I don’t really get these micro F-35 deals. Whats the point of ordering two aircraft?? :confused:

Well if the US are cutting back the LRIP to minmise the concurrency costs then why should other partners have take these beta versions when they can wait for the production version.

The token orders show commitment to the program and give them a chance to showboat the jet for publicity when they are initially delivered at which point they will form the basis of either the trails program or more likely the initial training ready for when the real kit starts to arrive a few years later.

Plus it reduces the concurency costs where those token aircraft either get an expensive upgrade to bring them upto standard operational spec or they get relegated for trials/training or even museums if they are of limited operational value

The Ocean Type LHD appeared when they started talking to Brazil about joint Naval Projects. They are really pushing the Type 26, have the CVF to show Carrier credentials and that Ocean revision suddenly popped up to show LHD.

Regarding the RN and the Ocean replacement, i think we might have to wait and see on that, if they can get both cleared for full conversion then its possible the Strike Carrier role will be of more importance than LPH so the CVF can’t replace Ocean as such.
The other aspect is i can see their being a shortfall in ship building between the CVF and the start of the Type 26, as the govenment has to fund that down time as part of the 15yr deal that created the warship building merger, you can see them looking to fill that gap with something as they have to spend the money anyway. As you say the SDSR makes no allowance for it so i wouldn’t put it past them selling off an Albion to replace with an LHD to make the best of it !!!. Not an ideal solution being industry & politically driven using a lash up design but it is just the sort of solution you can see them coming up with.:eek:
Thats why they are desperate for GCS orders to kick off the Type 26 early as they are not scheduled for RN service till 2021.

The other one i would have done back in 63 would be not to tie the Sea Vixen replacement to the Hunter to create the 1154, let the RAF go down that route but let the FAA develop the BAC 583, then we would have had a smaller but capable Naval VG Strike Fighter by the early 70’s and not having the RN tied to the Phantom which rendered its smaller carriers redundant.

btw, the F-35 can carry up to 32 SDBs which is 4 more than the F-15E (as the F-15E can also carry 8xSDBs on the the wing STA2/8) 🙂

Really when did it do that, thought there is still along way to go in testing before getting round to carrying a full weapons load let alone releasing them

30/10/13 Ship structurally complete.

That says to me the structural construction is complete, the ship can then be floated out (aka Launched) and will then spend another couple of years fitting out alongside prior to constructors sea trials before being delivered to the RN in 2016.

If you notice in a link i posted up at the start of the month, they are currently attempting to amend the contract to remove the ski-jump. One thing many have not realised is that the ACA contract with the MOD is pretty cast iron as much of the flexibility was lost when Gordon brown first sped up construction and then slowed it down. ACA are contracted to deliver HMS QE in 2016 in STOVL format and they are keeping to that schedule.

The other aspect of the 2013 launch date for QE is that they will need to clear the dry-dock so it can then be prepared to start assembly of the PoW blocks as they can’t hold them in the Rosyth basin floating for too long, nor can they leave them rusting in the construction yards.

G

Have you noticed in the CATOBAR artwork released so far the landing sight platform is empty. I suppose they are awaiting the order confirmation before releasing definative artwork of the final design and hardware.

Still its nice to see them get back on track with keeping the ACA website up to date with photos of LB03 being assembled and the other blocks under construction

Some news on the revisions to HMS Queen Elizabeth in the MOD Desider in-house magazine.

Ramp off
Removal of the take-off ramp on the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers is expected to be captured in a contract amendment early next year with further changes arising from decisions on the carriers to be captured in 2013,
Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff has said.
This comes from the decision to fly the Carrier Variant of the Joint Strike Fighter.

So proves that they are still being built as per the original contract and any changes need to be negotiated with the ACA

Thats a pretty terrible report by the PAC, which appears to be more a political motibated swipe at the switch over as incorrectly says PoW will be mothballed and the carrier completed in 2020. QE will be finished to schedule in 2016 it just wont be able to operate fixed wing aircraft till/if its converted.

The 2030 date is more like how long it would take to get 3 squadrons worth of trained F-35C squadrons aboard.