F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
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"Well it has been announced that the British Armed Forces will now be buying 330 F-35b's rather than the original 140 - odd or however many it is.
With majority going to the Royal Navy, who need it to replace the ever ageing Harrier GR9 (how many times MORE will they update it?).
But there is a desperate need to get the F-35.
Also, let us note, us Brits are not AGAINST the americans, if you didn't have us (and vice versa) then we would be in a chaotic crisis situation!
Regards, Matt. "
God help us With majority going to the Royal Navy, who need it to replace the ever ageing Harrier GR9 (how many times MORE will they update it?).
But there is a desperate need to get the F-35.
Also, let us note, us Brits are not AGAINST the americans, if you didn't have us (and vice versa) then we would be in a chaotic crisis situation!
Regards, Matt. "
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Well it has been announced that the British Armed Forces will now be buying 330 F-35b's rather than the original 140 - odd or however many it is.
It hasn't Mick. Officially I think we're still at 150. In reality it's known to have been reduced to 82-85.
They've just allocated serials for a mere 66.
66 too many....
They've just allocated serials for a mere 66.
66 too many....
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The number is officially 135 + the three IOT&E models that the Flight Global article refers to (they need to be ordered by Feb 2009). The serial number allocation does sound more realistic.
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Wonder if F22 & F35 programmes will survive under Obama?
Do not think they are in danger as such, more likely those unglamorous force multipliers that will get chopped......................
Do not think they are in danger as such, more likely those unglamorous force multipliers that will get chopped......................
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The relative size of each program and their respective inertia would suggest their survival.
Then again who really knows apart from the new chap in the big house?
The President can't just cut funds for a program. Congress authorizes and appropriates the money for x program. The President, by law, must execute that program until Congress changes the decision and cuts funding (brevity version of the process).
As an example, in the early 1990s, then SECDEF Dick Cheney wanted to kill the V-22 program. Bush Sr. agreed.
The result was V-22s operational today.
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Does anyone know Robert Hewson of Janes?
He has been quite vocal in the Norwegian media the last 2 weeks with some quite strong anti JSF rhetoric, along the lines of
"....the JSF will never be built....." "....choosing JSF makes Norway look like a banana rebublic....."
Is this character known for anti JSF views and having an ax to grind, or is he a serious and balanced reporter?
M609
He has been quite vocal in the Norwegian media the last 2 weeks with some quite strong anti JSF rhetoric, along the lines of
"....the JSF will never be built....." "....choosing JSF makes Norway look like a banana rebublic....."
Is this character known for anti JSF views and having an ax to grind, or is he a serious and balanced reporter?
M609
I know Rob.
He's a serious and balanced reporter, though one who will sometimes 'speak his mind' - often using entertaining and colourful prose.
He takes it seriously, has been nominated in the journo awards more often than most, and is very highly regarded in industry and by his peers. He produces copy that is accurate, insightful, incisive and very readable.
He is, in short, one of the very best.
He doesn't suffer being bul.l****ted gladly, and as a result can be harsh about programmes where reality and PR spin are too far apart. He might admit to being a 'JSF sceptic', though if he is, I'm sure that any such scepticism is entirely based on an honest and rigorously impartial assessment of the facts as he sees them.
I'm sure that other PPRuNing journos would share my high opinion of Mr Hewson.
He's a serious and balanced reporter, though one who will sometimes 'speak his mind' - often using entertaining and colourful prose.
He takes it seriously, has been nominated in the journo awards more often than most, and is very highly regarded in industry and by his peers. He produces copy that is accurate, insightful, incisive and very readable.
He is, in short, one of the very best.
He doesn't suffer being bul.l****ted gladly, and as a result can be harsh about programmes where reality and PR spin are too far apart. He might admit to being a 'JSF sceptic', though if he is, I'm sure that any such scepticism is entirely based on an honest and rigorously impartial assessment of the facts as he sees them.
I'm sure that other PPRuNing journos would share my high opinion of Mr Hewson.
Well not everyone likes having their cosy preconceptions and nationalistic spin contradicted, so I'm sure that Mr H has his detractors.
