Due to a government that thinks that electric cars and fat cheques to African dictators are more important than the defence of the realm, the Royal Navy abandons any hope of fielding VSTOL fighters. At this rate, we'll be seeing Arab slave raiders off the Devon coast by Christmas.
7 comments:
Its not so bad. The STOVL has inferior performance to the CTOL, if they cut no more corners that is like but f-18s instead that is.
Sorry should say. It's not so bad. The STOVL has inferior performance to the CTOL, if they cut no more corners that is. Like buy f-18s instead.
Agreed. The USN intends to use the CTOL version, leaving the STOVL for the Marines. The idea being that while the Marines are using the STOVL for CAS off the Wasp-class LHDs, the CTOL version will be doing the MIGCAP from the decks of the CVANs, because it has more payload, a greater combat radius, and higher overall flight performance.
The MOD statement said that the Labourites had designed the wrong ship. Bingo. Their design is basically an Invincible-class enlarged just enough to operate STOVLs with a longer run. What's needed is a full-blown attack carrier which can operate F-35s, or F-18s for that matter. Think something about 10-20% larger than the French De Gaulle. (And of course with a powerplant that doesn't pop the circuit breakers when you try to run the laundry while turning into the wind to launch aircraft.)
In the Falklands, the FAA and RAF Harrier pilots were engaging the Argentines over their own decks, because the Harrier just didn't have enough combat radius for an Outer Air Battle. (USN doctrine is that if you're engaging over your own decks, something has gone badly wrong.) If HMS Hermes had still been able to operate F-4Ks, things would have been a lot different, and tougher on the Argentine Air Force (who richly deserved an even bigger hiding than they got). And Sheffield and Antelope might have been saved.
It's a tribute to the superb skill of the FAA and RAF pilots that they won an air campaign they were basically being forced to fight with one hand tied behind their backs, because MOD policy had stuck them with the wrong aircraft for the job at hand. It's looking like at least somebody in Cameron's government remembers Falkland Sound.
Let's hope they don't forget somewhere along the line.
cheers
eon
Am I wrong to think that there isn't a chance in Hell that England will actually build a carrier capable of launching CTOL planes anytime soon?
I agree with everyone on this thread. What I'm irked about isn't CTOL vs VSTOL, but that the decision was made for entirely the wrong reason.
In Szondy's Britain the defence budget wouldn't be cut, it would be tripled and the would have not two new carriers, but four new carrier groups built around Nimitz-style nuclear strike carriers with the F-35C as well as several amphibious assault groups that would use the F-35B. Everything would, of course, be procured assuming a 30 percent casualty rate. Certainly not this make it tiny as possible and pray we never take casualties attitude.
Can't afford it? When Britain stops sending money to the EU, can't afford to pay any quangos and MPs are chasing squirrels in Hyde Park for lunch, then I'll believe it.
And then? I can see that manilla folder with "World Domination" on the tab, sticking out of the top drawer of your bureau.
I'll have you know that I do not have a manila folder marked "World Domination" in the top drawer of my bureau.
It sits on my desk where I can make regular updates to it.
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