[sukhoi-30mki]

Photoshopped British Rafale

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Currerntly I believe we are the only country now interested in the STOVL version of the F-35. If Britian stayed in to buy these, they could probably use the same 2 aircraft carriers they’re scrapping now. They wouldn’t need catapaults. I believe last year, we did some sea trials with the F-35 STOVL aboard the WASP amphibious assault ship and they’re getting decent results.

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings. Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist. The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation. This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[DesScorp]

The Rafale is a better dogfighter than the Super Hornet, but the Super is superior in just about every other job... fleet air defense, strike, price per aircraft, etc. "Lending" Rafales would be fine, but the Brits shouldn't buy them (which is what the French ultimately want).

If I were the British minister of defense, I'd tell our SecDef "Hey, you know those Harriers you're buying from us? Instead, how about a swap for a like number of those USMC F/A-18C's and D's, and we'll call it even?"

This would give them a good affordable strike fighter to use in the interim with no cash expended, and then they could decide on where to go from there... Supers, Rafales, F-35C's, etc.

This is all assuming, of course, than they even have the carriers still and don't sell them to India or China right off the bat because of budget issues, which is very possible still.