It would be a VAST improvement on the A-4, even if the Skyhawk were upgraded with radar and such. it would even be a big improvement on the A/V-8B+. I would love to see it happen, but…….do the really really small numbers required justify its development. After all, realistcaly there is only one customer that has a need for it and has a suitible platform to opperate them. And baring some some big change of course in India (or UK for that matter) I just cant see development being driven by one South American nation.

IMHO Brazil would seem to be the only possible customer. Granted the so called “Sea Gripen” would be a perfect fit for the Sao Paulo, I just cant see a potential order for, realisticly, less than 20 a/c fueling the development of what would essentialy be a brand new combat a/c.

I think the VSTOL requirement may have been a tad too much……..

More trouble.http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/819/?SID=37abf49db39db8eff6522654ba80ec11

Why doesnt Britain just merge all 3 branches of her armed forces together the way Canada did?:D Presto! Problem solved! But, seriously, the primary question seems to be missed here………can Britain afford an aircraft carrier anymore?

Scimitar?

How long are the British people going to put up with this farce befor they demand an actual workable defence plan?!:mad:

Thanks for the link. If I understand it correctly, this is the ship previously described, 248 metres long, 38 metres beam, 19500 tons displacement, 970 crew, 5 helicopter landing spots,

The displacement is presumably standard, as is usual for the JMSDF – i.e. maybe 24-25000 tons full load.

That’s 4 metres long & 1 metre narrower than Cavour.

And the Japanese call that a “Destroyer”!!!!:D