As I understood it from a thread somewhere there is an exclusive contract with the Airtanker consortium to in flight refuel UK military aircraft. This I think made sense when the CVFs where meant to have F35Bs as there does not seem to be any possibility of a tanker going on board. The concept of an F35B buddy tanking another one gets a bit interesting thinking of the weight problems to say nothing of the setting then up to do it.
Does anyone know if this will be a problem?

Well technically the AirTanker consortium could put up a fuss but considering we haven’t heard a peep out of them when it was announced that a tanking capability was being explored for the QE class makes me wonder if somebody has taken them to one side and said: “look guys before you get your lawyers out over this, consider we are paying the consortium billions of pounds over the next 27 years for this rip off…oops cost effective solution to the UKs tanking and transport needs. So can you cut us some slack on this?..”.

On a side note surprised nobody has mentioned the new Brazillian navy Trader COD/Tanker conversion. I’m really looking forward to see them along with the AEW variant. If they put Searchwater 2000 and Cerberus on the AEW variant I wonder if the RN will take a look.

No, it turns out that the IAF actually recommended the Rafale, not the Typhoon. Cost differences also worked out in favour of the Rafale, but the IAF backing it must have tipped the scales. There was a clause in the DPP that allowed the GoI to go with the non-L1 bidder if needed it.

As things stand, the IAF clearly must be elated to have gotten what it wanted all along. The Rafale fits the needs of the MRCA in the IAF almost perfectly.

Why would you say that the Rafale would have been underbid by Dassault? In all contests so far, they have been cheaper than the Typhoon and since early on, rumours were floating that the Rafale bid was 5% cheaper than the Typhoon’s.

Evidence for that? Oh sorry you have none!

Stop spinning something that the Indian MOD deny! Both aircraft met the technical requirements to reach the final round. Both aircraft had advantages in different areas. Nothing has been officially released to avoid protests.

Stop persisting in spinning rumours that have no basis!

Indeed if it is something important we will find out soon enough.

OK I respect that, just remember that calling someone out as a troll is pretty much the forum equivalent of going nuclear.

Oh and I don’t mind jokes about Astutes bad luck, frankly the Navy need to be shown up over crashing a brand new sub in well charted waters. Also that crewman going loco with a gun…looking at his profile I wonder how the navy thought he was suitable for service.

Anyhow lets go away from this as friends;)

Not really. Maybe in this case an honest comment made in jest.

The AK has needed serious maintenance after every major cruise. I’m curious to see if the same goes for this one, is that stupid?

I have no particular axe to grind over Russian equipment. I also expressed some opinions about early Mig29s today and I stand by them as I don’t particularly see them as unsubstantiated or controversial.

Well I’m going on Germanys experience with the Mig29 vs F4 and Indias early years of service were hardly glowing. Get in close with a good pilot, HMS, the R73 missile and an early Mig29 is a nasty foe but you can’t get around the primative nature of its avionics and radar. Its short legs and lack of situational awareness is also a given.

Going on North Koreas lack of fuel, lack of training, lack of force multipliers and obsolete tactical doctrine and I think it is totally fair to say their Mig-29 hasn’t got a snowballs chance in hell of surviving a dust up with the South Korean air force.

P.S. Don’t forget there is an F-5 with an F-22 kill out there…

F-5 is slippery opponent flown by a well trained pilot and give me a late model F-4 anyday over an early Mig-29 it has a far better radar and greater legs.

Cheery looking lot…

The two military officers appear to be propping him up…literally.

Actually to me it looks like they are trying to stop him running away.

More seriously it looks like he is a figure head stroke puppet and real power lies with his aunt and uncle who are both high up in the central council.