The UK has now officially reverted to the F-35B due to the potential costs of converting the ships to CATOBAR being up to £2 billion. *CRIES*
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Eugh. How does £2bn for the cats-and-traps (which the carrier was supposedly designed to accommodate) end up more expensive than having to buy more F35B's (to match the capability of an F35C's wing), which are more expensive both to purchase AND maintain? Wasn't the figure for that touted at something over £2.4bn over the lifetime of the F35B? Plus the loss of interoperability, capacity to launch other aircraft and, presumably, the cost of retrofitting the cats-and-traps for the generation of aircraft after the F35. 
Eugh. How does £2bn for the cats-and-traps (which the carrier was supposedly designed to accommodate) end up more expensive than having to buy more F35B's (to match the capability of an F35C's wing), which are more expensive both to purchase AND maintain? Wasn't the figure for that touted at something over £2.4bn over the lifetime of the F35B? Plus the loss of interoperability, capacity to launch other aircraft and, presumably, the cost of retrofitting the cats-and-traps for the generation of aircraft after the F35.
Upfront costs scare the MoD.
Question: What happens if "the facts change" again, and the F35B ends up with more problems, more delays, and most cost?
I don't see any other explanation for this stupidity:
Cameron's F-35 U-turn: BAE Systems still calls the shots at No 10
Cameron's F-35 U-turn: BAE Systems still calls the shots at No 10
I dunno Jan, if BAE really called the shots I think we would have a Naval Typhoon right now Or a Super Harrier maybe? I mean - the decision has physically changed at least once
Or a Super Harrier maybe? I mean - the decision has physically changed at least once
View attachment facepalm.jpg
Really the only suitable reaction. Seriously considering voting for labour in 2015 right now.
Really the only suitable reaction. Seriously considering voting for labour in 2015 right now.
Its a shame the government doesn't have to come out with a detailed report to back up its U-turn. Then we'd see.
Quite and interesting (and harsh) article. The most interesting part is the info on the US absorbing and cost problems with EMALs (which has essentially already been done - it's part of the cost overruns on the CVN-78). Doesn't match with the comments about the cost of the catapult installation.
Question:
If it is going to be all F-35Bs, wouldn`t it be desirable to start using them on the Invincible Class as soon as possible? (maybe they can`t operate from such old ships?)
Is it the delivery of the production version so far away that it renders this option impractical?
Wouldn`t make sense to keep the older ships around a bit longer to buy more F-35Bs thus reducing overall costs (assuming it woks like any other product) and increasing the fleet capabilities?
I guess that, politically, saying "will have 4/5 ACs, 2 of them new" would sound better than "we are downgrading the 2 ACs we don´t even have yet"
If it is going to be all F-35Bs, wouldn`t it be desirable to start using them on the Invincible Class as soon as possible? (maybe they can`t operate from such old ships?)
Is it the delivery of the production version so far away that it renders this option impractical?
Wouldn`t make sense to keep the older ships around a bit longer to buy more F-35Bs thus reducing overall costs (assuming it woks like any other product) and increasing the fleet capabilities?
I guess that, politically, saying "will have 4/5 ACs, 2 of them new" would sound better than "we are downgrading the 2 ACs we don´t even have yet"
As far as i know the first full-production F35B won't be delivered until at least 2017 (and who knows what delays may crop up between now and then). To be quite honest, i think the claim of us having an "operational" carrier with STOVL F35B's in 2020 (supposedly improved from 2023 with the F35C) is already quite fanciful.
I believe Illustrious would have to have her flight-deck reinforced to withstand the crazy heat generated by F35-B's lift-fan.
[video=youtube;H6h8i8wrajA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6h8i8wrajA[/video]
From 2005, still relevant, still funny
From 2005, still relevant, still funny
And on top of the news about the aircraft carriers, the RAF may be paying billions of pounds too much for its new air-to-air refuelling Voyager aircraft. If they have got it so badly wrong with that contract, how can we trust the MoD to have got the carriers one right? :unsure:
This is going to be stupid beyond belief. The F22 is already pure crap with downtime, and F35 may be as bad or worse. The VTOL version will be the worst of all - so having 10% available fighters as the rest are under maintenence will be awesome! I used to love Lockheed Martin but they've turned into a real scummy company the last 10-15 years. net profit last year while continuing to ramp up costs on these jets while we find out just how pathetic they would be in a real war. What good doers a 5-1 kill ratio do if your jets can't fly?