The Trident debate.

[JFKvsNixon]

Defending us against what? Tornados could do that - you could get the red arrows to chase of a few ruskies who are testing the waters. When, and I take your point we haven't got them yet, we could have aircraft in the F35 that could, broadly speaking be used by both the navy and Air Force.

 

The F35 is going to be used by the RAF and the RN.

 

Here's a link explaining the different capabilities of both planes and how they'll work together.

 

---------- Post added 20-01-2015 at 21:44 ----------

 

The F35 is a turkey outmatched by all its rivals. I really hope we cancel our order and make some planes ourselves.

Anybody remember when we did that?

 

The Hawk maybe, and out last frontline plane the Harrier? Interestingly both are/were made under licence by the Americans.

[tinfoilhat]

The F35 is a turkey outmatched by all its rivals. I really hope we cancel our order and make some planes ourselves.

Anybody remember when we did that?

 

What rivals? What should we have bought - bearing in mind it was replacing an aircraft that was 40 years old.

[JFKvsNixon]

What rivals? What should we have bought - bearing in mind it was replacing an aircraft that was 40 years old.

 

We're not just buying the plane, British Aerospace or whatever their called now, has a few fingers in the F-35 pie, as it does with the Typhoon, and the Saab Griffen.

[Bill Plant]

What rivals? What should we have bought - bearing in mind it was replacing an aircraft that was 40 years old.

 

The (British) aircraft it replaces was perfectly serviceable for at least another 15 years with modification. Instead a shady deal is done that leaves us with a pile of junk that costs a bomb. Still the americans are used to pulling fast ones. Look what they did to AVRO.

[tinfoilhat]

The F35 is going to be used by the RAF and the RN.

 

Here's a link explaining the different capabilities of both planes and how they'll work together.

 

---------- Post added 20-01-2015 at 21:44 ----------

 

 

The Hawk maybe, and out last frontline plane the Harrier? Interestingly both are/were made under licence by the Americans.

 

Thanks for the link, looks an interesting read - I'll look through it in a mo. A brief skim shows it (obviously when I think about it) the F35 will replace the remaining tornados. What threat exists where a typhoon will be a far better option than an F35?

 

---------- Post added 20-01-2015 at 21:52 ----------

 

We're not just buying the plane, British Aerospace or whatever their called now, has a few fingers in the F-35 pie, as it does with the Typhoon, and the Saab Griffen.

 

BAE are everywhere!

[JFKvsNixon]

Thanks for the link, looks an interesting read - I'll look through it in a mo. A brief skim shows it (obviously when I think about it) the F35 will replace the remaining tornados. What threat exists where a typhoon will be a far better option than an F35?

 

The Typhoon can fly faster, higher and longer, and it's more manoeuvrable. It's ordinance is different from the F35, with a better Beyond Visual Range performance.

[Obelix]

You could argue it makes more sense to keep a nuclear deterent than it does spending money on the eurofighter/typhoon. They cost £23bn as far as I can work out. The RAF hasn't shot anything down since 1948. Surely the new F35 could do all roles.

 

They might have had one in 1956 in Suez.... rumours abound.

 

Also I recall that the RAF managed to shoot another RAF Jaguar and it landed sausage side whilst on manoevers in Germany in the 1990's. Apparantly though a score draw like that doesn't count....

[tinfoilhat]

The Typhoon can fly faster, higher and longer, and it's more manoeuvrable. It's ordinance is different from the F35, with a better Beyond Visual Range performance.

 

I don't doubt it can do all those things. But what threats exist where they need to faster etc?

 

 

 

 

(Apart from maybe, maybe the Falklands - but I don't know what the argies have)

[JFKvsNixon]

I don't doubt it can do all those things. But what threats exist where they need to faster etc?

 

 

 

 

(Apart from maybe, maybe the Falklands - but I don't know what the argies have)

 

The Argies have just signed a deal with the Russians to provide them with some ground attack fighters in exchange for beef! This may well mean that we'll need to beef (sorry) up our defences.

 

The thing with our air defence is that it can now take 15/20 years to bring a plane to service, so we need these planes to look after our tomorrows as well as our todays.

 

Remember that before WW1 was long period of peace and stability, with all of European countries becoming more interdependent to such an extent that a many ruled out the chances of a majors European war ever happening again.

[tinfoilhat]

The Argies have just signed a deal with the Russians to provide them with some ground attack fighters in exchange for beef! This may well mean that we'll need to beef (sorry) up our defences.

 

The thing with our air defence is that it can now take 15/20 years to bring a plane to service, so we need these planes to look after our tomorrows as well as our todays.

 

Remember that before WW1 was long period of peace and stability, with all of European countries becoming more interdependent to such an extent that a many ruled out the chances of a majors European war ever happening again.

 

If I'm honest, the only place where they are worth it is the Falklands. Trying to my not very reliable crystal ball, I suspect we'll be fighting Islamist nutters for the next 20 years. If Russia ever starts seriously knocking on our door and the typhoon is needed, I suspect large parts of Europe will be a smoking ruin - and then that's probably when a nuclear deterent will be handy.

 

Had any other nuclear power had them and given them up?