

Maybe I should. But when I read about something like this, this was quite a few years ago now, long before Typhoon was operational, maybe I read it wrong back then, thinking now I did, guess I'm wrong. Quite alot of different sources say quite alot of different things, hence why I said I'm not 100% sure the first time.

So like I say, I guess I'm wrong, put my hands up.

Something some of you maybe interested in:

Eurofighter Typhoon - (http://www.eurofighter.com/po_bl.asp?id=51)

[theron]

thanks for that link! its really informative! if you click on the picture there is a 5 page pdf article with lots of images giving us a good idea of the possible loadouts.

[TiffyFGR4]

You're welcome =)

I'll have to wait for that five page article because it doesn't work for me right now. =( I'm sure it'd be well worth the wait though, Air Forces Monthly always have great news of whats going on, reading about it will keep me busy at work on that day....Customers that want to buy a guitar or whatever will just have to wait hehehe

Theron, thanks, you've just reminded me about something there, I have a Air Internantional magazine, and with it there was a free magazine about the Typhoon, telling you pretty much what its been doing from day one up until late 2007, it has an weapons option diagram showing the range of weapons loads for different roles. Not sure if its the same as what you've seen though. But this is what it says. (Not my words).

Air Superiority:
6 BVRAAM
2 SRAAM
27mm Mauser
3x 1000L fuel tanks

Interdiction/Strike:
4 laser/GPS guided bombs
4 BVRAAM
2 SRAAM
27mm Mauser
1 LDP
2x 1000L fuel tanks

Suppression and destruction of enemy air defence:
2 laser/GPS guided bombs
2 harm
4 BVRAAM
2 SRAAM
27mm mauser
1 LDP
2x 1000L fuel tanks

Multi-Role/Swing-Role:
2 Stand-Off missiles
4 laser/GPS guided bombs
4 BRAAM
2 SRAAAM
27mm mauser
1x 1000L fuel tank

Close air support:
18 anti-armour missiles
4 BVRAAM
2 SRAAM
27mm mauser
1x 1000L fuel tank

Maritime attack:
4 anti-ship missiles
4 BVRAAM
2 SRAAM
27mm mauser
3x 1000L fuel tanks

[Stitchbitch]

Can't see them carrying four LGBs to go penguin plinking :ok:
Why HARM in the air defences suppression bit and not ALARM? Has ALARM gone the way of the dodo?

Anyone notice that the wheels are visible in the first two shots :E

[theron]

In the article the loadout information seems incomplete, not mentioning a lot of the munitions that you would expect it to use, it concentrates on the lgb side of things:


During Torpedo Focus and Green Flag West, RAF Typhoons carried stores and weapons in one of three configurations.
» General ‘dry’ fit – two under wing fuel tanks, a Litening III targeting pod carried on the centreline station, and no weapons.
» Self-designation attack – a Litening III targeting pod carried on the centreline station, and up to six Paveway II laser-guided bombs.
» Co-operative attack – a fuel tank carried on the centreline station, and up to six Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

if it takes 2 wing tanks and a tgp then it can "only" take a maximum of four 1000lb bombs with a few spare stations for a-a missiles, which is pretty good for a multirole fj.

i would expect the current default loadout to consist of at least 2 wing tanks due to the way conflicts are going, in order to maximise time on station, plus how often are more than eight 1000lb bombs required by a 2 ship CAS flight?

im guessing that they were testing the Paveway II rather than the III for economic rather than capability reasons?

[XV277]

Anyone else hate the term 'load out' - sooooo American...:ooh:

[Safety_Helmut]

Anyone else hate the term 'load out' - sooooo American...
Yep, that and the thread being hijacked by a pair of adolescent plane spotters ! :E

S_H

[Gainesy]

Its as bad as "Based out of".:yuk:

[Safety_Helmut]

and "....headed up by.........." :yuk::yuk:

aaaah, another thread hijack !

S_H

[theron]

this adolescent is mature enough to know we should be staying on topic, if you have a problem with what i or anyone else have been saying let us know in a pm or email.

how soon could the FGR4 be deployed to the front lines following the success of these tests?

[TiffyFGR4]

Doesn't matter what it's called.......Just as long is can carry a decent load, (Which it sure can) then thats all that matters.

I'm not sure how soon, I believe theres only a handful of FGR4's right now, and theres 100 pilots qualified to to fly 'solo'. Eurofighter Typhoon - (http://www.eurofighter.com/po_bl.asp?id=46) Maybe in about, few months? If they don't rush things......To get tests & training or whatever they do up & running with other FGR4's & pilots.......Not sure. I guess thats why the RAF are sending Tornado GR4's to Afghanistan soon.....

"i would expect the current default loadout to consist of at least 2 wing tanks due to the way conflicts are going, in order to maximise time on station, plus how often are more than eight 1000lb bombs required by a 2 ship CAS flight?"

