Lusty or Ark this aftermnoon
 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...k20Nov2008.jpg

Wot is that on the stern then?

(sorry it was a long way away)

I think it may be a mock-up of an F-35.

Found this page and this one - which possibly confirms my hunch.

it is a navalised TSR2?

There was talk about a demo mockup recently wasnt there

I am sure you are right re the F35 mockup.

I just could not believe my eyes!

JF

Yeah its the F35 mockup.

After looking at those links it looks like the one I saw at Yeovilton a couple of years ago, but with some British roundels added.

Or possibly the harrier that has been flying out of Culdrose.........:ugh:

1 - Its Lusty, Goalkeepers not Phalanx
2 - The cabin on the flightdeck is associated with the trials she's been running with the VAAC harrier
3 - but that does look like the Dave-B mock up unless they've radically changed the tail set-up of the VAAC. Bit big for an original Harrier as well.

Yup it is a JSF Mockup
 

It was onboard before LUST left Pompey for London. It's made of fibre glass and has no lashing points. Also it's too large for the CVS lifts so couldn't be taken into the hanger. There was a degree of concern that a gust of wind would result in the first JSF ditching.

Speaking from some (very) recent experience.....

1. It's the same F35 mock-up that was on the Ship for Meet Your Navy in July, and again for the recent London visit. Couldn't crane it off before sailing for the VAAC trial due to being at anchor rather than alongside.

2. It will go down the lift - it was in the hangar for some of the receptions held in London, and was kept in the hangar for the duration of the VAAC trial, only coming back up Thursday morning before Lusty's return to port.

3. It does have lashing points (of a fashion), but nothing you'd want to trust in a Sea State 6.

Radar Command T/O - thanks for putting the record straight. As was shown with XW175 in 2000, 2005 and more recently, getting a FBW STOVL jet into a CVS hangar is entirely possible even if it takes a little extra effort to "right-size" it for the lift. However, what the world really wants to know, or at least hear some good rumours about, is who zapped the model while it was in the hangar? :D Now I'll admit the wardroom attire of some of Lusty's guests might be construed as a clue, but I know it wasn't me and I don't know who it was.

Note the tie-down chains...

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...6/IMGP0332.jpg

Good old Navy - they love their traditions...:rolleyes:

Beagle's Navy Traditions
 

As opposed to the Crabs' habits.

I really do hope that the Fleet Air Arm receives the F-35B, but quite when, I hesitate to guess...

What can the RAF anticipate?

Leased A330s, privatised training, hopefully A400M and perhaps the odd Nimrod MRA4 sometime next decade.

But lots of 'brand awareness' logos and sundry marketing tat, no doubt.

OK - you win :ok: !

But as regards the GR9, apart from operating from the little carriers of today, it doesn't seem to offer a huge improvment over the Scimitar of some 45 years ago. Both multi-role mud-moving and recce (except that the Scimitar had 4 mighty 30mm radar-ranged Adens), both high subsonic (except that the Scimitar was capable of M0.95 at 36000 ft and had a 50000 ft ceiling), both capable bomb trucks capable of carrying over 8000 lb of bombs - neither have AI radar and the Scimitar would have had AIM-9 if it hadn't been phased out.

Hopefully F-35B (shame the carriers aren't big enough for the F-35C) will be rather more cutting edge than the Harrier now is.

But phasing out the SHAR 2 was a travesty.

Oh the Fleet Air Arm will deifnately get the F 35...... but, what sort of Officer will be sat in it..? Will he be a Naval Officer or an Air Force Officer?
Thankfully, by the time the F35 enters service the CDS will have changed hands

Oh Gawd, you don't want to be doing that. Some beancounter will see the photo and deduce that Dave will fit on one of the current 'carriers'. With a flick of the pen the two ships on order will be morphed into a new off-white paint scheme for Main Building. :ugh:

Looking back at past info (mainly Hansard) on the CVF they are perfectly big enough for the F-35C (Hoon et al stated they must be capable - ie big enough - for both conventional and VStol), the ships just need the cat and trap - space all designed in to take such kit.

But, with nothing designed in to produce steam for the models of catapult currently in production, so those can't really be fitted. The RN will have to wait for EMALS.

There is spare electrical generation capacity, and room, for the power-generation sets for EMALS, but that won't be ready for production until ~2014... The first components of the EMALS equipment are scheduled to be delivered in 2011 for installation in the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which is scheduled to be delivered to the US Navy in 2015. CVN-78 will be the first ship fitted with EMALS.