AN 178 (148 with a ramp) is being look at along with Il 214 for the Russian bid in 2007 Il 214 was/is in part a UAC / HAL program so unless the Indian government is going to take it off HAL and give it to someone else 214 is off the table but both types are in the same class as KC 390 and are all able to lift 15-20 ton

I know the request is for twin engine aircraft but this could be a opportunity for BAE Systems 146 M. If BAE were to do an deal that saw all conversion work under taken to RAF speck in India using indigenous components plus all the QC and support systems being manufactured in India not only would give the IAF an aircraft that can carry two times the load but at a lower price all the air frames could be flown out to India and work conducted there it could also see export opportunities for the partner company and maybe if wanted an all new 146 with ramp loading rear end

Don’t worry, the engineers are aware that the F-35 will be expected to take off carrying a load and have allowed for that… :rolleyes:

The “barn door” on the top is an intake and is most certainly not acting as an air brake at the speeds it is open.

No really wow :rolleyes:

Outside of the sarcastic I still feel a lot can be got out of Illustrious going to the US for F-35B testing operating off a ski ramp at sea is a lot different to jumping off one at Pax’s

In the future the need to move troops anywhere in the would for what ever need is one most of the worlds main plays are looking at the British more than anyone should know this. Air lifting troops into a area of operations is the fastest way and that is why the UK are going for C17 – A400M – A330MMR giving them the ability to move a lot of troops and equipment quickly but it is not always possible as proven in the Falkland in 1982 we had no way of airlifting in and no way of giving air cover it was to far the carriers were the key. Fleet and light carriers also give you the ability to operate without the need of so called friendly airbases almost anywhere in the world that is why India – China – Brazil – Japan – Russia – US – UK – France and others are working on new carrier types or aircraft types to operate off the carriers they have. I feel the UK should keep HMS Illustrious as well as HMS Ocean and the 2 QE2 Class carriers Illustrious could offer the flexibility of carrying an small air group of 5 F 35 Bs – 6 Merlin and 6 Apache helicopters on smaller policing ops I also feel a waist catapult and arrester gear should be fitted to the QE2 Class so more fixed wing types can be operated such as Hawkeye – Rafale – SH making the QE2 class one of the most flexible carriers around with possibly the ability to operate with the Indian Mig29Ks

Why is the UK building two £3 billion aircraft carriers that can only operate one aircraft type?. We have all read about the government wanting to operate our new carriers with the French. As things stand we can’t. So can the UK make its new carriers more flexible can we compromise on the flight deck layout by having an angled runway with arrester gear fitted and ski jump? And one maybe two waist catapults fitted this may allow US and French fighters to fly off our decks and could mean one carrier being operated at sheared cost under a coalition. And if it works the Royal Navy may be able to operate E2D Hawkeye and F/A 18s leased as a stop gap until F-35 is ready which would mean the carriers will not be sitting in dry docks waiting for aircraft that may or may not arrive. . This configuration could also see joint exercises with the Indian Navy Mig 29k plus US, Indian, Spanish, Italian, Harriers all operating from Royal Navy aircraft carriers. The question is how much would BAE Systems want to make the changes? In a time when defence contracts are hard fought BAE Systems and the UK government need to deliver two highly flexible world class aircraft carriers on a new agreed budget.



Way back in the day the FAA trained its pilots to fight the F4 Phantom with out AB as heavy use of AB meant they would be out of the fight before it really started. I feel as we move over to F-35 the use of sim will be a big part of the training program know matter who you are and what your LIFT air frame is so as you start the move to F35 as they do now you will sim ride for the sortie then fly the sortie

and yes before someone points out all three have 2 seat options the idea of T-X is T-X to 5th gen