Don’t see it happening now that the 2007 National Defense Act has left the Senate with verbage in it specifically authorizing the Navy to go down to 11 carriers. This clears the way for the Navy to decommission “Big John” before the end of the fiscal year. Our European allies I do not think have the budget to afford her, as it stands it is costing the Navy $20 million a month in Operations and Maintenance funds and that does not include the payroll for the crew. Being a fossil fuel carrier and that their aircraft are not CV capable aircraft, our allies I do not believe could operate from her, I don’t see it happening. The French Rafale M and Etendard I do not think can mate to the catapult shuttle every time they came to the CV I am on they just bounce not trap because they cannot lauch of our ships.

The Rafale M uses the same nose gear mounted catapault bar as the US does and is compatable with your carriers. The Super Etendard uses the older Strop system which requires some changes to the shuttle and hold back point. On the Charles De Gaulle once they have launched the Hawkeye and Rafale the deck crew make the changes to the catapault equipment to get the Etendard up. Now that the USN no longer operates any type that uses the Strop system there is longer need to train for it. Older American carriers did use the strop system in tandem with the newer system you are used to and I presume crew were used to changing between systems.

In theory the Rafale could cross deck and launch from a modern American carrier and it is worth noting that last year a USN Hornet from the Ike has done just that.

The likely outcome for the UK will be to build the carriers as CTOL, thereby allowing a delay in final decision. If the US still drags its feet on JSF tech, then the UK can, genuinely, threaten to pull out. It is arguable that a fleet of 20 Rafale M or Naval Typhoon or Gripen plus 20 UCAVs would be more use than 30 JSFs, and would now cost a lot less!

The JSF project is beginning to shake – just a couple of years ago, it was to cost ~$40m, and total sales were to be ~3500-4000, but now, it is likely to be ~$100m+, with sales around 2000 total, which is a massive change! What was to be an F-16 replacement is more expensive that F-15s, and the chances of replacing the current fleet on better than 1:2 replacement (1 new replacing 2 old) is getting unlikelyy.

Thats a sensible outlook, considering the in service date of the new carriers is unrealistic.

If for example the UK went for Rafale M I would of thought that they would only go to the RN with the RAF making do with Tranche 3 of Typhoon. For the MOD that would equate to a masive cost saving and make Tranche 3 more justifiable if they were completed as a deep strike platform with conformal tanks etc. The MOD could also look integrating Storm Shadow and GPS bombs with the Nirmod MR4.

This would of course require another service life extension for the Harrier and Tornado GR4.

Was it a c-130K or the newer J model that crashed out of curiosity?

Many many years ago when I was in the ATC I was a wing Aircraft recognition champion. If I can find a picture of the tail I like a challenge!