Yeah, I would expect that too. Eight 1000lb bombs will more than enough for a CAS flight I think. And even with two wing tanks each, the load is still alot better than that of two Tornado GR4's.

With two Tornado's on CAS, how many LGB's can they carry with one of them with a laser pod? One Tornado with three LGB's, the other with only one & a laser pod. Even one Typhoon can do the work of two Tornado's on CAS. (Correct me if I'm wrong).

[BEagle]

XV277, Gainesy and Safety_Helmut - how right you are!

PPRuNe Military is deteriorating significantly under the number of spotters and kids who have infiltrated the forum.

Nowadays it's a shadow of its former self.....:hmm:

But then again, so is the RAF.

[BEagle]

I guess that just proves my point.........:(


Edit: And we will do our best to get rid of them!!

PPP

[TiffyFGR4]

Hmmmmm? I get the feeling that some of us (Non pilots) aren't welcome here.......:suspect:

[giblets]

Just reading the Air Forces Monthly Article (http://www.eurofighter.com/downloads/Kings%20of%20Swing_AFM.pdf), and was wondering, the bottom of their page 64, the Tiffy being loaded with paveways. Directly behind the paveway that is being loaded, the typhoon appears to have an oddly shaped pod on its starboard wing that has flaked a lot of paint on the upper surface.
Is this just malpositioning of something random, or something else? Certainly does not look like a fuel tank.

Looking again, could it just be the shadows from the netting in the roof of the hanger? Either way, should the paint be flaking off that quickly?

[Jetex Jim]

Hmmmmm? I get the feeling that some of us (Non pilots) aren't welcome here.......:suspect:..that would seem to be the suggestion, yet the pprune Military Aircrew banner suggests that it's not just aircrew but:Military Aircrew A forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.

I take 'backroom boys and girls' to be pprunespeak for engineers.

[Archimedes]

No, it's not - there are plenty of people other than engineers. The problem, with the greatest respect, is the nature of the posts that Tiffy and Theron have made.

The posts, while in some ways perfectly reasonable in terms of asking questions about Typhoon and the GR4 didn't need to include the 'Granny's Guide to Sucking Eggs', replete with generalistations about the capabilities of the GR4 versus Typhoon in CAS based on the number of PWII it can carry.

When someone with over, what, 13,000 posts on here suggests that perhaps the thread is a bit spotterish, a sentiment that has already been aired by some posters, it's probably a good idea to wonder why this observation has been made and whether questions could be phrased in a more sophisticated fashion, rather than going on to ask a question about Typhoon's availability which has been answered as clearly as OPSEC will allow in the Daily Mail (FFS!)and numerous other sources, including this forum.

I doubt that many people here - aircrew, engineer, journos who have survived contact and come back for more - would object to Tiffy and Theron asking the odd question here and there to improve levels of knowledge, but just telling us what Eurofighter GMbH say that the Typhoon can hang under its wings isn't going to win people over.

The advice given to Stephen Coonts' character Jake Grafton about how to behave on first contact with people more experienced than him - 'Son, keep your mouth shut and your bowels open, and you'll do fine' works pretty well here. Along with a high banter threshold, obviously. :ouch:

[TEEEJ]

Giblets,
It's just a fuel tank. It has a shadow cast on it which makes it look like a strange shape.

TJ

[iccarus]

I guess thats why the RAF are sending Tornado GR4's to Afghanistan soon.....

Or could it be that if Typhoon was sent you would instantly lose 4 Sqns or GR4's overnight - a la 6 Sqn??

[insty66]

Or could it be that if Typhoon was sent you would instantly lose 4 Sqns or GR4's overnight - a la 6 Sqn??

You might be flying too high. Where will all these operational Typhoons come from?

It might not be fashionable but the Tornado GR4 has a lot more work to do before it is replaced by Typhoon.

[5 Forward 6 Back]

You might be flying too high. Where will all these operational Typhoons come from?

Not to mention people to operate and maintain them. There was an article about Typhoon in Flight recently that mentioned that XI(F) was now at its full manning of something like 15-16 pilots. That means we've only got 2 squadrons and 30-odd pilots on the front line, which doesn't sound like a great deal when you add QRA(S) and the future requirement for QRA(FI).

Could the current Typhoon fleet sustain an operational detachment, or do we need to wait for at least one more squadron to stand up?

[Valiantone]

Well the answer to the last post is most likely yes probably?? but who know's....

Aside from that, I recall recently David Cameron stating that He would can Tranche 3 if the Connies ever get back into power (Groan...)

So thats another bunch of Brainless morons who are most likely to try and get rid of the most capable Tranche, and leave us with the most basic (and eventually most Sh**ed) airframes...

