Geoff_BProbably not drop it as such unless the program turns into a worse headache as they get to grips with the systems that would delay it further or increase costs.
However i wouldn’t be surprised if the current govt went with a stop gap order for Super Hornets. Cover the capability gap until the F-35C is in squadron service in suitable numbers, replaces Tornado in the strike role and gives the UK the hardware to train and qualify aircrews and ground crew in CATOBAR ops, something we can deploy on US or French carriers as per our strategy and something to work up the new carriers with.
Give it a couple of years, let the dust settle and Afghanistan start to wind down and just watch the govt paper over the capability gaps before they can become election issues.
G
Geoff_BThe probe refuelling and tail chute fitting are probably classed as optional extras which possibly isn’t factored into the original price being quoted for Canada. Looking at their concerns over the F-35A for the NORAD role, perhaps they should consider F-35C and use a land based arrestor system, it has the probe as standard and the longer wing span and range may be better suited for the region ?
Of course it could be a cunning ploy to get new tankers for the CAF with boom & drogue refuelling capabilities :dev2:
Geoff_BSound reasoning Scooter, as the Ulyanovsk would be similiar in configuration and build to the Varyag so the Chinese builders will be familiar with the structure when it come to building the ship(s ?) and teh PLAN when it comes to using them.
Don’t forget the design must be 20yrs old so no doubt it will have to be updated to match modern standards, Chinese fixtures & fittings. Wonder if the Russian have suggested any revisions in light of operating Kuznetsov as it was only really on sea trials when the iron curtain dropped.
Considering that Ulyanovsk was enlarged to incoprporate a waist catapult to handle Yak-44, will the chinese also develop an AEW aircraft and more importantly catapults, if so will they do away with the ski jump to change the design to full CATOBAR ? We know they studied the old British steam catapults on carriers they scrapped and no doubt they have been watching EMALS development closely, so quite possible that they could develop a similar system.
As to why, well the Chinese are getting closely involved in developments around the globe helping small countries develop their infra structure in return for natural resources, so i suspect they are looking to have the sea power to protect those trade routes as any other major power would do.
Geoff_BWell Boeing were the systems intergrator for Nimrod MRA-4 so no doubt they used much of that experience when creating the P-8.
I rather suspect that the refernece to inferior US aircraft was actually meant in context to them calling the Nimrod world class, rather than meaning the P-8 would be a poor subsitute.
I do get a feeling from the SDSR that were currently taking the bad medicine with the various cuts across the board; but once those have been implemented, the dust settled and the economy and deficit more stable then we may see some obvious capability gaps filled with off the shelf solutions
Geoff_BWhen the new aircraft carriers are finally approved, which shipyard is likely to build them? The Nikolayev shipyard in Kiev is obviously the best equipped for the role, but the progress of military cooperation(or lack thereof) with Ukraine makes me doubt the Russian government would award such a large contract to them.
Among Russian shipyards Sevmash seems to be the best candidate due to the experience with the Vikramaditya, but the delays along with concerns about basing a carrier there in perpetually frigid weather may affect it’s chances. Any opinions?
Russia are creating a new yard to assemble the Mistrals so we’ll have to see what sort of facilities they build and if they will be capable of producing a filly fledged Aircraft Carrier.
Anyway they aint going to be doing it this decade and the funding & energy is going into getting the locally assembled Mistrals built first
Geoff_BAirbus Atlas C1 (RAF names its A400M)
Just as a side note in the delivery of the last RAF C-17 is that the RAF has assigned its name for the A400M and its certainly fits the bill.
So Airbus Atlas C1 😀
Geoff_Bif Australia could settle on the Super Hornet, why not Canada?
reg,
Ivan
Australia only leased 24 of them to replace the F-111C whilst they await the F-35A being delivered so they have in fact done the same as Canada in selecting the F-35A as their primary future warplane (Just they needed a stopgap as cover !)
Geoff_BSo let me get this straight, reporting a problem is valid news but announcing a fix to a problem is spin?
Did you notice that the fix for the problem was already done before the problem was first reported on, but somehow got left out of the original reporting of the problem? Now who is spinning?
Within 2 weeks of the DoD putting it on probation, of course its spin, they dont want to see their reputation and therefore shareprice fall.
