Article

2004-06-01 Britain

UK to sell Â£43m fighters before seeing service

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Posted by Steve White 2004-06-01 9:10:57 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The Brits (RN and RAF) are also involved with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. That's the plane they need (delivery schedule in 2008). In the meantime, we don't need no stinkin' eurofighter!

Posted by Spot 2004-06-01 10:25:16 AM|| 2004-06-01 10:25:16 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 With all due respect to Steve and Spot,the smartest thing the Brits should have done was build their own F-16 Variant,like the Japanese are.They could then have entered into partnership agreements w/Euro F-16 users for upgrade/replacement.Could still be done,but unlikely as Eurofighter has become totally political,w/Britain not wishing to further anger Euros.
FYI,the naval officer charged w/overseeing F-18E/F project told a group of writers and retired Aviation Admirals that it is true that F-18E has less range,less acceleration,less turning ability than F-18C,but other than that the F-18E is superior.(US Navy range figures for two a/c show F-18C w/2 300 gallon external tanks,and the F-18E w/2 450 gallon external tanks!)BTW,the Navy promoted the officer.In Iraq war,Admiral who had both F-18C's &E's,used his C's for strike missions and used his brand-new alledgedly superior F-18E's as tankers.
As to F-35,I have used too much of Fred's bandwidth in past b***ing about it,for now let's just point out it was originally supposed to enter service next year,and it is going thru severe cost increases.

Posted by Stephen 2004-06-01 7:38:06 PM|| 2004-06-01 7:38:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 You have to remember that the Eurofighter was conceived 20 years ago when there was far more enthuiasm for European cooperation than there is today. Since then the UK defence industry has moved to closer cooperation with USA and were the decision made today the decision would almost certainly be to buy/build an American plane.

Having said that I think they should go with an unmanned/autonomous aerial vehicle.

Posted by Phil B 2004-06-01 9:20:13 PM|| 2004-06-01 9:20:13 PM|| Front Page Top

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