F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)

[bobp]

A little bit about the UK F35b and ski jump here.....http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=4165

[marktigger]

the one show from Monday is worth a watch

[Pseudo]

the one show from Monday is worth a watch

It's not often you hear anyone saying that!

[marktigger]

the one show from Monday is worth a watch

It's not often you hear anyone saying that!

Carol Vorderman tied to the back of a Hercules and an F35 in flight and In flight refueling whats not to like?

[Pseudo]

the one show from Monday is worth a watch

It's not often you hear anyone saying that!

Carol Vorderman tied to the back of a Hercules and an F35 in flight and In flight refueling whats not to like?

Yeah, I caught it and it was good. I was just making a general observation about The One Show.

[The Armchair Soldier]

Someone uploaded it to YouTube.

[bobp]

Excellent clip. The shots off the C130 were awesome. The USMC and RAF/RN are really taking advantage of this UK visit to show it off to the world.

[jimthelad]

Need new shorts

[arfah]

.....................

[GibMariner]

First vertical landing of the F-35B in the UK:

[shark bait]

I am always impressed by how steady and composed they look in a hover.

[arfah]

................... .

[GibMariner]

USMC KC-130J leads an F-35B at the start of the Royal International Air Tattoo 2016

[rec]

I still think a split buy is best,a nd would be slightly chaerer, in addition the f35A better fits the RAF's requirements.

So 3 front line F35b squardrons RN
and 3 front line F35A squardrons RAF
1 joint OEU (As and Bs)
1joint OCu (As and Bs)

Bases Marham and Honnington and maybe Wittering.

work up to 2 squadrons F35bs 1 RAF 1 RN as planned.
Then transfer 617sqn badge to first F35A squadron with all F35bs reverting to two RN Squadrons

The QE acts as main strike carrier (24F35B, 8 merlin HM2, and 3 merlin AEW)
POW LPH (12 F35B, 12 Merlin HC4, 3 Merlin AEW)

POST 2026 - 4TH f35 b Squadron, and 2 LPHDs to replace Albion and Bulwark. POW then acting as second strike carrier.
Purchasing of tilt wing aircraft to act as COD and air to air refuelling.

[arfah]

....................

[rec]

So what do the RAF replace the lost Harrier capability with?

they have a choice it's that or deep strike, surely Typhoon in part has replaced the harrier?

[marktigger]

Typhoon was to Replace Tornado F3 and Jaguar
Lightning II was to replace Harrier and Sea Harrier

[Ron5]

I am always impressed by how steady and composed they look in a hover.

So was the Russian Yak. Computer control has it good points and bad.

[shark bait]

So was the Russian Yak. Computer control has it good points and bad.

I'm a gas turbine control systems engineer, you would struggle to convince me of any bad points

Was the yak computer controlled?

I recall VAAC looking remarkably stable in a hover too, it's the predecessor to the F35's system so it's no surprise they both look so good.

[Ron5]

I still think a split buy is best,a nd would be slightly chaerer, in addition the f35A better fits the RAF's requirements.

So 3 front line F35b squardrons RN
and 3 front line F35A squardrons RAF
1 joint OEU (As and Bs)
1joint OCu (As and Bs)

Bases Marham and Honnington and maybe Wittering.

work up to 2 squadrons F35bs 1 RAF 1 RN as planned.
Then transfer 617sqn badge to first F35A squadron with all F35bs reverting to two RN Squadrons

The QE acts as main strike carrier (24F35B, 8 merlin HM2, and 3 merlin AEW)
POW LPH (12 F35B, 12 Merlin HC4, 3 Merlin AEW)

POST 2026 - 4TH f35 b Squadron, and 2 LPHDs to replace Albion and Bulwark. POW then acting as second strike carrier.
Purchasing of tilt wing aircraft to act as COD and air to air refuelling.

QE capacity is 36+ F-35B's. For two QE's that means 6 squadrons plus OCU. So not enough squadrons for F-35A's.

And why would a buy of F-35A's be cheaper? It's another type for the RAF to support. Implies big additional bucks. What can it do that an F-35B can't?

[Ron5]

So was the Russian Yak. Computer control has it good points and bad.

I'm a gas turbine control systems engineer, you would struggle to convince me of any bad points

Was the yak computer controlled?

I recall VAAC looking remarkably stable in a hover too, it's the predecessor to the F35's system so it's no surprise they both look so good.

For one thing, you wouldn't have VIFFing if the Harrier VL had been computer controlled.

[seaspear]

There are viewpoints here against the split purchase of f35a and b ,certainly enough of the b model should be ordered to meet the Fleet requirements , but I cant recall any requirement published for other needs that would only be met by the b model , if only operated off an airport then the A model has distinct advantages ,if operated as like the harrier off roads from concealment then special matting and other equipment would be required to prevent damage to the aircraft .

[Old RN]

Surely if there is going to be a split buy (which I don't think is sensible) the logic would be F35C not F35A. It gives better range and has "probe and drogue" refueling. Would the better idea be to have an interchangeable fuel tank in place of the lift fan. This was apparently suggested some time ago and would allow a number of such tanks to be aquired and have a squadron or two of long range non-STOVL F35Bs which could be converted back to full STOVL in an emergency that needed to fully load the CVFs (50 F35Bs each?)

[downsizer]

This is fantasy fleet stuff. It's fun to play at, so I think we will buy 200B's for the FAA and 200A's for the RAF.

But there isn't any budget for that, and there is hardly enough budget to buy the 138 B's that we are 'committed' to now! Surely most of you are savvy enough to tell what is realistic and what is the press spouting garbage?

[R686]

This is fantasy fleet stuff. It's fun to play at, so I think we will buy 200B's for the FAA and 200A's for the RAF.

But there isn't any budget for that, and there is hardly enough budget to buy the 138 B's that we are 'committed' to now! Surely most of you are savvy enough to tell what is realistic and what is the press spouting garbage?

Bit much for a Harrier replacement 108 should do just fine, but JSF will also replace Tonka so you'll need a few more for a 1-1