They may be waiting for block 4 hardware.

That would be the optimistic way of looking at it - it might even work out too!

Do be serious, we are talking the U.K. plc here, I’m still surprised they didn’t try to re-engine it. ;)

We did - F136

I thought that Rafale had just got an order for 80 jets. Shame that Typhoon had not sold a lot better. But it is pretty expensive, primarily because of the 4 nation consortium.

It did 80 for UAE, also think that if something cant be sorted with the US govt over the F-35 the rafeal order for the UAE will be increased. Also still a possibility for some for indonesia. But the foreign sales possibilites of both the EF and Rafael are starting to dry up.

The F-35 is built in many states and nations. It isn't the reason the EF is expensive. Rafale in built in one and is expensive.

Both F35 and Rafale only have one final production build line. EF has 4, which I do know adds to the unit cost. Duplication of expensive resources.
However, I was not suggesting that it is the only reason why it is so expensive. Just one of them.
An example is that when bidding for an export sale, all 4 nations have to work on their own supply and support costs individually, then submit them to EF who coordinate the final submission.
Very much doubt that is the case for Rafale for example.
F35 price is a function of the large number of units produced.

I have the distinct feeling that Airbus Defence ist the only one who fully includes already incurred Overhead costs into the calculation: Cue: The F-35 is getting cheaper and offers for late comers like Switzerland and Finland seem to be based purely on production costs/marginal costs plus a small margin to contribute to Overhead costs from the past (e.g. development costs).EF is getting more and more expensive over time.

Do you want to count the F-35 production lines again? I'll start you off in the EU with Italy.

Plus Japan assemble their own A's IIRC.

So, that's 3 so far.

Correction accepted.
I thought that the Italian FACO was only for repairs. And was not aware that Japan had a production build line.
So thank you for your update.

The Italian and Dutch F-35As were/are built in Italy, and it may be offered to other European customers in future (Greece, Spain, etc).
The Japanese were back and forth for a while about where their F-35s would be built, but I wasn't aware that any had actually rolled off the line at the country's FACO. I thought that was being used as an MRO facility, but standing by to be corrected.

Mystery customer
 

Any guesses?
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...he-stealth-jet

I have had a cursory look at the dsca.mil to assertain which one of the new customers it could be?

https://www.dsca.mil/search/node?keys=f-35

Cheers

Smart money is saying singapore. Singapore has some F-35B's coming, the rumor is a its study to see about putting isreali software and systems in the singaporian B models

Israeli PM had a clandestine visit to singapore in october

Israeli stuff is plug and play. It has already been incorporated and shouldn't need to be redone.

Firstly I dont believe it is all plug and play, the intial plan was but the US relented and gave them access to the core operating system to put in their electronics, secondly singapore is getting B models and while the ADIR's are based on A models

They gave then nothing. They didn't even give UK, their T1 partner access. The US did the work in the states for them. They plug in and have no access to the core software. Even reprograming lab for mission data files. Are done in the US under supervision.

Thailand next?
 

Bangkok eyeing them up

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...5-stealth-jets

cheers

South Korean F-35 Conducts Emergency ‘Belly Landing’ 04 Jan 2022 Greg Hadley
https://www.airforcemag.com/south-ko...belly-landing/
"A South Korean air force F-35 pilot was forced to make an emergency “belly landing” but managed to escape unharmed Jan. 4, according to multiple media reports. The incident was caused by “avionic system issues,” South Korean air force officials told news agency Yonhap, which caused the landing gear to malfunction and resulted in the pilot landing on a runway with the gear up. Before the landing, a fire engine deployed a special foam on the runway, “which prevented the jet’s fuselage from sustaining any serious damage,” officials added. The full extent of the damage has not been reported...."