JSF and A400M at risk?
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Interesting and well put points Mick, however buying carriers and nothing to put on them will also lose a lot of face, and this marinised Typhoon rubbish would also cost a fortune and probably fail.
F18 anyone?
F18 anyone?
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Well, I remain sceptical that the UK will abandon the JSF and won't hold my breath for such an announcement saying as much to emerge. Buying alternative Super Hornets, Rafales or navalising Typhoons is still going to cost money. A reduction in the numbers of the planned procurement of 138 F-35Bs sounds more realistic depending on what Lockheed Martin eventually charges complete with support costs, etc and how the current financial crisis pans out. As Hutton acknowledges, it would be pointless building the carriers with no aircraft to operate off them after the Harrier is retired.
As for tranche three Typhoon, it appears that contract will be split into two batches with one ordered in 2009 and the remainder at a later date, according to recent interviews in the specialist aviation media with Eurofighter's Aloysius Rauen.
As for tranche three Typhoon, it appears that contract will be split into two batches with one ordered in 2009 and the remainder at a later date, according to recent interviews in the specialist aviation media with Eurofighter's Aloysius Rauen.
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Hutton
...but you'll note that he restricted his answer on the politics show. He said that the carriers would be equiped with 'capable aircraft' - and didn't specifically name JSF. There was also a lot of 'eyes left' when he was given those questions. A body language person might suggest that he was hitting a grey area at that point.
.. and the horrendous maths that some might be doing:
tranche 3 - circa £9bn
JSF - £9 - 12bn
Total £20bn
Marinised tranche 3 circa £14bn = £6bn saved.
.. and the horrendous maths that some might be doing:
tranche 3 - circa £9bn
JSF - £9 - 12bn
Total £20bn
Marinised tranche 3 circa £14bn = £6bn saved.
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So if the 25 A400Ms are cancelled what will fill the AT shortfall?
The remaining C130Ks will just about last until 2012, the C130Js are racking up fatigue life with outer wing replacements already talked about in 2012 for the fleet leaders.
Which platform will take over the DSF commitment - the C130J programme is only designed as a interim measure until the future SF (A400M?) platform!
Have we not realised that AT is a priority? Lessons learned from 7 of years operations?
We will always need AT, both strategic and tactical as force projectors and multipliers - cancelling A400M would be a stupid move that will leave UK PLC poorly placed for ongoing and future operations.
The remaining C130Ks will just about last until 2012, the C130Js are racking up fatigue life with outer wing replacements already talked about in 2012 for the fleet leaders.
Which platform will take over the DSF commitment - the C130J programme is only designed as a interim measure until the future SF (A400M?) platform!
Have we not realised that AT is a priority? Lessons learned from 7 of years operations?
We will always need AT, both strategic and tactical as force projectors and multipliers - cancelling A400M would be a stupid move that will leave UK PLC poorly placed for ongoing and future operations.
Last edited by Truckkie; 27th Oct 2008 at 10:46.
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Truckkie,
As far as I know, there's nothing to fill the role, hence the A400M was born in the first place.
I believe LM are looking into a fatter-albert, but that is even further away than the A400M is.
C17 is a good strat AT, but too big for the smaller partner nations who only ordered 1 or 2 aircraft. ~(South Africa, Belgium etc), also not suited to the majority of Euro tac work due to its size.
I agree it would be daft to cancel it, but then again, since when has anyone in power listened to the coalface.
If anyone can remember the start of the C17 project, that was nealry cancelled a few times, and only after massive investment did it work.
Hopefully the partners involved here will bite the bullet and finish what was started.
As far as I know, there's nothing to fill the role, hence the A400M was born in the first place.
I believe LM are looking into a fatter-albert, but that is even further away than the A400M is.
C17 is a good strat AT, but too big for the smaller partner nations who only ordered 1 or 2 aircraft. ~(South Africa, Belgium etc), also not suited to the majority of Euro tac work due to its size.
I agree it would be daft to cancel it, but then again, since when has anyone in power listened to the coalface.
