Remind me. How many refuelling points, where, & of what types, is KC-X required to have? :diablo:

3 or 4 depending on how you look at it.

Centerline: Both hose and boom though both can’t be used concurrently.
Wings: hose on each wing.

“In terms of workshare it wouldn’t make much of a difference. BAE would get to build their share of all F-35s regardless of any order or not from the UK govt.”

yep your right. I think the point is that the UK isn’t tied to the F35B.

suggesting (as some have) that “if we don’t buy enough american products and operate them in the way in which washington wants then we shouldn’t have any part in the F35”, would seem to be not only ridiculous but also ample justification of a move towards greater operational sovereignty.

After all there was a point in the last decade when the UK was observing JUCAS with great interest. that we didn’t carry on that interest (in what came after) in some form illustrates the damage US demands over the JSF did to relations.

You means the demands that you receive 100% of the programme benefits for 3% of the costs? What exactly would stop you them taking JSF program secrets, canceling your orders after a handful of aircraft and then teaming up with Italy to build a competitor? You’re getting access to a stealth aircraft and significant industrial benefits, very much disproportionate to the number of aircraft you are buying. If you could like us to see if someone else is willing to build the aft fuselages and go with a last generation french machine, you’re welcome to do so.

They can have all the ideas, they want but the Air Force spent out all the funds for an independent programs. This is going to basically a repeat of the F-4 programme (and a reverse of JSF) where they will be forced to by whatever the Navy wants for NGAD.

well i think obsolete is an overstatement, it may not be as advanced as typhoon but its certainly not obsolete:diablo:

also the uk is building a significant portion of the F35, so would be folly to dump all of that and buy Rafale.

As current, though a 2/3rds reduction in airframes might need that to be reevaluated.

Two cats and three wires, actually I think its an adapted image of the proposed PA2 from a few years back.

Not sure about the location of the port side forward Phalanx mount, seems rather close to the angle decks catapult run. Also I can’t make out the deck landing sight and associated equipment.

The port forward 5″/54s on the Forrestals were located in basically the same positions.

This is the only helicopter, as long as we say that the V-22 is a helo, which is fast enough to be refuelled by a jet tanker. But I guess this picture is only to prove it can be done as normaly a KC-130 will be used.

Technically, its listed by the Navy and Marines as a fixed wing aircraft.

Army and Air Force tankers are refueled by Air Force HC/MC-130 which are basically KC-130s modified for SAR and special operations.

Because they wanted something cheap and fast as interim ship to get their pilots ready for the new carriers. They failed to realize how much Russia would screw them. For the new carriers, they want them build in india.