I don’t think the latest posts here are contructive.

Better would have been to ask “Is the f-35 an opportunity or more of a trouble for the european aerospace industries?”

Also, if such industries are in trouble, the reason could have also some other main reasons, like 3 different Eurocanards developed separetly and fighting for deals.

Anyway for the ones that like to appplaude to a supposed death, methinks they should wait a bit more. The european aerospace industry is far from being in coma, see also the Tanaris and Neuron programs, and no, I don’t think the latter programs are in conflict with any involvment in the F-35.

Back to the F-35 news, gentlmen? I hope that at least some of the posters here have some actual interest for the subject of this thread, and are here not just for the sake of trolling.

Partnership between Alenia and General Dynamics for the USAF T-X deal: General Dynamics and Alenia Aermacchi team up on T-X bid

Swerve, you know I am not suggesting that Typhoon is a failure. Can you tell me what the problems were with this weapon integration?

You can find the report here

The particular weapon integration in question is related to the the Brimstone 2.
There were rocket motor and warhead development problems on MBDA’s Brimstone 2 missile, which was designed to meet the RAF’s Selected Precision Effects at Range Capability 1 Block 1.

It is possible that the problems have been identified and/or solved since them, as Swerve seems to suggest.

Also, the Meteor beyond-visual-range, air-to-air missile in-service date on Typhoon is put back 23 months to June 2017 as a result of delays to completing the first element of the fighter’s future capability improvement, not because of problems with the weapon itself.

Just for sake of information I have to report that the EH-101s HEW (local designation for AW101 AEW) of the Italian Navy are performing well below what expected. Navy insiders confirmed some frustration, for what it is allowed to share in public discussions.

I know that the Royal Navy is going to use the MASC (Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control) system which could yeld different results. Anyway there are more and more comments on the poor AEW performance of the EH-101.

The Century Series in block.
Even if some of them could look ugly nowadays, many (me for sure) were hugely fascinated by these aircrafts.

Pardonne-Moi Snow Monkey and Sign,
but again I deem your hypothesis of Italy buying the Gripen very unrealistic; as unrealistic as thinking of the Flygvapnet using one day the Typhoon.

This is mainly for industrial reasons, i.e. Italy being part of the EFA consortium.

if italy bought a good number,…

And what number of Gripen Italy would have to buy? Those who oppose the F-35 program here share the same thoughts of Sign: i.e., why Italy should need such a high number of fighters/attack aircrafts (and I too partially share this view) in the next years?

It is probable that the next government (which should be in charge by next March) would be a center-left coalition. Some of the parties of this coalition will try to keep supporting the F-35 to sustain the national aerospace industry, while other parties/political currents are more oriented on anti-militarism, and fiercely oppose any expense in Defense, also in the light of the current crisis, of the burden on the taxpayers and of the very high Public Debt.
The most probable result would be the next Italian government not deciding anything on the matter, I think that also in the Nederland the same thing is happening about the F-35 program with the current government.
I am not saying that SAAB should not try to play its chances with Countries that are becoming more and more disaffected with the F-35 program and that need to replace their current fleets of aging F-16 – I deem the Gripen a very good aircraft in the light of its good Cost effectiveness/Quality ratio- but it would be no use on proposing it to Countries like Italy or Germany who have already, at least for the air-to-air role, a modern fighter like the Typhoon built by their national industry.

Again for Italy it would be either Typhoon/F-35 or a single line of Typhoons, with a very few chances of using the M-346 also for light attack roles.

In any case, the Navy aviation would be in troubles if Italy quits the F-35 program, vertical landing is a must as there is no possibility to modify the small Cavour aircraft carrier to accommodate short landing. The Military will try to secure at least the buy of some tventy F-35B trying to leave the road open also for some As.

Italy’s next prime minister is vowing to cut his country’s F-35 orders too.

The reality here in Italy is a bit more complex. The same center-left coalition supporting the “next prime minister”, as defensenews defined him, was the one which signed the partecipation of Italy to the F-35 program.

The debate is huge between politicians, aviation enthusiast and between normal people who have to pay more and more taxes everyday.

Of course, the costs of the program are the main term of concern. On the other hand the cancellation of the little share of the F-35 program could imply the loss of any know-how earned with much strife in the last 25 years in the combat aircraft field. Upon the end of the Typhoon program many skilled workers would have no other chance then leave the Country.

Interesting, do you have a link ?

About the operating costs of different aircrafts:

Source: http://www.stratpost.com/gripen-operational-cost-lowest-of-all-western-fighters-janes

The study conducted by IHS Jane’s Aerospace and Defense Consulting, compared the operational costs of the Gripen, Lockheed Martin F-16, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-35 aircraft.

Disclaimer: I just answered to the kind request of obligatory to have a link about the comparison operating costs of the different A/Cs.
I don’t want to be involved in this discussion 🙂

Edit: one more disclaimer: IHS Jane’s study was commissioned by Saab