The likelyhood of the B getting cancelled now is miniscule. If the JSF program was hit by a massive cost saving exercise it would probably be in the form of the A getting canned and the air force being ordered to take C’s but even that looks very unlikely now. The F-35 is too important for Marine corp and has a good export potential, its not going anywhere for now.

As for the UK’s choice, the consensus seems to be they got it wrong. There is absolutly no reason why the UK should not be getting the C variant, but that topic has been done to death here.

Yes, as US Congress has recently approved continuing with the F136 engine for the B, but until the thing starts flying next year, I don’t think that can be seen as a guarantee that it will go into production.

As for the A, why would they want to cancel that? The USAF might look to reduce or slow deliveries once it enters service, but this is the main variant that is wanted by the partners and will be the biggest part of the all the orders. And I doubt that it would be cancelled if budgetary reasons called for it in favour of continuing the development of an alternatively-powered aircraft (B) and a larger aircraft (CV) that isn’t even due to fly until 2009. If there is any cost-cutting exercises involving the aircraft, focus will remain on the F-35B and overall numbers ordered.

I have it on good authority, from someone who is likely to be involved in the process, that RAF SAR is being considered for a PFI initiative, largely based on the success of the rotary training PFI.

Hopefully the brief against which interested parties will tender will detail things like operational requirements (aircraft range, response times expected etc).

Assuming RAF SAR might be needed under situation of combat, I wonder if the whole RAF SAR is likely to be outsourced via PFI, or just the “peacetime” SAR element – in which case who/what would do the job in time of conflict, should downed crew need extraction from conflict zones?

Or do alternative RAF “SAR” provisions already exist to cover case of conflict?

Paul F

I had already detailed slightly higher up in this post that RAF SAR will be included in the PFI contract, SAR-H. It would cover both “civilian” SAR and I guess, SAR of aircrew within the UK SAR Region (as well as possibly the Falkland Islands). As far as CSAR, well that would remain with the armed forces using whatever is available while on operational deployment (Chinook, Puma, etc) – much like it is now. Incidentally, the RAF would still have a role in SAR-H. I believe it is proposed that some military crews will be used (alongside ex-military) in the civilian company-supported and operated helicopters, while there would be a continuing role for the Nimrod, which already plays an important role (one is always on standby for SAR ops at Kinloss).