Royal Navy to Buy F18F
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After visiting Landivisiau in 2008 I decided then you had the best Naval Air Arm in Europe with the best jet! Its better than Super Hornet (which is still a great aircraft). With your current force it probably makes you 2nd best navy in the world next to the USA, with you currently having the best Naval jet in service. We are not exactly in the same league which is really sad to say. One politican after another has failed this country.
We should try and be more like you! Even after the upcoming cuts and closure of places such as Reims and Cambrai you will still have far more than we do.
We should try and be more like you! Even after the upcoming cuts and closure of places such as Reims and Cambrai you will still have far more than we do.
A couple of points of order regarding Rafale's multi-role status:
1) It's not currently deployed in Afghanistan
2) It cannot use a laser designation pod, so cannot do any ISR, and has to fly with an M2000D to spike its bombs in.
It was a short-term deployment to make a sales pitch. Its capability is not worthy of comparison with other multi-role aircraft as things stand.
1) It's not currently deployed in Afghanistan
2) It cannot use a laser designation pod, so cannot do any ISR, and has to fly with an M2000D to spike its bombs in.
It was a short-term deployment to make a sales pitch. Its capability is not worthy of comparison with other multi-role aircraft as things stand.
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I would suggest that the likely option, without a current threat requiring a carrier, is to retire the GR7/9 force early, try and sell off the first CVA to India or elsewhere (including the GR7/9 wing as air assets)
Just a thought.....
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because we pay them aid so they act as a buffer against the rise of the pakistan based jihadi uprising - basically its a bribe....
when it does come it will go to india first....
Cynical ain't we
when it does come it will go to india first....
Cynical ain't we
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When you take a step back and look at the "big picture" where HMG are prepared to cause financial anguish to literally millions of families over tax-credits being scrapped (along with the provision of HMR&C to reclaim as much as they feel fit) then the carrier program really does shrink in overall importance to the population in general.
I know it's not "right" but that's a realistic outlook.
The choice has been made quite clear to the MOD.
Trident or carriers+lots of other equipment types.
This lot are planning post AFG, and expeditionary warfare is not on the list of "too-does" post AFG.
I know it's not "right" but that's a realistic outlook.
The choice has been made quite clear to the MOD.
Trident or carriers+lots of other equipment types.
This lot are planning post AFG, and expeditionary warfare is not on the list of "too-does" post AFG.
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Well no, the MoD don't have a choice over Trident - lets be fair - its ringfenced! I'm quite sure if the MoD had a choice, they'd pick carriers and lots of other equipment types every time!
Champagne anyone...?
Financial anguish? Benefits? Do me a favour. We spend more on benefits than we reap in income tax. An unsustainable state of affairs - the defence budget pales into insignificance next our bloated welfare state yet no-one in Govt has the plums to say or do what 90% of the country is thinking they should...
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No doubt we will re-engine it with a British engine resulting in the slowest most powerful and expensive F-18 ever built..... We will not get the source code for the avionics so will be cap in hand to the USA when ever we want to update something, on top of that we will change the weapons fit, the avionics fit and the in flight refuelling fit just to ensure it is no longer compatible with anyone elses F-18's and then we will have the fighter we never wanted, shortly following delivery we will cancel the carriers and the Royal Navy will pass them to the RAF who in future years will have to buy Amercian surplus versions to bolster the fleet whilst then having 2 variants on the books, neither really compatible with the other.....
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No doubt we will re-engine it with a British engine resulting in the slowest most powerful and expensive F-18 ever built..... We will not get the source code for the avionics so will be cap in hand to the USA when ever we want to update something, on top of that we will change the weapons fit, the avionics fit and the in flight refuelling fit just to ensure it is no longer compatible with anyone elses F-18's and then we will have the fighter we never wanted, shortly following delivery we will cancel the carriers and the Royal Navy will pass them to the RAF who in future years will have to buy Amercian surplus versions to bolster the fleet whilst then having 2 variants on the books, neither really compatible with the other.....
A group of detainees at Campsfield House immigration detention centre in Kidlington were on hunger strike last night.
Some new Darwin Award contenders - with their own solution to part of the UK's 'unsustainable state of affairs', perhaps?
Anyway, as regards the FAA's postulated Sea Hornet, surely no-one would be stupid enough to mess with a proven design?
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No doubt we will re-engine it with a British engine resulting in the slowest most powerful and expensive F-18 ever built..... We will not get the source code for the avionics so will be cap in hand to the USA when ever we want to update something, on top of that we will change the weapons fit, the avionics fit and the in flight refuelling fit just to ensure it is no longer compatible with anyone elses F-18's and then we will have the fighter we never wanted, shortly following delivery we will cancel the carriers and the Royal Navy will pass them to the RAF who in future years will have to buy Amercian surplus versions to bolster the fleet whilst then having 2 variants on the books, neither really compatible with the other.....
USN aircraft are already using the same flight re-fuelling system as us.
We can get the re-engine thing right from time to time. Our Apache is far more powerful then the USA version (Ok it was very late) Also various Wirlwind/Wessex types.
Agree the F4 was trashed by the Speys. They really did only just fit!! (The engine change kits included fag papers to check for clearance!) Should have bought the F4Js all along .
Last edited by Evileyes; 18th Aug 2010 at 04:04.
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Granted the F4s with Speys were a maintenance mare, but the ones I flew were awesome beasts, especially in the RAFG LLAD role - even more so when we took off the underwing tanks. Ask anyone from that era that tangled with us (and that includes Viper and Hornet drivers).
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What part of either
"then the carrier program really does shrink in overall importance to the population in general."
OR
"I know it's not "right" but that's a realistic outlook."
Do you want me to explain? the politicians may be swinging a large axe but will be looking to show "balance" to the populous.
"then the carrier program really does shrink in overall importance to the population in general."
OR
"I know it's not "right" but that's a realistic outlook."
Do you want me to explain? the politicians may be swinging a large axe but will be looking to show "balance" to the populous.
Oh lordy, the lunatic Frenchman is back.
For those that don't know, our poster 'astronaute' is the latest handle used by a particularly obsessed (and probably mentally ill) Frenchman who has posted across the internet on a range of handles, including 'Thunder' 'Sampiax', Gogo, Gn, Gilles54.
His method of operation is simple - he will flame, flame and flame again, with endless links and posts of pure drivel to 'prove' that anything French is perfect, and anything British is a failure.
He has been here before, and was banned very quickly when he started picking a fight with Jackonicko, and several pilots suggesting they didnt know what they were talking about on the Rafale, and that they were just idiot amateurs.
May I suggest we mag to grid the poster in question ASAP please, he is a troll and nothing more than that.
For those that don't know, our poster 'astronaute' is the latest handle used by a particularly obsessed (and probably mentally ill) Frenchman who has posted across the internet on a range of handles, including 'Thunder' 'Sampiax', Gogo, Gn, Gilles54.
His method of operation is simple - he will flame, flame and flame again, with endless links and posts of pure drivel to 'prove' that anything French is perfect, and anything British is a failure.
He has been here before, and was banned very quickly when he started picking a fight with Jackonicko, and several pilots suggesting they didnt know what they were talking about on the Rafale, and that they were just idiot amateurs.
May I suggest we mag to grid the poster in question ASAP please, he is a troll and nothing more than that.
Jim - he hasn't claimed to be a former member of the Armee de l'Air (hinting at some FJ experience and an expertise in aeronautics greater than Camm, Mitchell, Bloch/Dassault combined) yet, so are you sure it's the same bloke?
If it is, he was Gegene [sic?] last time, wasn't he?
If it is, he was Gegene [sic?] last time, wasn't he?