No cats and flaps ...... back to F35B?
According to today's Times, service chiefs are urging the Government to stick with the F35B? I just don't understand this beyond any financial concerns. Is the ability to land vertically on carrier deck that preferable to range and capacity?
FB
FB
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Surely there should be more to this than just the choice of strike aircraft, having AEW cover, tanking and possibly both EW and COD. Is this a better package than just a single type with a possible short shelf life. Everything costs money but if we want to play big boy games then let's have the right equipment.
Suspect you have a combination of the following :
1. People believe that STOVL potentially equals two carriers whereas CTOL definitely means only one. Both these assertions are probably false. It remains to be seen exactly what the conversion costs are - I still maintain that £1.8Bn for one is way off the mark, given that hardware costs are known.
2. Is there an undeclared £1Bn associated with Tornado GR4 extension in service? If so, light blue would like the "conversion" money for that.
3. STOVL ostensibly means being able to continue the pretence that occasional two week deployments aboard is delivering carrier strike. This allows JF Dave to spend longer ashore, making some people happier. I suspect that if SRVL is required to be practiced regularly, that will prove to be false as well.
Colour that in with a judicious mix of "the B is no longer in trouble", coupled with "They haven't solved the C hook issue yet" and there's your story.
1. People believe that STOVL potentially equals two carriers whereas CTOL definitely means only one. Both these assertions are probably false. It remains to be seen exactly what the conversion costs are - I still maintain that £1.8Bn for one is way off the mark, given that hardware costs are known.
2. Is there an undeclared £1Bn associated with Tornado GR4 extension in service? If so, light blue would like the "conversion" money for that.
3. STOVL ostensibly means being able to continue the pretence that occasional two week deployments aboard is delivering carrier strike. This allows JF Dave to spend longer ashore, making some people happier. I suspect that if SRVL is required to be practiced regularly, that will prove to be false as well.
Colour that in with a judicious mix of "the B is no longer in trouble", coupled with "They haven't solved the C hook issue yet" and there's your story.
More bang for your buck
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Here we go again, the ongoing "lets have this, no that's much better" circular argument is why in service dates slip and projects cost 3 arms and 2 legs instead of 2 arms and 1 leg.
Reading more on the subject the rationale seems to be that this way they get both carriers operational for a minimum increase in cost. Apparently, the savings, otherwise, were negligable and they would not be compatible with French and American vessels. So that's what the Generalissimos are angling for, increased numbers rather than fewer but more able aircraft.
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What happened to us also buying the second production "EMALS"?
Is that another cost we will have to pay as a cancelation ?
There was great crowing from the Mp's that they had managed to secure this important piece of tech !
Is that another cost we will have to pay as a cancelation ?
There was great crowing from the Mp's that they had managed to secure this important piece of tech !
Sounds like a load of hoop to me. In what way are F35B supposed to be compatible with USN & MN carriers? In what way would F35C be incompatible? Could see some issues with CdG, but no show stoppers.
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Two mariners are shipwrecked on a remote Island. After a while, the first shipwrecked mariner turns to the second shipwrecked mariner and says
“Here, take this improvised axe made of stone, chop down that last remaining tree over there, then light a fire to send smoke signals - I’ll keep a
good look out on the off chance that another ship happens to be passing by”. That might be humorous if it were not UK Defence Policy post SDSR.
“Here, take this improvised axe made of stone, chop down that last remaining tree over there, then light a fire to send smoke signals - I’ll keep a
good look out on the off chance that another ship happens to be passing by”. That might be humorous if it were not UK Defence Policy post SDSR.
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Is there an undeclared £1Bn associated with Tornado GR4 extension in service?
Wait, so is the GR4 no-longer losing 1 squadron every year once we pull it out of theatre?
FB
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FB,
If the GR4 stays longer than the SDSR laid out, is that not going to cause a little bit of a headache for having enough experienced aircrew? Still too many trainees in the pipeline and not enough experience on the front line? A term that rhymes with Flustercuck springs to mind...
If the GR4 stays longer than the SDSR laid out, is that not going to cause a little bit of a headache for having enough experienced aircrew? Still too many trainees in the pipeline and not enough experience on the front line? A term that rhymes with Flustercuck springs to mind...
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Originally Posted by BASTARDEUX
Wait, so is the GR4 no-longer losing 1 squadron every year once we pull it out of theatre?
Top AD steed though.
Bastardeux,
I think at this point we get into too intricate a debate over what is and isn't possible. Next we'll be dicussing on here Squadron leave rosters and postings in and out. I'm sure that if the GR4 is to stay a little bit longer, there'll be no problem finding pilots and navs to fly 'em!
I understand there is even a precedence for expanding operational squadron numbers, and at a speed which would give George Osborne suicidal tendencies.
FB
I think at this point we get into too intricate a debate over what is and isn't possible. Next we'll be dicussing on here Squadron leave rosters and postings in and out. I'm sure that if the GR4 is to stay a little bit longer, there'll be no problem finding pilots and navs to fly 'em!
I understand there is even a precedence for expanding operational squadron numbers, and at a speed which would give George Osborne suicidal tendencies.
FB
I see the first UK F35B made its first flight on Friday...the 13th.
Originally Posted by Finningley Boy
According to today's Times, service chiefs are urging the Government to stick with the F35B? I just don't understand this beyond any financial concerns. Is the ability to land vertically on carrier deck that preferable to range and capacity?
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If we go for the -B then the French Rafales wont be able to fly from ours... and theres more chance of that happening in the next few years than there is of ANY F-35 variant getting close to one of our carriers
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Did the USS Wasp have modifications done to her superstructure prior to embarking the B and then after those trials is she having further work carried out to cater for these STOVL aircraft? Cross decking them to unmodified decks might prove to be 'interesting'
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Stand by. Stand by. Stand by...
EXCLUSIVE: Cameron makes humiliating u-turn on future of Britain's aircraft carriers | Mail Online
The DM says that DC is U turning and going for Dave B
The DM says that DC is U turning and going for Dave B