i read that it is to be 20% below legacy and they still hold that view, they are doing a costings exercise to confirm this.
as professionals do there was a navair costing done on the inflated JET estimate, which everyone including navy saw as not being the case and public statements were made

to use this single navair as any proof of f-35 not being cheaper than legacy without the followup statements refuting this and saying it was based on JET included, is being very selective and gives a false impression

It’s a NavAir in-house study that was somehow leaked – an economic projection from one point of view at a certain point in time; from another viewpoint, heresy. Take your pick. Anyway, a .pdf of the source of the 40% number is here:

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_download-id-12778.html

The only reason the Super Tucano is not on test in Afghanistan now is US pork-barrel politics: a request for funding from the Navy was blocked by the Senator for Kansas, where Hawker Beechcraft are based. (They are developing the AT-6B in competition to the Super Tucano.)

Sort of, but not really. Domestic politics would favor a US built aircraft of the same type and class before buying a foreign built airframe of similar capability that is not already in US service. But for now, the COIN turboprop is in limbo because the USAF has backed away from funding it – the fighter mafia doesn’t like the idea of programs competing for acquisition funds needed for the F-35. I’d like to see the Army (Navy/Marines) take on the program – it’s their guys who are doing the fighting and dying.

the constant bashing of the F35 programme is a little tedious now (particularly as it is being framed in economic terms).

The idea that the UK would be better of with the Hornet is terrible. I can’t believe that its even being suggested to replace the Tornado….

Obviously the F35 is going to be an excellent system and one which the UK should support wholeheartedly. Its not going to be the “destroyer of worlds” that some suggest but its a massive jump forward for the UK both industrially and operationally, and will complement the Typhoon in service.

The f18 is about as exciting as the 747-8 is in airliner terms…

Excitement is not the issue: the issue is capability, utility and economy. The SH has all three covered quite nicely. It is probably the most capable, flexible and proven strike aircraft in service – and its costs are lower than peer aircraft like the Rafale and the EF, and the F-35. And in the A-A arena, most adversaries will not be a factor by turn 1.

I’d imagine the plane could well take a pair of jammers internally (like EF111), but the array layout and spacing for lateral and rear, level and dorsal, quarters my prove difficult to solve, since the plane is already packed with avionics, as it is.
It’s a shame F35 is a twin tail design, because if it was given a a single vertical stabilizer, it could get the array “mast” on a vertical (like Rafale, f.e.).

It is also conceivable that the pods will contain specialized antennae that need exposure. For this, power and volumetric reasons, NGJ on the F-35 will be an external store, non-stealthy solution.

to be honest its all hot air anyway, because how many f35 operators (as signed up) are going to go up against typhoon in a shooting war (unless the saudis suddenly become warmongers?)

Israel perhaps? The Israeli lobby in the US is already gearing up to oppose the upcoming sale of 84 F-15’s to Saudia Arabia. They contend it disrupts the balance of power in the Mid-East. The more cynical among us believe it is more of a ploy to get access to F-35 tech – so they can develop their own new jet program… Anyway, the Israelis generally get what the want from daddy, and what they don’t get, they try to steal.

Rumored budget cut for USAF F-35’s

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2010/07/mixed-messages-on-possible-f-3.html

A lot of speculation in this blog post, but it seems Congress is serious in holding LM to task.

Bigger fighters (F-14 & F-15) carry more fuel internally and have greater range than smaller fighters (F-18 & F-16) – in general.