You could buy a real one for $305,000
https://www.platinumfighters.com/inv...ighter-n104rb/


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3a41e54962.jpg
Other A/C are available...

At least it will be through an open competition, hopefully with no political meddling. some interesting comments from MDP.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Common...rocurementSmes

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Common...3BDD/RedArrows

Aeralis
 

As I have said many times, I will be delighted to be proven wrong but I still don’t see Aeralis being the logical choice.

Their USP is the common wing concept. I am struggling to see any customer, the RAF included, who needs that right now. In the RAF’s case they are solely after a straight Hawk T2 replacement. That means that the Aeralis comes across as a ‘Jack of all trades, Master of none’. There are much better options for a pure Phase IV trainer already on the market.

I really don’t want to see the RAF lumbered with a poor aircraft just to satisfy British industry. I mean, when has that ever happened?!

BV

I suspect we will see this continued level of interference especially noting a) Dinenage’s husband is in the Lords and is appointed as a Defence Security Advocate established to help drive UK Defence exports and involves engagement with both UK Industry leaders and foreign Government Ministers, and b) Reid is in the Lords and on Aeralis’s board.

There are more COIs here than you can imagine. That’s before diving down the rabbit hole of Mr China being on their Advisory Board and the very non-British nature of the supply chain especially when looked at via ownership. Rumour has it there’s a capability investigation underway into their maturity…….

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1984-10-17/debates/8682880b-879e-46a2-925a-91b914046600/RafNewBasicTrainerEvaluationOfTenders

What British Industry though, they don't even have a UK production facility to build any yet......(ignoring the fact that they haven't even built a flyable and testable prototype yet)

Its far too late in the day now to be even thinking that Aeralis is even an option for Hawk T.2 replacement....maybe if the timeline was 2050, but not 2030.
But, I'm sure wallets and ego's in the corridors of power can be suitably massaged to give the RAF another donkey.

I have a bridge to sell you….

Aeralis' concept is common fuselage (core), not common wing.

Skua
 

Haha. Good spot. I won’t amend my post, but I think people knew what I meant.

BV

This annoying habit of linking the M346 to Russia (I can understand why) should be shot down - MDP should be better briefed.

And someone needs to brief John Cooper on the facts relating to TSR2.

Sorry about this, but I couldn't resist it!!!

Someone seems to think otherwise according to this BBC report.

Jack

But they only do that once in about every 20 years - to really be beneficial they either need to do it more often, or make sure that the financial gain is 20x the cost of the tour to pay for the years in between ;)

The only thing more clueless than a BBC report is usually a politician.

They also need a factory to build it in. Apart from Warton, all the factories have been shut down and disposed of.

According to The Times today. From the article:-

Is Hawarden gone too?

CG

Broughton is an Airbus plant; however I understand Spirit Aerosystems still have manufacturing facilities in Belfast and Prestwick; I belive they are looking to unload both.

Quote:

---

Glasgow Prestwick Airport has been selected by leading British aircraft manufacturer AERALIS as the final assembly site for its revolutionary new aircraft programme – successfully beating off competition from 67 other UK locations.

---

https://www.glasgowprestwick.com/new...ew-red-arrows/

Aeralis must have paid for some nice lunches to these press people, which just goes to prove how clueless the press are.

Leading British aircraft manufacturer..... :confused::ugh:

Nonsense!

Samlesbury is huge and all of the Airbus UK plants are pretty large and impressive too. There are numerous component and sub assembly manufacturers who could also get involved. The plan to manufacture the Aeralis includes airframe manufacture at Hamble and an assembly line at Prestwick.

You do seem to be really ill informed.

Indeed, let’s see if they’re still going in the fall. It’s all getting very tiresome; there are COIs everywhere starting in the upper chamber, then there’s the China angle given KD on the Board of Advisors, Southwell is no angel with the SFO, complete hyperbole around the market they can win, and then there’s the duplicitous playoff between London and Paris.

Aeralis
 

If you’re going to make such bold statements please, for the love of God, come up with some artwork that illustrates an aircraft designed for this century, not the middle of last century.

BV

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....47ac719bf.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1cefaaf8c.jpeg

I realise that looks aren’t always a measure of performance but, it looks odd, like they grafted the cockpit of a M346 onto a G91.

I can't believe that anyone is still taking Aeralis seriously - even a basic knowledge of aerodynamics and fighter design tell you that thing won't work. But hey, it's got a Union Flag on the tail....that's gotta be worth buying.

I still wonder if it's designed by the chap who does the Skytoons caricatures.

https://skytoons.co.uk/

Crumbs, what an ugly aeroplane. Bring back the Hunter :-)

Actually it looks more like a SAAB J29.

Aeralis Jet
 

The aeroplane is still the problem for me. Last year it went from a high wing design to a low wing design. At RIAT (where the images are from) they are showing a crayon drawing of a jet which could have been done by the YTS member of the team. Nobody can possibly believe that drawing represents the final draft of a 21st century training jet design.

They are basically still saying “you give us the cash and we’ll get serious about a design, until then just trust us that it’ll be a jet and we’ll paint ten of them red for you”.

Until I see a credible image of a jet that looks like it’ll rival the current market competitors (I know cockpit and avionics will be just as important but performance still matters) I just can’t get excited.

Allegedly they are 12 months from a flying prototype but they haven’t actually decided what it’ll look like. Unless that really is the final design, in which case I actually hope they don’t get any investment.

I will end with my usual caveat. I hope I’m wrong and I truly hope Aeralis develops and builds a market leading modern training jet that sells globally in huge numbers.

BV

Gonna need a bigger fin!

Mog

Tell me you're an aircraft manufacturer that's never designed an aircraft or even appreciates aircraft design without telling me...

It's not just ugly, it's a Frankenstein level hodge podge of curves and lines.

To think that these ridiculous cartoon images were approved, then printed & presented is mighty sad.

Looks like the APU chuffs the smoke..;maybe there`s a double crease in the `plans`..

DSEi
 

Had a gander at DSEI this week, and wandered past the Lockheed Martin booth and spotted the model of Tf-50 in red colors so my pics here

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....912dc14b41.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2ff0ff530e.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fd6b88f3e0.jpg
cheers

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1213e7dfc6.png
The Aeralis design reminds me of this aircraft…

I'm with the ugly vote. The only uglier aircraft in recent years was the Boeing X32. Maybe they are related?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...1XsZc&usqp=CAU

Looks like a rehashed J29 with side intakes and a pointy nose.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....05fd22d0ae.jpg

Why would the RAF buy the T-50?

I already said that at #147

Orange peel variant for the RAF then?

Cross between an F16 and F18? Looks okay to me.