Throughout the last 70 years the British aviation market has been torn between a Navy that wants minimal aircraft types to fill maximum roles and an Air Force that wants one specific aircraft to fill each roll.
In the 60s the RAF had the potential choice of TSR2, Vulcan, Victor, Valiant, F4 Phantom, Harrier, P1154, Hunter, Lightening and Canberra to fill the roles of strike aircraft, bomber and fighter/interceptor.
The Royal Navy only wanted two possibly three aircraft to fill these rolls because of the space constraints with Aircraft Carriers.
The RAF had to wait until the arrival of the Tornado in 1979 before it had found an aircraft that was capable of filling these rolls adequately.
The Royal Navy has had to make do with the Sea Harrier to fill these rolls and while it can be classed as one of the best dogfighters in the world because of its small weapon carrying ability has only limited strike capability.
Would it/is it ever really going to be possible to find a single aircraft that could be operated by both the RAF and the FAA that fulfills both sets of requirements for both offensive and defensive airborne military operations?
By: Robert Whitton - 3rd January 2008 at 20:51
Soon there will only be one Flying Service in the UK with 2 types of offensive aircraft the JCA and the Typhoon. perhaps not even 2 if the politicians dont get their act together
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January 3, 2008 at 8:25 pm