Would getting a catapualt and getting F-18E/Fs instead of F-35s make more economic sense?

A400M contract was signed years ago, & the customers agreed not to enforce the penalties/cancellation clauses which the delay allowed them to. Difficult to reverse that agreement now.

Airtanker contract was signed long ago, & production of the aircraft is well under way. First one flew almost a year ago. We might be able to renegotiate, but we can’t cancel without paying huge penalties.

Only 3 F-35s have been ordered. We have no contractual obligation to buy any more, & no commitment to buy according to any schedule.

Not having F-35s would not be too detrimental to UK security. It would leave us with the problem of having no planes foe the carriers….

2 Block 52 D’s and 1 Block 52 C of PAF landing at PAF airbase

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCpEgIAi_lw

RAF spin is no different to Army and Navy spin…

Totally agree, but at least the army does not go around pretending it needs 2 armoured divisions.

Some people will defend their viewpoint almost at any cost.

Apologies.My bad.

Assuming the SAAB has shorter take off/landing distance?

you people need to recheck the definitions of hot and high. there are far hotter places in KSA for example or even in the desert areas of US. that is NOT what hot and high conditions mean.

chaklala at a mere 487 m ASL is hot and high ? :rolleyes:

OK, just about heard all that I have to hear. Pakistan (45 degrees) does not need hot and high aircraft.

Just so I am better informed in future can you define what is “Hot and High”

Am really keen to hear this.

precisely the point I was making. no fighters are permanently based at skardu which is a forward base for wartime and helicopter base at best during peacetime.
PAF would have to be suicidal to want to operate an AEW&C aircraft from a forward air base.
same goes for the other bases(still less than 2000m ASL) you mention, they are far away from the Indian theatre where presumably these would be deployed and there are any number of well equipped airfields at much lower altitudes, from where these aircraft can operate without any restriction.
summing up, I don’t understand why operability in hot n high would be a consideration for PAF at all.

Sorry, I dont understand. Do you know how hot many pakistani bases get in summer? Are you actually saying you cannot understand why a country like Pakistan requires hot and high performance? PAF may well deploy AWACs anywhere in teh country during peacetime. The Erieye has multiple uses.
Trust me when I say I bet the PAF will have occasion to operate aircraft types from different bases. Air forces the world over routinely do this.