Replica
 

Just watched a vid of the impressive Pak FA stealth jobbie 'Russian Stealth' 1st public flight: Sukhoi PAK FA T-50 at MAKS airshow - YouTube

and it got me thinking. I can't see JSF living with this no matter what LM say, so what will be done about it?

Is there a possibility of Replica finding a suitable customer in the mid future if funding can put in to it (I know it's a model, not flying)? There is no other option, it's **** or bust for JSF buying nations, so is there an opportunity to make something better? What will be JSF's Daddy seeing as F-22 is not available???

FOAS test model @ Bae Warton Aerodrome 11/3/2014 - YouTube

F-22 is off the cards, so how will western nations cope with Pak FA?

Why do you rate it over JSF?

Sun.

Now that looks like a proper stealth fighter! Bet it's cheaper than anything built in the West! Come on MOD, let's evaluate it! We could always have a mixed fleet! Mind you, learning Russian may be a step too far:ok:

Yes, what exactly about this series of Derry turns and wingovers from a technology demonstrator should have the F35 running scared? Is there something you know about its radar, EW suite and EA capabilities that LM need to be told about?

I'd assume it would be all over the F-35 in terms of performance and agility.
Who knows which would be more stealthy?
The F-35 would be streets ahead in radar, sensors, interfacing, ECM and the like.


It has been said many times but it seems so wrong that an aircraft that will be in service for many decades is starting its life seemingly without a performance advantage even over the aircraft it is replacing.

The LO detection capabilities between the 2 aircraft would be a debate, as would active ECM given the F-35 decisions to date.

I think the F-22 puts on a better airshow.


But what that means in an actual air to air combat situation, I don't know.

Oh, don't miss the bit near the very end of the video. :ok:

The point I'm trying to make is this, there's an opportunity for someone to become the next F-104 supplier.

Capitalise on the failure of LM, beat them at their own game, **** the spams over like they did to us after WW2.

Think big, Replica testbed is over 10 years old now. The manufacturing skills & confidence gained from Eurofighter should not be wasted. Turn the screw, use their strength against themselves jujitsu style, rub their noses in it and steal their customers.

Pious Pilot,

"The next F-104 supplier"

Go read some history about how THAT happened...

Who is this "us" "them" "their" and "they" that you speak of?

The "F-35" is Lockheed-Martin, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, GE, Martin Baker, Selex, UTC, Cobham, Ultra, Meggit, Curtis Wright, Magellan, CMC, Avcorp, Fokker, Elbit, IAI, TAI and hundreds of smaller suppliers.

WHO is going to stump up billions of pounds, Euros or dollars to repeat what all of the above have done and then go and chase the same markets that have already committed to the F-35?

Your rant read like a comic book version of The boys book of best British planes...

Thanks for your condescending input, it's hardly 'top trumps'.....

You have a jack of all trades master of none, single engine aircraft with a poor range, poor agility, poor load out, that will cost $200m+ each. Yeah, I'd say there is a massive opportunity there to produce something better and more affordable.

There are many countries that require this 5th gen silver bullet, there should be an alternative option because JSF is increasingly looking like it's not it.

Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer, they're over a barrel getting bummed senseless by LM, not just now, but for the next 50 years. There is an opportunity.

Never fear 6th is here!
 

Air Force Avoids New-Start Ban, Launches 6th-Gen Fighter, Next-Gen JSTARS
The Air Force is launching high-priority, new-start modernization programs this fall after winning approval from Congress to begin a sixth-generation fighter aircraft program and the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System replacement effort with fiscal year 2014 funds, sidestepping a statutory ban on new projects mandated by the stopgap spending bill funding the government through Dec. 11.

What would be the role ?
 

Would an operational version of Replica be a strike aircraft - a replacement for Tornado and Buccaneer? Would it need to have any fighter qualities other than to get sold ( F35! )?
If it was pursued it would probably be co-produced (out of date ) or UK-only (TSR 2 ).

Am I alone in wondering what "Replica" is? Not an expression I've come across before.

BAES' stealth/technology demonstrator thingy...

-RP

I have to agree, I don't know if you would remember the TFX* project of the 60s, if you don't you might want to look it up, I do believe that the F-35 is history repeating itself.


* Not the one Turkey is currently working on, the one that McNamara dreamed up.

http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...er-way-up.html

Secret UK stealth plane project revealed - 04 April 2003 - New Scientist

BAE Replica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.hitechweb.genezis.eu/stea..._replica_1.jpg

From everything I've read, the Replica project was about proving that, if necessary, the UK could build a next gen stealth aircraft - the most important bits to prove independance on being the surface coatings and materialst. I think this must tie in to more of their initial work as part of the Northrop Grumman team for JSF down selection, certainly the airframe shape has plenty of NG team features. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't much more than plywood beneath the skins. There are other birds furthering knowledge now.

I suppose there are others in here not allowed to share their knowledge on this, and this is just my opinion from what I've seen.

Well it seems the "experts" on here and other forums have declared the PAK-FA far superior to any thing else, including the F-22 and F-35. Wake me up when a few dozen are fully operational in front line squadrons. It is a long way from stunting around an airshow to true operational service. Will it make it? Probabaly, but perhaps not in droves.