Article

2006-12-13 Britain

Britain signs F-35 fighter jet deal with Pentagon

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Posted by Fred 2006-12-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Negotiating tactics for cheaper per unit price. Typical.

BTW, LM is not moving to early stages of production ... this already happened. They are gearing for LRIP now.

Posted by bombay">bombay 2006-12-13 08:15|| 2006-12-13 08:15|| Front Page Top

#2 ...I suspect the UK got a few cruumbs to satisfy everybody. The UK is technically capable of doing everything we've done on the F-35, if they would just spend the money. They were already committed to the new CV, which could operate F-18s(maybe)or the French Rafale (definitely). Political considerations would rule out Rafale and the F-18 isn't a sure thing, especially in the new E model - so they were pretty much stuck with the -35.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2006-12-13 09:10|| 2006-12-13 09:10|| Front Page Top

#3 And I am certain an American aerospace firm could eventually figure out BAe's VTOL system (though it has been tried before). F-35 technology is not all flowing west to east across the Atlantic.

Posted by Excalibur 2006-12-13 12:42|| 2006-12-13 12:42|| Front Page Top

#4 The lift fan is L-M invention and the swivel nozzle (I think) is Yakovlev tech licensed by L-M and built by BAE.

Posted by ed 2006-12-13 13:06|| 2006-12-13 13:06|| Front Page Top

#5 I would have thought they'ld just stick with the Eurofighter?

Posted by BrerRabbit 2006-12-13 13:51|| 2006-12-13 13:51|| Front Page Top

#6 Excal,

No worries on that end, that certain aerospace company is going to build 30 - 35% of the planes, they already know.

Posted by bombay">bombay 2006-12-13 14:54|| 2006-12-13 14:54|| Front Page Top

#7 The shaft-drive is L-M patented but otherwise the kit is indeed supposedly patterned after the Yakovlev Yak-141. However, this never went into production, as I am sure you know. There is a reason Rolls-Royce was contracted to develop the 3BSN nozzle for the F-35 and BAe is handling the flight-control software... as mentioned in my previous comment.

Posted by Excalibur 2006-12-13 15:22|| 2006-12-13 15:22|| Front Page Top

#8 Sorry, to be more clear, Boeing will end up building the plane as well. So not only LM, but Boeing will have access to the technology as the integrator.

LM get's most of the pie, but Boeing's there to reduce single supply risk.

Posted by bombay">bombay 2006-12-13 20:38|| 2006-12-13 20:38|| Front Page Top

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