Times Article

 

This might be straight from Alan Fridge, but it's an interesting development.

 

It's also one I'd support, as my avatar suggests...

Britain probably should have explored (in a serious way) the possibility of a navalised Eurofighter much earlier. I suspect that it is now too late if there are to be any suitable aircraft for the CVF when it comes online. (Of course, that possibility remains with JSF too, in some ways). A real catch 22 of sorts, unfortunately.

From Aviation Week's ARES Blog

 

Brits Ready Club For JSF - The Times

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 9/29/2008 12:26 PM CDT

 

Since we always like to report the good news about the JSF program, it gives us pleasure to conclude that the report of its death in Sunday's Times may be an exaggeration.

 

Although the Times reports that the UK is seriously thinking of scrapping the project and turning to a navalized Typhoon instead - as well as contemplating a pullout from the delayed and over-budget A400M - it seems more likely that what's happening is an options study, probably driven by the UK Treasury.

 

Whitehall's money mandarins are well known for pushing back on defense budget plans - and in this case may be asking why the MoD is trying to cut back its commitment to the Typhoon while buying a second fighter of about the same size. None of this necessarily means that a JSF pullout is on the books, much less imminent.

 

As we've reported here before, though, the UK still has an exit strategy in case the short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B disappoints in crucial flight tests next year. That strategy - to complete the second CVF aircraft carrier with a catapult-arrest system, with the first one operating Harrier GR9s until it can be refitted - probably has to be invoked not long after the end of 2009.

 

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From Aviation Week's ARES Blog

 

In. Out. Shake It All About

Posted by Douglas Barrie at 9/29/2008 2:56 PM CDT

 

It is definitely open season on the Joint Strike Fighter. According to some of the U.K. press, Her Majesty’s Government is now reconsidering its commitment to the program.

 

The Times Online, September 28, carried a piece suggesting “Britain is considering pulling out of a £9 billion project with America to produce the … Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.” It goes on to add “Studies have now been commissioned to analyze whether Eurofighters (Typhoon) could be adapted to fly off the carriers.”

 

Study work on a navalized Typhoon was actually underway in 2006 during the much missed – at least in some quarters – tenure of then defense procurement minister Paul Drayson. It is widely believed to have been the basis of Drayson’s “Plan B” – a plan mainly aimed at leveraging the kind of deal and technology access the U.K wanted on the Lockheed Martin F-35. The work however appeared to have been put on the shelf.

 

The ministry is now carrying out a number of “capability investigations” as it struggles with short and medium term budgetary issues and prepares for Planning Round 09 – and its combat aircraft capability may well be an area that is coming under scrutiny. A navalized Typhoon may – that is may – be revisited in this light to compare cost and capability vis a vis the F-35.

 

Shortly after the turn of the decade the Defense Ministry considered that the JSF – irrespective of the variant – would be “ the UK’s primary manned offensive air platform,” and that it would also be “the UK’s only “first day of the war” aircraft of the next decade and beyond.” The F-35B is the UK’s preferred choice.

 

It is difficult to see how this has changed fundamentally. The F-35, while not having the all round stealth of the F-22 – and the associated sticker price – is low observable, particularly in the front hemisphere. It was also designed from the outset to meet the air-to-surface role, and barring as yet unseen major performance shortcomings, the aircraft will eventually provide an extremely capable strike platform.

 

Surprise, surprise, the F-35 is going to cost more than was anticipated at the outset, and technical challenges continue to emerge on the program. This is simply a template for combat aircraft development, and not peculiar to the F-35.

 

What’s more it will also provide non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at the heart of a net-enabled capability – to use an increasingly unfashionable phrase.

 

Typhoon – by comparison – is emerging as a fine air-to-air platform, a capability which will significantly increase with the introduction of the Meteor rocket/ramjet missile beyond 2012, as well as active electronically scanned array radar at some point. It will also prove a sound air-to-surface aircraft as various air-to-surface weapons and sensors are integrated over the coming years.

 

And while it might be stating the obvious, the Typhoon does not have the low observable characteristics of the F-35, which offers reduced vulnerability – though far from immunity – from the latest surface-to-air missile systems.

 

A Typhoon/F-35 fleet should offer the U.K. a potent force mix – given that both aircraft meet their performance targets.