For a naval role, isn’t the stealth capability of the F-35 undermined somewhat by the fact that it will be stationed on a platform that any radar will see a mile-sorry, 200 miles off?

In any case, I can see gen 4.5 fighters like the Rafale M and Gripen NG still being competitive for naval use, partly because of price and partly because there are many nations with aircraft carriers that are unlikely to ever use them in a conflict.:p

PR is PR. If you’ve been following the threads here the Type 45s are horribly under-equipped in many aspects, and had kinks with its main missile system(PAAMS) for over two years after launch.

I think the fact that the F-35B’s wings don’t fold for stowage may have something to do with it.

Odd. I’d heard it was 40. You got a source?

And from that 40 it’s meant to be (at full war load) 36 F35’s and 4 helos.

http://www.helium.com/items/1442066-queen-elizabeth-class-aircraft-carriers-of-the-royal-navy
Among various other news sources available via googling. Thanks for the clarification. For a 65000t vessel it seems to be an ‘inefficient’ design by the traditional Western standards(1000t = 1 aircraft?).

Westernising the Su-33… I would go the same route as the IAF and Indian Navy(for MiG-29K) did and then some.

EL/M-2052 or Euroradar CAESAR replacing the old Phazotron N001.
Thates Topsight-E or Elbit DASH mk4 HMDS.
Rafael Litening II/Thales Damocles LDP
SPECTRA active cancellation system
The EW system from the Gripen NG, Eurofighter Tranche 3 or Rafale F3.
Inlet radar blocker like in the F/A-18E/F
HOTAS cockpit with MFDs from any major Western manufacturer

All this is assuming no budget limits.:D

Anything wrong with that?:diablo:

What is going on, first a program on Daring and now one on Astute? Are the government preparing us for a massive Navy spending spree so they’re pumping out lots of propaganda on the subject?

….I really wish they were.

I think it’s more likely they’re trying to hype all the new systems the navy has in order to reduce the PR impact of the ones they won’t have(thanks to future cuts).:D

The CVFs will apparently be able to carry upto 60 aircraft each. Is the exact specification of the airgroup decided yet? How many of those 60 will be fixed-wing(F-35B) for instance?