Rather old photoshopped image of a Rafale for the RN
Posted on 01/26/2012 8:11:46 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
UK considers Rafale and F-18 as 'interim aircraft'
26 January 2012
Ministry of Defence concerns over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have led to military chiefs looking at other fast jets for the UK's aircraft carrier, it has been reported.
According to The Times, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, the current commander-in-chief fleet, said concerns were growing about rising costs and delays in the JSF programme, something now worsened by order cuts from the US.
Soar, who was addressing defence companies at the ADS Maritime Interest Group, reportedly said the UK might not receive the $100m per piece F-35 jets until a decade after the delivery of the carrier, currently set for 2019.
He was said to be considering the French Dassault Rafale and the US F-18 Super Hornet to give Britain an "interim aircraft capability".
Soar indicated that the JSF would be a major talking point at the next strategic defence review in 2015.
Rather old photoshopped image of a Rafale for the RN
Isn’t the Rafael production line about to close? Or maybe they’ve booked their last orders? Seem to remember reading something like that a few months back.
No, the French government had warned that the line would be shut after their final orders are fulfilled IF no export deals are secured. That’s not surprising since France, like most European governments does not have the means to place big additional orders or subsidize exports (mil-aid) the way the US can do.
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The Typhoon is not carrier worthy?
Interesting that the Brits may turn to the French.
That was it! Thanks!
The French are already using a carrier version of the Rafael. I don’t think that a navalized version of the Typhoon has been produced as of yet. I think it’s one of those, “give me an order and we’ll re-design it” type of things.
The French are already using a carrier version of the Rafael. I don’t think that a navalized version of the Typhoon has been produced as of yet. I think it’s one of those, “give me an order and we’ll re-design it” type of things.
It is odd that the Brits would turn to the French, although they did it when they decided on Exocet as their first main anti ship missile. However, you have to consider, what other choices are there? If F-22 is cancelled, F-35 is delayed, that leaves the Russian Sukhoi or French Rafale. There arent any other naval fighter jets out there.
It also makes sense from the stanpoint of the british aircraft carrier itself. There’s a chance that the Brits & French will actually ‘share’ an aircraft carrier. If they operate a common aircraft type (Rafael) then you could see an integrated air wing. Of course then they’d be arguing about which language needed to be use over the comms.
F-22 is not a naval fighter either.
It’s ironic that the RN should look at the Rafale since the French walked out of the Eurofigher, citing the lack of a naval variant as a major reason.The most obvious choice in this age of shrinking budgets would have to be the Super Hornet. Far less costly than the Rafale,mature and with excellent strike capability-it would also be a more sensible bridge to F-35.
A better idea... for the Brits and for us... would be a swap. Instead of paying for those GR.7 Harriers with cash, let’s do an even swap: carrier-capable Marine Corps F/A-18C’s and D’s for the Harriers. The Brits save money, we save money, and the Brits get a carrier-capable strike fighter.
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