But I read his stuff with interest, as I do Bill Sweetman's, Doug Barrie's and the rest, and Jane's Air Launched Weapons has certainly come on under his editorship.
But you can't please all the people, all the time.
Especially if you're a journo.
But I read his stuff with interest, as I do Bill Sweetman's, Doug Barrie's and the rest, and Jane's Air Launched Weapons has certainly come on under his editorship.
But you can't please all the people, all the time.
Especially if you're a journo.
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Does anyone know Robert Hewson of Janes?
He has been quite vocal in the Norwegian media the last 2 weeks with some quite strong anti JSF rhetoric, along the lines of
"....the JSF will never be built....." "....choosing JSF makes Norway look like a banana rebublic....."
Is this character known for anti JSF views and having an ax to grind, or is he a serious and balanced reporter?
He has been quite vocal in the Norwegian media the last 2 weeks with some quite strong anti JSF rhetoric, along the lines of
"....the JSF will never be built....." "....choosing JSF makes Norway look like a banana rebublic....."
Is this character known for anti JSF views and having an ax to grind, or is he a serious and balanced reporter?
Whereas judging someone on the basis of two quotes, taken out of context, is evidence of what?
And from someone who registered specifically to make that one post.....
And from someone who registered specifically to make that one post.....
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I always though that journalists where supposed to be objective and used impeccable sources and facts to back up their assertions.
Journalists are slightly above politicians in my estimation.
You'd still punch them, but maybe a politician would get it a bit harder.
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Whereas judging someone on the basis of two quotes, taken out of context, is evidence of what?
- Norge minner litt om en bananrepublikk - Nyheter - Innenriks - Aftenposten.no
- Kampflykjøpet får Norge til å minne litt om en bananrepublikk, sier Robert Hewson, redaktør i militærtidsskriftet Jane’s.
- Jeg forstår det ikke. Hele verden ser på dere, alle trodde at Norge gikk metodisk til verks. Men så har dere landet på en pris som ikke eksisterer, og en kapabilitet som ingen kan bevise finnes. Det ser ut som om alle analyseverktøy ble kastet ut av vinduet de siste 48 timene før valget. Det er trist for Norge og et flyvåpen som nyter så stor respekt ute, sier Hewson til Aftenposten
Then it's a lot of discussion about LMs fixed price claim, and it's validity.
Aftenposten then uses a quote from the Swedish technical journal "Ny Teknik" this april.
- Bedre fly enn Gripen C/D går det ikke an å få tak i, sa Hewson til svenske Ny Teknik i april. Og han la til: –Noen må ha mot til å si «nei, vi kjøper ikke JSF. Vi kan bruke våre penger bedre
Bold claims all round, that's all....
..sorry about the spelling, even my norwegian spelling is below par!
Pious Pilot,
Raise the subject of journos and inevitably, some of PPRuNe's less intelligent contributors will kneejerk themselves into the same old witless, offensive stereotypes.
How hard would one have to strike you to punch some sense into you, I wonder?
M609,
1) "The fighter aircraft purchase makes Norway look a bit like a banana rebublic says Robert Hewson, editor in the defense journal Jane's."
While the decision may be unexceptionable, the process certainly looks to many of us just as dodgy as something you'd find in a banana republic - artificially inflating a guaranteed price, loading a derivative of an in-service aircraft with more risk than a brand new aircraft that also marks a quantum leap in technology, etc.
If the quote is accurate, which must be in doubt, since they failed to properly describe Rob's job title.
2) "I don't understand it. The whole world looks to you, everybody thought Norway used a methodical approach. But we see that you have concluded with a price* which does not exist, and a capabilities that no one can prove**. It looks like you threw your calculations out the window during the last 48 hrs before the selection.*** It's sad for Norway and it's Air Force which is so respected abroad."
*The JSF price is literally incredible, in the light of the known US price estimates.
**A harsh but fair assessment. JSF remains unproven.
***I thought that the writing was on the world the moment the Typhoon people through Teddy out of the cot. I believe that the JSF decision had been irrevocably made months before.
