What is the rationale behind the UK getting the less capable and more expensive F35B as opposed to the F35C, considering the new carriers could be configured to handle either?

This came up in this months edition of AFM.

I think it should be a split buy of B and C.

Well if you want Fleet Air Arm stuff what about this?

http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Disposals-Public-Site/en_US/-/GBP/ViewApplication-DisplayWelcomePage;pgid=MieqQ4wkQg8000ArvQ_8K1sp0000HyGYa7Nx

Its impossible to get into the aircraft from the left due to the canopy opening sideways to the left rather then up as on many fighters.

As for why SAAB designed it that way – who knows?

The EJ200 has been put forward as an upgrade path for the Panavia Tornado they are virtualy interchangeable.

😉 Lockheed 😉 And old McD (Now Boeing…)
We only need so many tankers, even if they only ever came from one company the rest of the time we are a country…. So you’d give it to Airbus because you are sick of seeing a Boeing Tanker?

If they have already made a selection…then it is wrong to have a fake competition…and if that is in fact what they did where Boeing was basically written out of the competition, then lawsuits will be thrown , and rightfully so, because weather anyone like to believe it or not, a lot of money was spent on both sides for marketing and research, plus development costs… and if it came down to then not having a chance….well, I do not see Airbus holding the reigns too long without a long court battle.

Is that what I said? You read way too deep into that one…
No, do what Lockheed forgot to do with the J…
Ask the crews who currently fly those missions what they need? And the MX who fix them, what would make turn times faster..
As the tactics folks what would make their lives easier…
Logistics folks… you get the point.

Hang out at the Airlift/Tanker Association and pick the brains of the people who actually matter…

Well it does beg the question what would of happened if Boeing had kept the MD-11 in their product lineup. Maybe they could of even ditched the third engine effectively giving them their own a330.

Well Ja Worsley is the expert in this area but basically the new build Kiwi Sprites have never had the same problems of the Aussie ones.

It often takes a change of government to sort out this kind of mess!

The next question is what does the Aussie navy do now?

I doubt that Lynx is on the cards…maybe some more S70 or NH90.

At last!

Now we are getting beyond the point of NO cancellation!:D

About time…