Multi role Typhoon "Fully combat ready"
So, no sandy work for our newest toy?
Rebel PPRuNer
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Lewis Page's take.
Extract:
Extract:
(Incidentally, the RAF has plans to use only 140-odd Eurofighters. A large number of the Tranche I and II jets will likely be permanently mothballed - essentially thrown away - as happened in the late '80s with the Tornado F3. Cost to the taxpayer per Eurofighter actually used could beat £180m, more than an American F-22 Raptor stealth ultrafighter.)
Lewis Page
As good an example of Lewis Page's jaundiced, boss-eyed and irretrievably dark blue view of the world as you'll ever find.
Meanwhile, the commentator gets 10/10 for his sheer persistence here:
Aviation Video: Eurofighter Typhoon - United Kingdom - Air Force
Meanwhile, the commentator gets 10/10 for his sheer persistence here:
Aviation Video: Eurofighter Typhoon - United Kingdom - Air Force
Last edited by PPRuNeUser0139; 2nd Jul 2008 at 16:42.
It's a good job that Page was never given responsibility for running anything in the services, isn't it? I suppose you have to offer some gruding admiration - that people will pay to read such ill-informed, jaundiced and inaccurate drivel...
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Interesting video of Typhoon there... but I was just wondering (and this isn't a criticism at all) - why is it such a conventional display? It's a very manoevrable aeroplane, so why is it that we never see any of the kind of funky stuff that the Russians seem to manage at airshows with their kit?
I'm NOT having a go! Simply curious..
I'm NOT having a go! Simply curious..
The RAF Typhoons that you see displaying are not the latest block aircraft. The display aircraft are F.2s and T.1s from 29 Sqn. Just a guess, but would that restrict their performance over later block aircraft, ie FGR.4 and T.3s?
TJ
TJ
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Night capable
why has it got 25 year old NVGs and no fancy night capability? I saw the helmet mockup 5 years ago and it looked like there was going to be a camera / NVG box on either side, guess that was one techno step too far for this side of the pond to work out then?
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Still being worked, I believe. I don't think there are any similar FJ helmets in operation at the moment. ISTR a problem with optical illusions at lower flying heights because the NVG sensors were spaced so far apart from each other on the side of the helmet. With HMCS tech, it is a massive plus to have integrated NVG capability, otherwise the magic green writing highlighting targets and off boresight missile cuing can't be used at night.
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If it's fully combat ready, why isn't it going? Surely all those thrusting Typhoon squadron commanders must be chomping at the bit to get more medals and promotions? Isn't a relatively air-threat-free environment like Afghanistan the perfect place to do some advanced air-ground operational testing? So if it's not going to Afghanistan, it can only be because it's not actually ready....
It's still not exactly prudent to start comparing it too favourably to the F-18, which has been dropping an awful lot of PGMs over the years (and in its Super Hornet guise does carry a butt-load of fuel, JDAMs, HARMs, JSOWs, integrated ECM, integrated targeting pod, datalink, gun, AESA radar, buddy refuel pods etc etc). The trouble with the Typhoon is that its procurement has been a total farce and it struggles to get out from under that cloud. If you, for example, look at the Typhoon's procurement that ran a mere 4-5 years late and cost something like 4 times the original budget, you do look a bit daft when you compare it to the Super Hornet program that was on time, on budget, under weight and dropping its first bomb in combat 10 years after it was ordered - 6 years ago.
UK folk are rightfully proud of the girl, but if you have been flying a Tornado for the last 20 years, you would be impressed by an airplane that can go above 30k, turn corners, has 3 colour screens and one day will be a great multirole platform. Now, when it's got an AESA radar and a full inventory of air-ground weapons (not just one bomb and a gun), can buddy tank and has been on ops (and can land on a ship?), it will be much easier to compare it to the F18
It's still not exactly prudent to start comparing it too favourably to the F-18, which has been dropping an awful lot of PGMs over the years (and in its Super Hornet guise does carry a butt-load of fuel, JDAMs, HARMs, JSOWs, integrated ECM, integrated targeting pod, datalink, gun, AESA radar, buddy refuel pods etc etc). The trouble with the Typhoon is that its procurement has been a total farce and it struggles to get out from under that cloud. If you, for example, look at the Typhoon's procurement that ran a mere 4-5 years late and cost something like 4 times the original budget, you do look a bit daft when you compare it to the Super Hornet program that was on time, on budget, under weight and dropping its first bomb in combat 10 years after it was ordered - 6 years ago.
UK folk are rightfully proud of the girl, but if you have been flying a Tornado for the last 20 years, you would be impressed by an airplane that can go above 30k, turn corners, has 3 colour screens and one day will be a great multirole platform. Now, when it's got an AESA radar and a full inventory of air-ground weapons (not just one bomb and a gun), can buddy tank and has been on ops (and can land on a ship?), it will be much easier to compare it to the F18
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I for one a extremely glad that it has finaly been brought into service and can do the whole AA and attempt to do the AG stuff. Although lets face it, the best thing it is going to be good at is the air display and recruiting guys into the RAF. Lets hope the weak as Mech radar and lack of stealth dosn't let it down in the Ops that have been predicted for the future......
Ivor, the comparison was with the legacy Hornet, not the Super, which are very different aircraft.
I think I've made the point here before, but look at the required number of AD squadrons for the UK laid down by the government at a time when the need for QRA against loonies who'd hijacked an airliner or Russian bombers on long range strategic flights appeared almost non-existant. It was five. Less than that would put the UK at risk, apparently.
Look at the number of AD capable squadrons we have now, with an increased level of threat. It's four. And that includes the two Typhoon squadrons. It's not that the Typhoon isn't really ready, it's because our government is
ing inept when it comes to defence and the aircraft is needed here because of its AA capability, which means that the GR4 fleet - which isn't quite what one wants for QRA - has to go instead.
I think I've made the point here before, but look at the required number of AD squadrons for the UK laid down by the government at a time when the need for QRA against loonies who'd hijacked an airliner or Russian bombers on long range strategic flights appeared almost non-existant. It was five. Less than that would put the UK at risk, apparently.
Look at the number of AD capable squadrons we have now, with an increased level of threat. It's four. And that includes the two Typhoon squadrons. It's not that the Typhoon isn't really ready, it's because our government is
ing inept when it comes to defence and the aircraft is needed here because of its AA capability, which means that the GR4 fleet - which isn't quite what one wants for QRA - has to go instead.