If anyone can remember the start of the C17 project, that was nealry cancelled a few times, and only after massive investment did it work.
Hopefully the partners involved here will bite the bullet and finish what was started.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
That's before you take into account that a couple of months ago £1 got you $2. Now it's down to just over $1.52 and the forecast is below $1.40.
That's means the original £9B,reputedly now up to around £15B, will turn into £12B-£20B.
That's means the original £9B,reputedly now up to around £15B, will turn into £12B-£20B.
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Surely a lot, if not all, of that is offset by the fact that we are one of the manufacturers, and thus get paid in dollars also?
We are buying very few, and yet are getting a substantial part of the build.
We are buying very few, and yet are getting a substantial part of the build.
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Surely a lot, if not all, of that is offset by the fact that we are one of the manufacturers, and thus get paid in dollars also?
We are buying very few, and yet are getting a substantial part of the build.
We are buying very few, and yet are getting a substantial part of the build.
BAE now sells more to the US Department of Defense (DOD) than the UK MOD.[82] The company has been allowed to buy important defence contractors in the US, however its status as a UK company requires that its US subsidiaries are governed by American executives under Special Security Arrangements. BAE Systems faces less impediments in this sense than its European counterparts, as there is a high degree of integration between the US and UK defence establishments. BAE's purchase of Lockheed Martin Aerospace Electronic Systems in November 2000 was described by John Hamre, CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Deputy Secretary of Defense, as "precedent setting" given the advanced and classified nature of many of that company's products.[83]
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Where do we go from here?
Quite agree with Mick Smith's post: of all the options, considering there ARE going to be cuts, JSF is the most plausible: way too man unknowns, way too expensive, and the only program hich can be efficiently replaced. But with what?
- Forget about Typhoon. No matter how fantastically superior it is to everybody else. It is not possible to navalise it and it will not be: airframe strength, nosewheel under the intakes, no deck visibility due to the canards, high approach speed, low payload,etc.... Tried it with the Jaguar, binned it, tried it with the Mirage 2000, binned it, it required 80% of modifications on the acft.
Only sensible option is to grind the ski jump and put some F/A-18 (they will be damn old by 2015) or Rafales. I understand RN would rather chew their own hats rather than buying Rafales and re-learning to cat&trap 30 years after Ark Royal (the real one), however it makes sense...
- Forget about Typhoon. No matter how fantastically superior it is to everybody else. It is not possible to navalise it and it will not be: airframe strength, nosewheel under the intakes, no deck visibility due to the canards, high approach speed, low payload,etc.... Tried it with the Jaguar, binned it, tried it with the Mirage 2000, binned it, it required 80% of modifications on the acft.
Only sensible option is to grind the ski jump and put some F/A-18 (they will be damn old by 2015) or Rafales. I understand RN would rather chew their own hats rather than buying Rafales and re-learning to cat&trap 30 years after Ark Royal (the real one), however it makes sense...
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this is an interesting sentence;
A REDUCTION in the number of F-35s procured to as few as 85 aircraft would allow the RAF to maintain its current fast jet combat aircraft inventory levels WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INCREASING the capability and flexibility of the force.
Anyone explain to me how that would work ?
Or am I thick
A REDUCTION in the number of F-35s procured to as few as 85 aircraft would allow the RAF to maintain its current fast jet combat aircraft inventory levels WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INCREASING the capability and flexibility of the force.
Anyone explain to me how that would work ?
Or am I thick
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Rafale
Guys I think the Hornet is a good aircraft. But what with Europe getting closer together and also the fact our carriers and those of the French Navy wil be very much the same as I understand it there should be only one logical aircraft:- The Rafale!
If we buy American there always seem to be so many strings attached to what we can and cannot do with the plane!
Plus the Royal Navy could have its own Rafale fleet the RAF can have its Typhoons end of story. No longer will RAF pilots have to spend time at sea. How many Rafales would we need? About 100 maybe? Atlast we will have a proper Navy with real planes and real carriers! We could even then buy Hawkeye from the Americans.
If we buy American there always seem to be so many strings attached to what we can and cannot do with the plane!
