Look how fast things change? The USAF nuked two Japanese cities – 50 years later we are all driving around in Toyotas!

I think if Ukraine join Nato, we will be 1 step closer to a major war in Europe, probably over resources such as gas. Russian gas willl be as precious as Middle East Oil.

The whole JSF programme seems a bit strange. For instance the RN are building these two supercarriers with the intention of using the F-35B, I don’t understand why the RN will be operating these two CATOBAR size carriers with an airwing of STOVL fighters and helicopters? Why not just use more carriers similar to what they have?Are they simply leaving the CATOBAR system asleep because they might use the E-2?

Also, how will the USMC launch the F-35B off the IwoJima type carriers, if they do not have skijumps? And if they can do it, then surely the F-35B could be operated from an HMS Ocean type ship, so why are the new carriers so large?

I compare them to that Russian carrier, empty deck, but they need it because the Su-33 is not STOVL!

Surely if you abort a landing on low fuel, and need to refuel, you need to climb to the tanker, that must take at good percentage of the total fuel weight of an aircraft, esp if it has bought back weapons.

These made sound like dumb points so I apologise.

So the RAF no longer employs the Tornado as a low level strike aircraft, more of a medium altitude bomber/recon aircraft.

So let’s say it’s 2020 and the UK are about to attack a ‘rogue’ state somewhere, would it go something like this:-

1. Stormshadows take out all the ‘key’ elements, launched from F-35s 300 miles away, and flying at 40,000ft. With Typhoons performing CAP.

2. Stealth UAVs and F-35, go in undetected, and take a look, then take out anything ‘missed’.

3. Typhoons do the SEAD job using ALARMs, using data provided by the F-35s and UAVs, taking out any highly mobile threats, and deal with any fighters remaining.

4. Marines go in ‘spiking’ targets for PGMs so F-35 and UAVs can take them out.

5. CAS flown by F-35s and Apaches for remainder of war, controlled by ASTOR.

Thanks for the answers. It seems that all airforces, except for Russia (Su-34) and China (Lepoard), do not have any in-development programmes or plans for dedicated interdictor stike aircraft. I think a war with Russia is very likley personally, espeacilly over the Crimea region – when Ukraine join NATO, the missile shield and resources, and that is when a dedicated interdictor strike aircraft would come into it’s own.

I suppose the USAF faces the same thing with regard to the F-15E. What will replace that – I take it there is going to be no F-22E Strike Raptor?

There must be point in all wars when you have to fly into heavily defended ‘zones’ to take out targets like mobile SAM launchers and mobile SSM set-ups?

I know the Su-25 is a CAS aircraft, but will the Su-34 be used for CAS also, for example using smart bombs and anti-tank weapons? The reason why I said also that it will replace Tu-22M2 is that the Su-34, I think, is the only Flanker variant that can carry external tanks – so the range must be close to that of the Backfire, and the ‘cabin’ has a toilet! – so it must be intended for substrategic missions right – kinda like an FB-111? And when you throw in SEAD, and it’s A2A ‘heritage’ it looks like the Russians will have the ultimate Tornado replacment! It must make the RAF crews jealous a bit!

How exactly does the Tornado ‘follow’ contours of the land? Does the Mirage 2000D/N, F-15E, Su-24 and Su-34 also have this?