Page 1 of 5
RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:12 pm
by Ashleydaplanespotter
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/lockhee ... ork-for-uk
Interestingly in this article it mentions 39 F35B and F35A for the UK
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:32 pm
by Alf
Where? Can't see any mention of these for UK?
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:04 pm
by Nighthawke
It's in the comments below the article but I also cannot see where that has come from.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 1:39 pm
by Canberra TT.18
The text has in the meanwhile been edited.
A total of 39 F-35A and seven F-35B aircraft are allocated for FMS customers.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:01 pm
by Nighthawke
Thanks for that. So no story after all - maybe this can be locked now.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:54 pm
by Vulture 01
If we were to have a different version, surely the F35C, with probe and drogue refuelling, would make sense?
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 3:48 pm
by Nighthawke
Sense? Have you started early on the Christmas booze?
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 7:25 pm
by Finty
Vulture 01 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:54 pm
If we were to have a different version, surely the F35C, with probe and drogue refuelling, would make sense?
Bit early to be on the sauce. That ship has sailed for now.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:13 pm
by Starbuck
Vulture 01 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:54 pm
If we were to have a different version, surely the F35C, with probe and drogue refuelling, would make sense?
Why? The carriers are fitted for cat and trap ops.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:38 pm
by Tooks
Starbuck wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:13 pm
Vulture 01 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:54 pm
If we were to have a different version, surely the F35C, with probe and drogue refuelling, would make sense?
Why? The carriers are fitted for cat and trap ops.
Whilst the Navy are exploring the possibility of a cats and traps retrofit, the QEC carriers don’t have them as of now.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2024 4:54 am
by Ashleydaplanespotter
Apologies guys, the article has been edited, when i shared it stated the RAF was to get a mixture of F35A and B
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2024 8:51 am
by Vulture 01
Folks, I did put IF at the start of my comment. That implies an amount of doubt about the likelihood of it happening.
I did have a very pedantic English teacher, who's teaching has remained firmly embedded in my brain cell. As and old git, this was in the dim and distant days before (in)comprehensive education took over....
PS Much later in life I had an excellent teacher who ingrained in me the need to read a question, statement etc three times before answering. That way the meaning and intention would be clear. It's saved me from making a tw*t of myself on many occasions since.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2024 3:41 pm
by Starbuck
Tooks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:38 pm
Starbuck wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:13 pm
Vulture 01 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:54 pm
If we were to have a different version, surely the F35C, with probe and drogue refuelling, would make sense?
Why? The carriers are fitted for cat and trap ops.
Whilst the Navy are exploring the possibility of a cats and traps retrofit, the QEC carriers don’t have them as of now.
I remember a news article not too long back saying the cats would be for large fixed wing drone ops and not for supporting the likes of a fully laden F-35C.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:50 am
by red leader
I suspect we will eventually purchase the As for the RAF. Tyohoon is getting long in the tooth and Tempest is a long way off.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:56 am
by Alf
red leader wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:50 am
I suspect we will eventually purchase the As for the RAF. Tyohoon is getting long in the tooth and Tempest is a long way off.
Or order tranche 4 Typhoons like Germany/Spain/Italy have done?
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 4:01 pm
by red leader
Whats the difference between ours and Tranche 4s?
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 4:15 pm
by Nighthawke
Answer is possibly in here - first web search I found.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurofight ... n_variants
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:16 pm
by Agent K
red leader wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:50 am
I suspect we will eventually purchase the As for the RAF. Tyohoon is getting long in the tooth and Tempest is a long way off.
Not sure you understand the planning process. Typhoons with AESA updates will be in service until Tempest arrives. F35A wouldn’t meet the requirement as they currently stand.
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 11:46 am
by Vulcanone
Agent K wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:16 pm
red leader wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:50 am
I suspect we will eventually purchase the As for the RAF. Tyohoon is getting long in the tooth and Tempest is a long way off.
Not sure you understand the planning process. Typhoons with AESA updates will be in service until Tempest arrives. F35A wouldn’t meet the requirement as they currently stand.
Agent K some people just have no idea what they are on about when they post.... Long in the tooth my A@@@
Qatar and some of the other recent export countries will have Typhoons in service till 2046...
Re: RAF to get F35A ?
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2024 8:07 am
by slogen51
I think the Typhoon will see most of us out - nearly all the current operators of the Typhoon with the notable exception of the RAF have ordered additional batches to replace older tranche 1 models
In the Typhoon consortium Germany, Italy and Spain have all committed to additional orders. Also just reading an article describing how NATO are discussing long term upgrades to include new sensors and a Large Area Display (LAD) to enable better situation awareness for Typhoon pilots