To a certain extent I agree with Cliff, the UK killed its own aerospace industry and now its reaping the benefits.
If I was in charge of the UK defence budget and had vast sums of money to spend I would take the Replica programme and get BAe to put the Typhoons avionics and engines in it.

I agree, if the UK pulls out of the JSF program (which I doubt) it will loose the STOVL capability it joined for. It would be far easier to build the stealthy Replica carrier ready than to navalize the Typhoon or start a new STOVL program.

I still think the JSF is the most sensible option for the UK though, I thought the technology transfer issues where mainly to do with electronic warfare issues (access to source codes) such as the Israeli’s had with their F-15 and F-16 fleets?

Desert Storm and Yugoslavia didn’t really show the MiG-29 in a good light. However when Germany reunited (When are they going on tour? I want tickets! 😀 ) They kept the East German MiG-29’s in service for several years. I even think they went to Red Flag a few times. So the question is how did they perform against other NATO aircraft?

According to Nick Richardson’s book ”No Escape Zone” German MiG-29’s performed very well against the UK Fleet Air Arm’s Sea Harrier FRS1’s.

This was in 1994 at Decimommanu where the SHAR’s tested their tactics against MiG-29’s for operations over the former Yugoslavia. The German pilots handled their MiG’s very well and successfully defeated SHAR’s trying to perform the doppler notch manoeuvre.

But more than adequate for deterrance of any move by Argentina, I seriously doubt that Argentina could put Ascension Island out of comission!

It’s adequate for the current situation only, Argentina isn’t in a position to seriously threaten the islands at the moment.

If Argentina did try retaking the Falkland’s in the future they would have to disrupt operations from Ascension Island.

It still doesn’t change the fact that Argentiana is seriously overmatched when it comes to comparing her armed forces to the defences on the Falkland Islands.

Argentina is certainly in no way ready to attempt retaking the Falkland Islands, but the British defences are not that impressive either really, they are more of a token gesture than a serious capability.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/stations/os_base.html

Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

The most recent purpose-built airfield in the RAF, Mount Pleasant was opened in 1984 to establish a fighter and transport presence in the Islands following the Falklands War. Currently based at Mount Pleasant are No 1435 Flight with 4 Tornado F3s, No 1312 Flight, with a single VC10 tanker and 1 Hercules C1, as well as No 78 Squadron with Chinook and Sea King helicopters. Ground units include No 7, 303 and 751 Signals Units and a Rapier detachment from the RAF Regiment.

http://www.army.mod.uk/aroundtheworld/flk/index.htm

About 500 Army personnel are currently stationed on the Falkland Islands. They work within the following groups: an Infantry Company Group, an Engineer Squadron, a Signals Unit, a Logistics Group and Supporting Services. Over the years, the British forces have completed extensive reconstruction work. Further tasks of road building and clearing the Islands of munitions and debris have also been undertaken.

Rapid reinforcement by air will only be possible if the Argentinian’s fail to take out the airfields on Ascension Island and the Falkland’s.

The 1982 Falkland’s invasion was a opportune political misadventure, any serious attempt by Argentina to retake the island’s is unlikely to make the same mistakes.