Something for everyone to ponder perhaps???

Not that DC or GB would care anyway....

V1

[Navaleye]

From the FT here. (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da2bf8b2-673a-11dd-808f-0000779fd18c.html)

Goodbye Typhoon Tranche 3?

[Stitchbitch]

30/07/08 - Ben goes solo in Typhoon - Horncastle News (http://www.horncastlenews.co.uk/coningsby-tattershall-news/300708--Ben-goes-solo.4338953.jp)

30 eh? Where have the other 70 gone off to?:*

[The Helpful Stacker]

Goodbye Typhoon Tranche 3?

And I doubt the Saudis will offer to buy them for the same price that the MoD were going to get them at.

Who will pick up the difference eh?

[Jetex Jim]

30 eh? Where have the other 70 gone off to?:*
Maybe to the Luftwaffe, Italian Air Force, Spanish, Austria...


And I doubt the Saudis will offer to buy them for the same price that the MoD were going to get them at.
From FLUG REVUE 6/2008
Saudi Arabia stresses that the unit price of £61.5 million (€77.7 million) is the same price that the RAF is paying.

[XV277]

Well the answer to the last post is most likely yes probably?? but who know's....

Aside from that, I recall recently David Cameron stating that He would can Tranche 3 if the Connies ever get back into power (Groan...)

So thats another bunch of Brainless morons who are most likely to try and get rid of the most capable Tranche, and leave us with the most basic (and eventually most Sh**ed) airframes...

Something for everyone to ponder perhaps???

Not that DC or GB would care anyway....

V1


But don't you know it's a Cold War relic that has no place in the 21st Century? It's not even stealthy for goodness sake! <Insert YOUR tired cliche about Typhoon HERE!>

[Jackonicko]

"I recall recently David Cameron stating that He would can Tranche 3 if the Connies ever get back into power..."

Source?

I'd be surprised for several reasons - one is that it would be a commitment to a specific policy, which Dave normally avoids like the f*cking plague! Two would be that its lunacy, and the Tories.....

ah, ok......

[recce_FAC]

TIFFYFGR4 ,
Sorry mate but what the hell are you talking about? You strike me as a geek that lives on line and reads Military Aircraft magazines for a living. Do you have any idea about weapon loadouts? When an aircraft is involved in the CAS role its not going to check in with me saying he has 6 EPW's and 6 A to A missiles.Bloody hell mate get your facts right.

[TiffyFGR4]

recce_FAC, "Mate", in case you didn't notice, those are not my words, I didn't make them up myself. Don't have a go at me in that way just because I posted something that maybe wrong!!! If you think my posts are wrong, then the least you could do is correct me on them in an polite manner! And no I don't "live on line and read Military Aircraft magazines for a living", I have a "Life". I'm just here to have a friendly conversation with others about something we/I'm are interested in! Jesus! Never seen so many people that are so anal & moan alot.

Sorry for butting in & going off-topic, people.

[recce_FAC]

Yep ok fair one buddy.My fault sorry about that .

[TiffyFGR4]

recce_FAC, Don't worry about it mate, no problem, no need to be sorry, it's cool. =)

[Sheep fancier]

TiffyFGR4 I think you'll find that an ex Servant of Her Majesty and her subjects seems to have a massive chip on his/her shoulder re same subjects taking an active interest in current RAF aircraft and ops, possibly because he/she is out the loop, ignore :ok:
He/she doesn't realise that a fair proportion of your Joe Public out there _DO_ take a keen interest in our RAF, it's aircraft, it's serving Officers, its Airmen, and their trials and tribulations, we're all Brits after all, aren't we.
But then again, maybe he/she shouldn't post either because -

"A forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here."

No mention of "ex-aircrew" there, is there.

But anyway, Typhoon, it looks the part, and from what I've seen with my own eyes, does the part. :D

[Stitchbitch]

Typhoon. You wish. End of. :ok:

[Jimmy Macintosh]

I keep reading about the lack of stealthiness of the Typhoon. As far as I recall even the design specification of the Dave stated that stealth was only required for the opening days of a conflict, that's why they have the ability to bolt pylons on to the wings to allow a greater payload.
All it comes down to is a limited number of genuine stealth aircraft to open the conflict then swamp the enemy under regular aircraft and tonnes of munitions.

[barnstormer1968]

I'm afraid I have to agree with our well informed politicians that the Typhoon is indeed a cold war relic, and as such is of no use on the modern battlefield. After all none of our partners would use cold war era aircraft. For example when was the last time you saw a modern thinking and tactically aware air force using cold war relics such as: A10. F15, F16, F18, B1A, B52, AH64, CH53, CH47, C130 etc

Now stop whining folks and admit that our political leaders know best, Stop asking for these high tech and brand new jets, and stick to your 30 year old Tornado's......Oh hang on, aren't they cold war too?:E

Barnstormer1968

(sits and waits for someone to point out the flaw in my argument..i.e. inferring USAF and tactically aware in the same sentence);)

[Valiantone]

IIRC the source for the David Cameron cannning T3 was one of the daily comics, you know the ones that always get everyone sooo right....

