The USN Navy only operate 6 Harriers or F-35B’s from its LHA/LHD’s and only part of that fleet would be available at any given time. So, with a fleet of 340 F-35B’s in USMC Service numbers is hardly a problem.

That isn’t strictly true though is it, they only NORMALLY operate with 6 Harriers, they have operated in a sea control configuration with considerably more than that.

I would say “cheap” more like affordable!

Do you mean you “wouldn’t say cheap”?

While the USN may pay lip service to the word affordable I’d say deep down it isn’t really one of their primary concerns.

It would likely be only operated my the USN. Yet, Allied F-35B’s could operate from it to support Allied Operations.

Right so, this is an exercise in providing more airpower for the only navy in the world with a significant fleet of aircraft carriers and LPDs, for what purpose? the USN doesn’t need them.

Conformal fuel tanks, djcross is right, most of what Super Hornets do is drop bombs anything which helps them with that is the obvious standout.

cough! UCAVs cough!

The invisible Elephant in the room. Is the genuine tornado replacement going to be an F35? in 2030? will it be a manned F35? Is that the best we can do? Really?

Realistically I think we* all know it will be a mixture of Typhoon, F35b and UAVs/UCAVs.

* Except Scooter of course.

The ~48 F-35B’s now planned on are for the Joint Lighting Force to equip the two QE Class Carriers. So, I don’t think you can count them as replacements for either the Typhoon or Tornado.

They absolutely are replacing Tornados.

Nonetheless, the UK has sometime before it has to make a decision on type and numbers needed to replace its current Tornado Fleet. Yet, my guess is the F-35A or maybe even F-35C will replace the Tornado at some point. At which time the RAF will likely turn over most or all of the F-35B’s to the Royal Navy. That of course is just my humble opinion.

We have not shown any interest whatsoever in F35A.

Thanks to a freedom of information request by RobWilliams on DefenceNews, when it comes into UK service the F35 will only be cleared for the following UK weapons: AMRAAM, ASRAAM, Paveway IV.

BAE Checks Harpoon fit for Typhoon.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bae-checks-harpoon-fit-for-anti-ship-typhoon-384566/

This needn’t be a bad thing of course…. Somebody somewhere is probably already working on it, but in todays climate I don’t expect to see much detail until the F35 is in UK service.

Even the UCLASS is being specified with great emphasis on starting easy and building complexity in as the system matures. So I think the UK has time to think about this one.

The bad thing is that a STOVL Adaptation of whatever comes from the UK’s UCAV requirement would be hideously expensive for a very small number of airframes with little or no posibility for exports, I don’t really fancy it’s chances if I’m honest.

That picture looks like the ******* offspring of a Blackhawk and Osprey after a drunken one night stand.

Actually looking again at the tail maybe it was a threesome, but what was the third participant?