Jets & Planes but no UAV's here.

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

I was reading a article today that says HMS Queen Elizabeth will get some Helicopters aboard later this year and the first F-35B late in 2018, although I still don't think she will be fully operational, barring a national emergency, much before 2020...

Yes, I too recall a report the HMS QE class carriers won't be F-35B suitable until sometime beyond 2020. Something to do with a retrofit of her decks. Until then, she will carry helos.

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[IronDuke99]

Originally Posted by shahadi

Yes, I too recall a report the HMS QE class carriers won't be F-35B suitable until sometime beyond 2020. Something to do with a retrofit of her decks. Until then, she will carry helos.

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Nope, I believe her decks are already coated with the stuff to take the heat from the F-35B engines, etc. It is just that the aircraft are not really ready for ops and UK does not have many yet (a fairly sensible choice, given that current F-35's are nothing like fully up to specs, etc, and buying more now just means they will need expensive upgrading down the track).

As I said, QE will not be operational, with helos, or anything else, for some time. I have heard some talk of her being in 'limited operations' as of C.2019, but frankly, short of a big national emergency, she is not going to be operational until about 2021.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I'm posting this NOT to start any debate here because let's face it, the governments and associated military authorities have already made their decisions concerning what plane "we're" using.

So with that in mind, I'm tracking this program and I was surprised about the performance capability ALREADY TESTED for the U.S. entry being considered. You might find the next interesting for that reason alone.
http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com/2017/...earch-for.html

Regards,
Pat

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH

"...I'm tracking this program and I was surprised about the performance capability ALREADY TESTED for the U.S. entry being considered. You might find the next interesting for that reason alone."
http://ajaishukla.blogspot.com/2017/...earch-for.html

Regards,
Pat

Yeah, I saw that article as well (read it too, lol). The comments were most interesting.

I have to remind myself, planes in the game are mostly eye candy. What they deliver per their costs is pretty steep. I'd rather buy a UAV for recon/surveillance, and spend my money on a detachment of attack helos.

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