That's over $1 billion dollars worth of equipment just so the F-35 can perform at two air shows and maybe a flyby at the HMS QEII christening. They won't be doing any vertical landings or aerobatics. There may be a static display at the Air Tattoo, but not in Farnborough. They won't even be landing in Farnborough... Instead, they'll be flying out of Fairford (temporary home for B-2s).
All that logistical wrangling, not to mention the costs, for two air shows.
Meanwhile, Gripens are designed so that a force of 10 on a 4 week deployment can be supported by a single Herc.
Have you seen what the JSF crew in bringing?
ReplyDelete4 F-35Bs (specially prepared, I'm sure)
2 KC-10s
1 C-17
1 KC-130 (possibly more)
That's over $1 billion dollars worth of equipment just so the F-35 can perform at two air shows and maybe a flyby at the HMS QEII christening. They won't be doing any vertical landings or aerobatics. There may be a static display at the Air Tattoo, but not in Farnborough. They won't even be landing in Farnborough... Instead, they'll be flying out of Fairford (temporary home for B-2s).
All that logistical wrangling, not to mention the costs, for two air shows.
Meanwhile, Gripens are designed so that a force of 10 on a 4 week deployment can be supported by a single Herc.
Am I missing something here?
http://aviationweek.com/farnborough-2014/priming-jsfs-transatlantic-trip?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20140630_AW-05_327&YM_RID=%27email%27&YM_MID=%27mmid%27&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1
http://bestfighter4canada.blogspot.ca/2014/06/convoy.html