You’re on thin ice mentioning crystal balls. Fox claims that there is no threat to the United Kingdom on the horizon, so the powers of his crystal ball must be truly amazing.

Actually Fox has consistently argued for the retention of generic capabilities across land, sea & air in an uncertain future.

There’s some specualtion on Brazilian websites that 4 Type 23’s may be part of a sweetner for a Type 26 deal. Realistic or not?

Presumably the F-35 will finally be abandoned even if it isn’t announced next week. The purchase of Super Hornets (as rumoured weeks ago) seems far more practical and a cheaper solution.

Newsnight reporting a purchase of an initial 40 F35, Fox has also said recently in an interview in the US that he can’t guarantee numbers but the UK will be in the JSF programme.

I think the idea of superbugs is a non starter now, even if it ever had legs in the first place.

So anyone have any ideas when we’ll start getting leaks about what they’ve actually decided to cut or keep? Or do you think we’ll still be speculating the middle of next week about such things as whether we’re still getting two carriers instead of one or none, or whether we’re ditching the F-35B for the F-35C and so on and so forth?

Well if some of the speculation was right and there will be a rolling review we could keep this thread going till part X ! 😀

Copied from another forum.. Tornados to go

‘Navy wins defence cuts battle’
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23887806-raf-to-lose-tornado-squadrons-as-navy-wins-defence-cuts-battle.do

Suggests the Navy loses 4 Type 23’s… any takers out there? Chile?

Nothing on the Amphibs at all strangely.

Re, the possible cutting of all the RN’s amphib capability – did anyone notice from where the newly appointed special advisor to the PM comes from?

Col Morris of the Royal Marines.

2+2=?

Both the FT & Guardian reporting that Cameron gave the nod to build both carriers after todays meeting.

The FT states ‘His preferred option is to redesign the second vessel, delay production, and buy the conventional Joint Strike Fighter, rather than the planned jump-jet variant.’

Interesting Janes, in their weekly email say

Converteam UK is working to complete a scaled-up design of its electromagnetic catapult (EMCAT) system that will be capable of launching the F-35C variant of the Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter from the UK Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. The company specialises in power conversion systems and has been contracted by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to develop a 100 m-long EMCAT design that could fit into a 1.5 m-deep well under the flight deck of a 65,000-ton carrier.

FT is saying Liam Fox wants a 4% cut to safeguard more Amphibs, Destroyers & Frigates, but the Treasury are holding out for 10%

Telegraph says T26 may well be either delayed again or axed altogether
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/8052782/16bn-Future-Rapid-Effects-System-faces-axe-in-defence-cuts.html