Fascinating weapons fit:

OTO 76 Super rapid
Aster 15
MM40 Mod3
MU90 Eurotorp
Millenium CIWS

All combined with a local radar fit and I presume CMS.

A lot of punch for a Corvette!

Yeah you have to be careful with those!

Its amazing how one unsubstantiated comment in a forum can develop a life of its own and start a thousand threads over the internet each one with a wilder version of the information then the last. Before you know it the idea ends up in publications.

I remember a few years back Air Forces Monthly actually reported in its news section that Iran was fitting its F14 Tomcat with AL31 turbofans from Russia, no truth in it whatsoever but again an unsubstantiated rumour started that idea rolling…:rolleyes:

It takes no job away from the French workers ~ This plan can not become the truth until the French government finally decides that it simply has no enough money to formally the start PA2 project. And if the French government decides to cancel the PA2 project finally, the French workers won’t be able to get any new jobs from this cancelled project, no matter UK sells the unwanted CVF to the French navy or not.

Taking on CVF WOULD mean lost FRENCH jobs!

The jobs that would of been sustained building PA2! Yes there are no jobs if the French don’t build PA2 anyway but taking on CVF would just rub the noses of French shipyard workers in the dirt!

They would be up in ams!

Back to subject…

The fact is India has no interest or need for one of the UK CVF, they can produce carriers themselves cheaper and quicker (IAC-1 is going to hit service not that long after Vikramaditya). To make it attractive to them the UK would virtually have to give it to them at the cost to the British tax payer. The only other country who might like it is Brazil but again they have their own plans to build carriers so to make it attractive CVF would have to be virtually given away.

For me the three key thing for the next five years until the next SDSR that needs to be repeatedly pointed out to the government:

1) One carrier is not enough to maintain proper operations.

2) How do they intend to maintain FAA fast jet capabilities and skills (actually the most important) until the F35C start to stand up.

3) There isn’t really any realistic market for a CVF!

Captain Davenport: They’re pinging away with their active sonar like they’re looking for something, but nobody’s listening.
Jack Ryan: What do you mean?
Captain Davenport: Well, they’re moving at almost forty knots. At that speed, they could run right over my daughter’s stereo and not hear it.

Iran knows full well that Israel can easily penetrate its air defences, that is the main reason Iran has focused its defence procurement on building mobile missile launchers for IRBM.

Iran has hundreds of mobile TELs for various short to medium range missiles. Further from that they have been producing significant numbers of antiship missiles, mines and torpedos.

For Iran if it is threatened with attacked by Israel an asymmetric response is by far the most effective deterrent! Israel can’t possibly hope to take out all those launchers targeted at their cities and the Persian gulf can be shut down for transit. Add to that Iraq will be stirred back up into a blood bath and a number of other Islamic countries would probably be pushed over the edge.

This is the main reason that Israel has not attacked Iran so far, the cost is too great. In the end the best solution for Israel now (and actually one quitely pointed out by US military officials) if Iran becomes a nuclear state is detterence via the promise of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).

Exports?

The UK testing the F35B is not going to make an iota of difference to its export chances.

In the end the only other country who wants it at the moment is Italy and I am sure Spain will want it as well.

Most countries will want the A or C model, if anyone is interested in a B purchase will look to the testing done by the USMC. Any sales that result will benefit the UK regardless of us testing the type as a mjor proportion of the airframe and systems come from the UK or US based BAE Systems subsidaries.