Notice the numpty posts about “wow if its all fixed, why the 2 yr probation” without those people realising that it will take those two years to get those fixes designed, tested, approved, back-fitted to existing aircraft before the production can ramp up again using the revisions (and that is of course if nothing else crops up in the meantime !).
Geoff_BF-35B Probation
As to the current news of LM suddenly having solutions & fixes found for the F-35B within 2 weeks of being put on probation, i would suspect there is certainly an aspect of spin doctoring to make light of the negative impact of the 2 yr probation impossed 2 weeks ago.
They still have to create and test the new lift fan drive shaft capable of exceeding the new operating environment tolerence specifications, along with other components located in the same area
Then there is also the bulkhead issue, and the other associated parts as whilst they didn’t blame the new alloy they did appear to say they got their stress & tolerence calculations wrong !.
In effect the current F-35B’s in the flight test program and on the production line are basically substandard as they are assembled with parts designed to the original inferior specifications, and it will take 2 years for the new or revised parts to designed, tested, trialled on a current airframe before production can recommence.
In the mean time those existing aircraft are going to have to be handled rather carefully as they can’t afford to loose one especially if its flying in spite of known flaws !. I suspect we will only see token sea trials to make the USMC look good together with a sedate flight test schedule until the revised aircraft are available and able to push the aircraft to its limits.
Its going to be interesting to see how the F-35 flight testing and qualification progresses, originally the USAF had IOC for 2016, and have talked about that being revised back, but with the F-35B being pushed to the back of the line the F-35A in effect jumps to the front of the queue meaning their will be more F-35A available sooner to speed up the process (obviously some of those 53 aircraft switched from B to A will be for token export customers. Therefore it should be an fair indicator if the USAF do indeed put back the expected in service date of the F-35A of just how much software and flight testing is going to be required ?
Geoff_BRe:Japan interest in F-35
Just one aspect about the Japanese interest in the F-35, don’t forget it could be the JMSDF looking at the F-35B to operate from their proposed enlarged Hyuga class DDH (aka a CVS in all but name), rather than the JASDF. The ships are large enough to accomodate and operate the F-35, in fact the Hyuga & Ise DDH could probably operate them at a pinch.
G
Geoff_BThey’ve only lost credibility with internet kiddies who expected a perfect development process. The industry knows things work a little differently in the real world.
Such as the British Government switching from B to C variants or the US DoD putting the F-35B on 2 yr probation following a proper independent in depth review of the program ! I would say LM’s credability to manage the program as a whole has certainly lost some credability with its customers.
Geoff_BI do wonder if switching to BF-02 for the STOVL work has helped LM play catch up, as it always seemed odd to utilise BF-01 for that role when it probably should have stuck to the conventional flight testing with it being the first proper F-35 aircraft.
However LM being quoted in a USMC related publication is hardly going to be less than glowing on the subject especially after the programs recent bad press from the DoD
I noticed that USS Wasp is getting a refit including structural work to allow it to conduct the the F-35B sea trials.
Geoff_BThe original South Atlantic guard ship was HMS Protector, a converted netlayer, followed by the first Endurance, so the name is traditional.
They did design a new Icebreaker called Terra Nova to act as Antartic guardship back in 1965 but when the money got tight they chartered Anita Dan and converted her for RN use which became Endurance.
As to the new Protector, which ever ship is leased it will still get a conversion to RN standards so the hanger facilities may be improved if possible.
Geoff_BThere have been many pictures posted and highlighted showing where the side weapons bays are.
People who don’t think the J20 has weapons bays are clearly letting wishful thinking get the better of them.
Where ?, the only doors shown open are the Undercarriage & braking chute, i dont recall seeing a distinct photo of the weapons bays just people scribbling over grain long rang photos and making a guess.
Geoff_BYou are guessing and have nothing to support the claim that Lockheed Martin can’t be able to resolve the issues on time and/or budget.
Well its those same Lockheed Martin people who got it wrong in the first place !. Its their design and their specification they issued to the suppliers, those parts that have failed have been built to those specifictions otherwise they couldn’t be fitted to the aircraft. Its all the unpredicted and unexpected comments that should be making you start to wonder if blind faith in these same people is entierly wise !
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