Anything to bring into the dbate? Because “you lack logic” is 4th level like argument.

How about instead you provide some evidence for the claims you keep making? Instead of going on about the green glow issue which has been explained on here to you multiple times you could simply accept it has fixed the issue and is a good result. One could actually make the logical conclusion that the test program has done what it was supposed to, identify an issue and come up with a fix that benefits the entire fleet.

Or instead of trying to create a scandal out of MADL you could actually use some logic and common sense and understand why MADL is built around 4 ship missions (hint: the basis for Western Air Force fighter combat tactics for the last thirty plus years). You might also come to the conclusion that a MADL link is not limited to 4 jets, as already demonstrated by the program back in 2013, but that the sharing of sensor data is held within that four ship for obvious tactical reasons. Outside that four ship the MADL link can extend to other platforms, who don’t need and cannot process the sensor feeds the aircraft is transmitting, but can process the target information the datalink is outputting, such as current naval vessels and B-2s and in the future other air, land and sea based assets including allies.

Or you could just continue with the sour grapes thing…

Exactly my point. Do you remember the design was originally common with France?(more than 200 million spent) CaTOBAR aimed.

The QE could be half its size it would probably sustain as many sorties as it will. And With catapults it would definitely sustain more, and project power much further.

Except there is no evidence to support your claim that the QE could sustain that many with a vessel half the size. The Invincible class struggled with 8 sorties a day for 10 days while operating in the Balkans and the QE is a direct result of that experience.

CATOBAR would not increase the sortie rate significantly above the current. The only major advantage it would provide is additional aircraft types but comes with a significantly increased support and training burden for aircrew and deck personel.

The F-35b is already exceptionally capable and will only become more so as the engine and airframe matures. It is the perfect platform for the QE and the QE will also benefit as STOVL UAVs emerge to expand the range of capabilities available to the boat. There is a decent market for a STOVL multimission configurable UAV that could support the emerging STOVL carriers.

I haven’t seen this posted anywhere else but appears that the F-35B has landed on the QE. That is a big plane looking small on a big deck!

I’ll be in my bunk. #F35ondeck

https://twitter.com/mpwarwick

First crash of an F-35, a Bee model out of MCAS Beaufort.

Military official confirms that Marine F-35B fighter aircraft has crashed in Beaufort County, SC by MCAS Beaufort. Pilot is believed to have ejected, no update on pilot’s status.

https://twitter.com/lmartinezabc/status/1045716917535887360?s=21

Would it not be in the interest of the Brits to try and get old Empire mates involved in the Tempest, such as Australia and Canada?

Australia has little interest in the Tempest and will likely be an all F-35 force by 2030 until at least 2050 (bar the twelve growlers still around). The Tempest doesn’t fit Canada’s replacement timeframe, nor does it fit the Government’s intent to spend nothing on defence. It would only be a possibility for Canada if Trudeau staying in Government for the next 20 years and continue to not acquire anything…

So are those $89 million the article mentions 2012 base year dollars or then year/current year (2018) dollars?

In this context then year represents the year the contract was signed, not the 2012 baseline year used in the F-35 SAR. As BIO indicates, the contract expense covers multiple financial years but the overall dollar cost is baselined to a single year for clarity.

400 fuselages already delivered and work has already begun on number 500.

Northrop Grumman begins full-rate production of F-35 center fuselage

Officials at Northrop Grumman got the green light to being full-rate production of the F-35 Lightning II center fuselage. This milestone marks the beginning of a 1.5-day production interval (PI) meaning a center fuselage will be produced every day and a half.

Frank Carus, vice president and F-35 program manager, Northrop Grumman says that the 400th F-35 center fuselage was completed and delivered to Lockheed Martin last month and production of the 500th F-35 center fuselage began last week.

A core structure of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the center fuselage is produced on Northrop Grumman’s integrated assembly line (IAL) at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence. In addition to producing the jet’s center fuselage and wing skins for the aircraft, the Northrop Grumman develops, produces, and maintains several sensor systems, avionics, mission systems and mission-planning software, pilot and maintainer training systems courseware, electronic warfare simulation test capability, and low-observable technologies.

http://mil-embedded.com/news/northrop-grumman-begins-full-rate-production-of-f-35-center-fuselage/

Complete misundestanding by Nathan Gain. The Accap do not evaluate at all the french offer… They will select either F-35 or Typhoon.

The Belgian Government has been clear all along that the French offer lacked substance. Had the French submitted an offer compliant with the tender requirements, which they chose not to do and as has been stated numerous times was a conscious decision, then it could have been evaluated against not only the defined selection criteria but also the other contenders…