Posted on 03/02/2012 9:20:33 PM PST by U-238
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed it is reviewing parts of the programme to build two new aircraft carriers for the Royal navy, throwing doubt over the planned use of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter plane. This decision could have a major impact on BAE Systems, which is involved in the aircraft's development. The cost of the two new Queen Elizabeth class carriers - originally ordered under the last Labour government - have already risen dramatically from £3.5 billion to around £7 billion. Changes ordered by the coalition government could see those costs rise even further. The current confusion is over which planes should fly off the new carrier. Labour had originally proposed to buy a vertical landing variant of the new Joint Strike Fighter plane, also know as the F-35, which would be launched from a "ski jump" fitted on the new carriers and then land vertically. The system is similar to that used by the Harrier jump jet on HMS Ark Royal - both of which were scrapped following the strategic defence and security review.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
One has to wonder if the F-35C is capable of operating STOBAR from these new carriers, eliminating the need to retrofit EMALS to carrier #1.
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