He stated (from memory) that they would undertake a Defence review if they got into power.....Thinks,:eek: Oh god!! not another defence review...

V1

[recce_FAC]

Well from a FAC/JTAC point of view the Typhoon is bloody great. Lots of controls per mission and the turning circle of a mini. GR -4's are ok with a good CAS squadron driving them but they take forever to turn .I know this is all from the low level side of things.Push them up to med level and you cannot really tell the difference.The only snag may be if you get an ex F-3 guy flying it,however they are getting better and better all the time. They do sound a little like a Stuka when they ''tip in''.

[BEagle]

He stated (from memory) that they would undertake a Defence review if they got into power.....Thinks, Oh god!! not another defence review...

When (not 'if'), David forms the next government and the grumbling porridge-wog is remembered as well as Tony...what was his name, one of the first things he has promised to do is to revisit the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident.

A signed letter I have from him (safely locked away) states:

10 Jul 2006

Dear (BEagle)

Thank you for your further e-mails about the Chinook accident.

You ask whether I would take early action to reinstate the reputations of the pilots if I form the next Government.

As I mentioned in my previous letter to you, I do believe that the reputations of the two pilots deserve to be reinstated, as the Lords Select Committee recommended, and in the absence of any overwhelming argument presented to me as Prime Minister, that is what I would do.

Yours sincerely,

(DC)

As soon as NuLabor is booted out (and it surely won't be that long), I shall be reminding DC of this promise! Some 'reviews' are clearly long overdue!

[TiffyFGR4]

Typhoon is a great aircraft, ask any pilot that operates them for a living & take his/her word for it, I bet it'd be nothing but positive words. Tell him/her it's a "Cold War Relic" & a "Fraud" & they'll give you the biggest lecture on how wrong you really are. Just because it was designed in the 80's doesn't mean it's not any good or a "Cold War Relic".

Like it or not, it's here to stay for a long time.

As for David Cameron, well....That's a guy that rides a bicycle on a pre-planned route with a bullet proof Jaguar XJ behind him so he can get into the back of when the cameras are not there......Hmmmmm the word 'pillock' springs to mind.

[TiffyFGR4]

I'm a Typhoon fan...............Is that such a bad thing?

[Sheep fancier]

"porridge-wog" Oh dear.

[Archimedes]

I don't think Cameron has said he'll bin Tranche 3, but the Lib Dems did in a policy paper they put out last year - which nobody seemed to notice, and, if they did, they forgot about it soon afterwards...

Apparently, when in power after the next election (yes, yes, I know...) the LibDems will bin Tranche 3 and the money saved will be spent on SLA for soldiers. The Army means' would-be LibDem councillor posted this in an apparent bid to earn plaudits from the users on that site, but when one of the first replies asked 'er.... what about the penalty clauses?' the response - remarkably was 'er.... there are penalty clauses?' and things seem to have gone a bit quiet after that. I think that the change-over from Ming Campbell to Nick Clegg might have led to the idea being given a quiet ignoring for the moment.

[Schnowzer]

What can it actually do now? When I was involved FOC slipped 4 years in the 21/2 I was in post. When BAe told us putting an ILS in would improve the FOC date, it seemed a good excuse to disappear to the airlines.Is it FOC air-to-air and air-to-mud, does EOC still exist BVRAAM etc or is that all pie in the sky?S

[Flatus Veteranus]

Agreed, the forum and the RAF are shadows of their former selves. And so am I!

Enough of this rubbish about "relics of the cold war". If enough of you could spare some time from whingeing about conditions of service, get your noses out of your tankards (or is it wine-glasses these days?), and your fingers out of.... you might realise that the cold war is getting colder again. So start polishing up the "relics".

[Pontius Navigator]

surely, Tiffy, that should be nit picking ??

knit one purl two

[Stitchbitch]

Flatus, They are there. 24 Hrs a day, 7 Days a week, 365 Days a year. Team Typhoon QRA.:cool:

[Flatus Veteranus]

I know they are, Stitchbitch, and I sleep more soundly for it. What we need now is for idiot columnists and others who talk through their ARRSE to stop sniping at Typhoon. The full order needs to be accelerated and if that means pulling out of Iraq NOW, who would shed tears? Perhaps we should engineer an early Typhoon deployment to Diyarbakir and then arrange a Georgian request for NATO help to defend its sovereign airspace. And some FGR4s could go along to do an APC against some of those 1980s-vintage ex-Soviet APCs and tanks. Good luck!