Glad Rag - I've operating experience of GR7, GR9, and F-35. I can assure you, the GR9 doesn't come close to the F-35's capabilities. Unless you've flown GR9, your statement is opinion, not fact.

Same as always ms, you really shouldn't believe all you’ve been...told..however you are demonstrably more than capable of telling people what to think!

ps it's glad rag~~no false airs and graces from the bottom of these steps me ol' china ;)

Glad Rag, not at all me-old tyre kicker. Just telling how it is...from the cockpit.

It's interesting to watch the figures for the final cost of each of the variants getting tossed around. I wonder what production runs these are based on, and what tail is on that dinosaur in terms of "off the production line" to "full systems cost" to "full life cycle cost." What's the number mean?

speaking of which. I had the good fortune to upgrade the GR7 that was fragged at Kanahar [?] frightening how the shrapnel passed through both intakes and fus behind cockpit....I guess the plastic pig will have better ballistic resistance then...oh hang on those "testing benchmarks" were cancelled to get the programme back on, er, track......

..now about electrical system[s] protection...yes interesting in light of THAT electrical fire..polyimide film insulation in any of it's little disguises? Shirley not, mind you it is still in use just "better protected" these days..

Who knows Lonewolf it's another of those F35 "secrets" that should be out there, in complete transparency and independently verified.

Perhaps we should ask Putin, he's BOUND to know after all, he DID rig your election...:}

Taken in order.
1. Nope. Classified program and capability.
2. Take the political BS to JB, if you please.
3. Merry Christmas/Happy Boxing Day ... as appropriate.

LW_50,

The price shouldn't be classified - it's not supposed to be - that's why Congress insists it's published.

The dirty little secret I found in my service was that by the far most secret caveat used to classify information was "Embarassment in Confidence" due to the harm it would cause to the person and party in power rather than the nation.

Can't really argue with the generalisation ORAC, however, I wouldn't believe that F-35 classified is a carpet under which embarrassment is swept.

Quite wrong in this instance.

ORAC, "complete transparency" is what "nope, classified" was a response to.
As to "report less due to embarrassment" -- seen that as well, but that isn't the topic I was addressing. What I was addressing before the usual entropy arrived was the multiple ways that accounting is applied to the same program and the same money to get different answers, based on what it is you are charging for and over what time period.

Thats an misleading - false- headline.

How so? Slightly exaggerated perhaps - as are most - but false? No.

".....Operational combat testing that all weapons systems must pass will start in mid-2018 and be completed a year later. Gilmore labeled that “false.” Instead, he said the tests will commence “no sooner than late 2018, or, more likely, in early 2019 but could be as late as 2020.”.........

".....The Navy’s version of the plane, the F-35C, also has inadequate wing strength, Gilmore said. Its wingtips aren’t strong enough to carry the AIM-9X short-range air-to-air missile, a primary weapon, at some altitudes and airspeeds. Testing on a fix is under way."......

So if Strumpf (what the Smurfs are called in France) did cancel or curtail F-35, just where would that leave the UK, RAF and FAA?

Wander00, we'd be paddling the carriers up a creek without the proverbial paddle that's where.

Obviously then we will pay whatever to ensure that scenario does not happen.

Buy more helicopters and rename the QE "Ocean"................

Isn't 2019-2020

Give the "experts" who cancelled the catapults knighthoods?

Only this afternoon walked past a boat yard where they were working on a bloody great paddle. He swore it was needed PDQ to 'push a couple of carriers far up a creek and out of sight'.