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DeliciousMoD still mum on JSF's future
Friday, June 19, 2009Doubts over the future of the Joint Strike Fighter continue to persist after the MoD refused to give a definitive answer on when the decision to buy the planes will be made.
The £2.2bn project is scheduled to see 150 planes purchased for the two new aircraft carriers by 2018. But heavy cost overruns and delays to the US programme have led to doubts here in the UK over whether the MoD can afford to go through with the programme, or purchase all 150 aircraft if it does go ahead with it.
In February minister for defence equipment and support Quentin Davies told an audience that a major announcement on the JSFs was forthcoming. Other than the purchase of three test aircraft, the MoD has yet to make any other moves related to the JSF programme.
Yesterday Davies refused to set a date for the purchase or confirm whether the full order of 150 JSFs would be bought.
In a written Parliamentary answer, he told MPs that "The procurement process for the Joint Strike Fighter remains at a very early stage. We have not taken the final investment decision and at this stage cannot, therefore, confirm overall numbers or the in-service date."
The statement is just the latest in a series of comments and incidents that have raised concerns over the future of the JSF. In April Davies refused to tell Defencemanagement.com whether all 150 JSFs would be purchased. He also refused to rule out a Harrier life extension beyond 2018, leading to speculation that the MoD may take this route over purchasing the JSF.
Furthermore, Lord Drayson is back at the MoD. The minister for defence research and development has long been rumoured to be a staunch opponent of the JSF and is believed to have favoured walking away from the deal during his time as defence procurement minister. His return to the MoD could signal a shift towards cuts or an all out cancellation of the deal.
HAVE YOUR SAY
What a mess as usual, to me i have never understood why the CTOL variant wasn't looked at more closely, it is far cheaper, greater range and payload? The RN may well still have time to consider this variant, it would help the carriers be fitted with steam catapaults and the E2D Hawkeye.
Ultimately, the F35 is needed if the MoD decides to cancel or sell more Eurofighters to Saudi then i would insist the full 150, possibly 200 JSFs are bought in replcament. No excuses.
Mike - London
The should have thought about this 20 years ago when the typhoon was being developed. Could have been navalised. then we could have committed to the third tranch and had no need for JSF
alan
The carriers cannot be fitted with steam catapults as they will not be nuclear powered or have boilers therefore the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) being developed in the US would be the only possible catapult for the new carriers even if they launch the F-35B using a ski jump as it would increase range by saving fuel on take off.
The best solution would be a split purchase of enough F-35B for the RN and F-35A for the RAF which combined with tranche 2 & 3 Typhoons would be able to replace the Tornado F3/GR4 and Harrier GR7/9.
If necessary sell tranche 1 Typhoons to fund it, Eurofighter chief executive Enzo Casolini has just announced at the Paris air show (19/06) that selling tranche 1 Typhoons would not breach contractural agreements in place, this could allow the UK to purchase it's remaining Tranche 3B Typhoons.
The problem is that at the moment the UK cannot afford Tranche 3B and JSF - this could be the solution.
Graham - High Wycombe
Had Typhoon not existed, doubtless today MOD would be buying a fleet of JSF CTOL and some STOVL for the carriers, and MOD would have plenty of change out of its £20Bn+ on Typhoon.
However Typhoon was supposed to have been done/dusted by now for the UK, and happily completing many export orders, which might have given more headroom for JSF. Unfortunately the two programs have run into each other (Typhoon being 10yrs late), creating a 'credit crunch' of our own making.
The UK aerospace industry has benefitted far more from Typhoon than it has from JSF, and the concern is whether UK aerospace can remain 'in the game' in a post-Typhoon and post-JSF world?
Tom Laxey - Farnborough
@ Graham: I am not sure what Nuclear Power has to do with using steam catapults but they have been in-use on our earlier conventionally powered carriers in the 70's. The new carreirs do actually have the option for fitting them but again the bean counters decided it's too costly.
So now we end up with more useless STOVL aircraft who have no real place in modern air combat.
James - GB
I totally agree with Mike,again this useless governments prevarications over making sensible decisions in time has resulted in more long term costs for essential programmes.Large sums of taxpayers money has already been spent on JSF,as one of those payers,I demand that the government continue with JSF procurement and NOW,how I would love to take on these mandarins one to one.
Howard Newman - Farnborough/Hampshire
I was talking to a member of the BVT aircraft carrier alliance team in greenwich a few months ago durinf fly navy 100. I raised the concern over steam catapults from gas turbine engines not being possible and the problems the americans are having making EMALS work. He mentioned BVT already have a working EMALS type system for the carriers, and he expects prince of wales will be built with the capability with QE being fitted later. There is still hope for CTOL.
jon - dartford
Why does there have to be a need for f35a f35c. When the f35c could do the job of f35a for both parties.as f4 did. Saving billions on third airframe.
C ALLEN - bolton lancs