JSR is right about opportunity cost tho. “Look at the benefits JSF brings to UK industry” ignores the benefits UK industry could’ve accrued by pursuing alternative paths foreclosed by JSF. To be fair the real epic blunders came before JSF — no Harrier successor, Typhoon unable to operate from aircraft carrier, etc.

With respect to the Turks, I think the Korean project has a better prospect of coming to fruition in some form. If Turkey does go forward, alone, I expect the aircraft will be a Turkified Gripen E/F. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

Avicopter Slips AC332, Models New Larger AHL

Good to see some news/details/confirmation on this at last. Thanks for the heads-up.

China’s Avicopter suggests that the Advanced Heavy Lifter (AHL) may be eclipsed only by Russia’s giant Mil Mi-26.

Are they including CH-53K in that? If so, that suggests this is basically a next-gen Mi-26. My guess is that they aren’t, and that it just means ‘larger than Chinook.’

I’m a bit surprised that Russia/China isn’t going tri-engine for these giant helos like Merlin and CH-53E/K. Are modern turboshafts really that reliable with enough overdrive capacity for engine-out scenarios?

Great shot! :applause:

This may seem like an inane question, but why do manufacturers fly new aircraft unpainted or in primer? Presumably, the aircraft is going to get painted anyway. Is it a question of just wanting to see if the aircraft will fly first? I remember pics of F-22A’s being flown with natl. insignia and unit marks over primer.

I suspect the difference is between a public rollout with press and a few amateurs snapping shots from over the fence.

I don’t think Sweden would be interested in an aircraft configured as above — it wouldn’t seem to offer any advantage over Gripen E/F besides size, which is likely a disadvantage from the Swedish perspective, i.e. more expensive to acquire/operate.

No. Regardless of configuration KF-X will accrue valuable industrial benefits to Indonesia, and the aircraft will offer a modern, affordable complement to future high-end platforms such as T-50 — certainly far moreso than the likely alternative of more, increasingly rickety F-16s.

Indeed, Indonesia would probably prefer a config like that depicted above (F100/110 propulsion one assumes) to a heavier platform in the class of F-35.

Is there any recent news on Russia’s MPA plans, i.e. A-40 or… ?

I see from Beriev website that contract for 4 x Be-200 was signed with MoD earlier this year, with more expected to follow. Don’t think these have any MPA role tho…