Is it just me, or is the F-35 quite an ugly looking aircraft? It seems too complex with its VTOL, swinging the rear thruster down to do this? Wish we had made a carrier version of the Typhoon, or kept the Sea-Harrier? Just seems--awkward behaviour.
The rear thruster swings on many newly designed aircraft - it is what is supposed to give many modern jets their maneuverability. Obviously not to the extent of the F35B though! That is for the vertical take off. However, it is the fan behind the cockpit, with the opening trap doors to give downward thrust near the front that is the real bit of gadgetry!
From what has been said navalising the Typhoon would be very expensive indeed. A redesign with the UK as the only purchaser? Better to buy the Rafale
Sea Harrier? Well, the Sea Harrier was retired in 2006. The GR9 was retired more recently. The Harrier suffered from very short combat radius and could only really function after air superiority over a target has been achieved. The Sea Harrier was more capable, and it certainly carried a better arsenal than the GR9 - which required a refit (hence it's retirement) to meet the same standards.
A lot of articles about developments are
very political. Those two you link are no exception. The entire thing has become politics, plain and simple. Most care not for the capabilities or anything else, it's political point scoring.
It is
incredibly hard to find anything that isn't utterly skewing things for max political leverage. Undoubtedly some folks want the F35B for the UK and will do/say
anything to ensure this happens. Why? Politics, money, business.
Inflating the cost of the refit, saying it will be 2028 before the carriers will have any wings on board (without any mention of when F35B production would supposedly give us a wing!
).
The only certainties are that the C is more capable (greater attack radius, greater load capability, cheaper to maintain, cheaper to purchase, and a fully laden B may need to drop unused
expensive ordinance before landing due to weight issues) than the B. However, when delivered it may be like the Typhoon - shy on actual capabilities to launch various weapons we use as those requirements were stripped out to cut costs.
It is all becoming a farce. Maybe it already was, but too many folks have too much vested politics/interest/lobbyists and mis-representation/reporting to make it an utter minefield. What is truth, what is fiction, is nearly impossible to know. The US wade in to say we've inflated the costs of the refit by 100%. Hmm, I wonder
why those costs have suddenly grown so much?
I no longer care about the variant anymore, I just pray we have some bloody carriers which may be used instead! Utterly ridiculous. 2025 before a proper carrier group, insane. Buy the Rafale