3) "You cannot get hold of a better aircraft then Gripen C/D"
Rob's a Gripen fan, certainly, but I suspect that he meant this in a particular context. Clearly there are better aircraft then Gripen C/D, but perhaps not for a specific requirement and at a particular price point.
4) "Someone must have the courage to say "no, we won't buy JSF, we will use our money on something better"
With F-35B costs now escalating to stupid levels, I'd agree that it's time for someone to at least question the madness. In Av Week, Dave Fulghum wrote that: "16 F-35A/B/Cs in the 2009 budget will cost $237 million each. In 2010, 12 F-35A will cost $203.1 million each and 18 F-35B/Cs will cost $198.1 million apiece. For unit costs over the total program in then-year dollars, 1,763 F-35As will cost $96.8 million per aircraft, while the 680 F-35B/Cs come in at $122.6 million."
Some affordable fighter
Raise the subject of journos and inevitably, some of PPRuNe's less intelligent contributors will kneejerk themselves into the same old witless, offensive stereotypes.
How hard would one have to strike you to punch some sense into you, I wonder?
M609,
1) "The fighter aircraft purchase makes Norway look a bit like a banana rebublic says Robert Hewson, editor in the defense journal Jane's."
While the decision may be unexceptionable, the process certainly looks to many of us just as dodgy as something you'd find in a banana republic - artificially inflating a guaranteed price, loading a derivative of an in-service aircraft with more risk than a brand new aircraft that also marks a quantum leap in technology, etc.
If the quote is accurate, which must be in doubt, since they failed to properly describe Rob's job title.
2) "I don't understand it. The whole world looks to you, everybody thought Norway used a methodical approach. But we see that you have concluded with a price* which does not exist, and a capabilities that no one can prove**. It looks like you threw your calculations out the window during the last 48 hrs before the selection.*** It's sad for Norway and it's Air Force which is so respected abroad."
*The JSF price is literally incredible, in the light of the known US price estimates.
**A harsh but fair assessment. JSF remains unproven.
***I thought that the writing was on the world the moment the Typhoon people through Teddy out of the cot. I believe that the JSF decision had been irrevocably made months before.
3) "You cannot get hold of a better aircraft then Gripen C/D"
Rob's a Gripen fan, certainly, but I suspect that he meant this in a particular context. Clearly there are better aircraft then Gripen C/D, but perhaps not for a specific requirement and at a particular price point.
4) "Someone must have the courage to say "no, we won't buy JSF, we will use our money on something better"
With F-35B costs now escalating to stupid levels, I'd agree that it's time for someone to at least question the madness. In Av Week, Dave Fulghum wrote that: "16 F-35A/B/Cs in the 2009 budget will cost $237 million each. In 2010, 12 F-35A will cost $203.1 million each and 18 F-35B/Cs will cost $198.1 million apiece. For unit costs over the total program in then-year dollars, 1,763 F-35As will cost $96.8 million per aircraft, while the 680 F-35B/Cs come in at $122.6 million."
Some affordable fighter
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Quote
"With F-35B costs now escalating to stupid levels, I'd agree that it's time for someone to at least question the madness. In Av Week, Dave Fulghum wrote that: "16 F-35A/B/Cs in the 2009 budget will cost $237 million each. In 2010, 12 F-35A will cost $203.1 million each and 18 F-35B/Cs will cost $198.1 million apiece. For unit costs over the total program in then-year dollars, 1,763 F-35As will cost $96.8 million per aircraft, while the 680 F-35B/Cs come in at $122.6 million."
But you can't put a price on stealth...............yeah right
"With F-35B costs now escalating to stupid levels, I'd agree that it's time for someone to at least question the madness. In Av Week, Dave Fulghum wrote that: "16 F-35A/B/Cs in the 2009 budget will cost $237 million each. In 2010, 12 F-35A will cost $203.1 million each and 18 F-35B/Cs will cost $198.1 million apiece. For unit costs over the total program in then-year dollars, 1,763 F-35As will cost $96.8 million per aircraft, while the 680 F-35B/Cs come in at $122.6 million."
But you can't put a price on stealth...............yeah right