Plus the Royal Navy could have its own Rafale fleet the RAF can have its Typhoons end of story. No longer will RAF pilots have to spend time at sea. How many Rafales would we need? About 100 maybe? Atlast we will have a proper Navy with real planes and real carriers! We could even then buy Hawkeye from the Americans.
To save money the best thing would be to cancel the carriers. Keep typhoon and jsf. No more c17 ,buy B747 freighters/combi can carry 100 tons direct to most current operational areas.
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100 tons????
I can see the old "ships-are-useless-because-with-our-mighty-planes-we-can-go-anywhere" rant coming on...
100 tons per aircraft i hear, so how many of those will you need to carry 40 JSF (20 odd tons each) plus a couple of AEW (I'm talking E2C, not the old bag), plus weapons, plus the engineers, plus supplies, plus beds and food for the whole lot....? I would say at least... one carrier...
Not to mention that before landing somewhere, you need the clearance, etc...Want an example? air force started working in a'stan 4 months after carriers were already launching strikes.
100 tons per aircraft i hear, so how many of those will you need to carry 40 JSF (20 odd tons each) plus a couple of AEW (I'm talking E2C, not the old bag), plus weapons, plus the engineers, plus supplies, plus beds and food for the whole lot....? I would say at least... one carrier...
Not to mention that before landing somewhere, you need the clearance, etc...Want an example? air force started working in a'stan 4 months after carriers were already launching strikes.
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Flight Global has just published latest A400M slippages.
Cue the Big Top music: "Rit dit diddle diddle...etc"
EADS slows down A400M production due to engine flight-test delays
On a serious note, is our AT requirement not heavily or utterly relient on this platform? I hear the J needs rewinged in circa 2012 and is knocking up an eyewatering FI. The Tristar is having the guts ripped out of it's cockpit imminently. Are we at risk of a dreadful shortfall of airlift for the guys who so desperately need it in theatre?
Cue the Big Top music: "Rit dit diddle diddle...etc"
EADS slows down A400M production due to engine flight-test delays
On a serious note, is our AT requirement not heavily or utterly relient on this platform? I hear the J needs rewinged in circa 2012 and is knocking up an eyewatering FI. The Tristar is having the guts ripped out of it's cockpit imminently. Are we at risk of a dreadful shortfall of airlift for the guys who so desperately need it in theatre?
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On a serious note, is our AT requirement not heavily or utterly relient on this platform? I hear the J needs rewinged in circa 2012 and is knocking up an eyewatering FI. The Tristar is having the guts ripped out of it's cockpit imminently. Are we at risk of a dreadful shortfall of airlift for the guys who so desperately need it in theatre?
12 very tired C130Ks reduce to 9 next year - just enough to maintain support to DSF and UK standbys. OSD 2012
C130Js racking up FI - first outer wing due replacing on fleet leaders in 2012. SF upgrade programme due to start 2010 through to 2012/13 - removing line airframes for modernisation.
Tristars OSD now 2014 - cockipit/avionic upgrades and fuel system overhaul permitting - cue Marshalls delays
VC10 - very, very tired.
C17 - brilliant but not enough airframes or crews - full fleet not operating until 2011/2012
A400M - original ISD 2010/2011 now slipping right at a vast rate of knots.
FSTA - 2009/10 - are you having a laugh?
2012 is being called the 'perfect storm' in the AT world when the airframe situation becomes critical.
Couple this with the move of Lyneham to Brize and the upheaval of the infastructure of the entire C130 fleet plus the continuing demands of operations and something called the Olympics!!
We will not have enough AT to support current ops, never mind anything else
Champagne anyone...?
Whilst the Herc fleet is getting tired and is overused I still think a lot more could be done to ensure longevity of both fleets.
That said, for the type of ops we're involved in we should buying a bunch of these fellas:
12T payload, 60 odd troops, bags of performance. So obvious it hurts
That said, for the type of ops we're involved in we should buying a bunch of these fellas:
12T payload, 60 odd troops, bags of performance. So obvious it hurts