art wrote:RJMAZ wrote:LightningZ71 wrote:Everyone likes the new shiny plane, until they get a really good handle on the price tag of getting it to do what they want it to do...
I actually think the whole Tempest program is in hibernation. This would be very good news.
US open to collaboration between Tempest fighter jet and NGAD, DoD official says
https://www.aero-mag.com/ngad-tempest-f ... t-05082022I could see UK, Japan and Australia all getting the USAF 6th gen NGAD fighter. They would no doubt have been told the specifications of the prototype that has already flown. The USAF 6th gen program is expected to be in service by 2030. The Tempest was closer to 2040.
People will think workshare would be an issue in such a high tech and sensitive USAF program but I think it's an easy problem that has probably already been solved. Japan, UK and Australia could get offset with increased F-35 workshare. Japan already has an F-35 production line so they could assemble and maintain F-35 aircraft for current and future operators in the region. The UK could become a MRO hub for European F-35 operators.
The way I read it is that you propose the Tempest and F-3 participants should scrap Tempest and F-3 and buy NGAD with no workshare in NGAD. That would leave UK, Italy and Japan with design know how limited to <5G.
You mean the much repeated opinion that only the US should do this sort of thing, ever, heard it before, historically a bad idea, that states with long established aerospace and defence sectors should just go away and subordinate it totally to the US (who have shown in recent years one of its major parties go down the Facism route and their guru an open supporter of Putin and now proven traitor). Yes, let’s do that shall we?
Been over it a dozen times on this thread, yawn.
From to be frank a source of other sometimes bizarre ideas, that often seem to be the military aviation version of Elon Musk’s Hyperloop in terms of credibility.
Occam’s Razor, Japan coming aboard has shifted things, my own view that the likely future for SAAB if it carried on would be more in the Loyal Wingman area, oddly enough I have thought this really since SAAB came on board.
Since some of us can actually remember when the Gripen was being designed, first flew etc, in the 80’s and 90’s that at the time, even then, most thought that this would be the last in house design by them.
Something else has happened recently that might not have a direct effect on this, though indirectly it must, Sweden has joined NATO, this is the biggest change in their defence policy since the Cold War not ended, but started!
So everything will be under review, it’s inevitable and sensible, across the board, land, sea, air, cyber etc.
I cannot believe anyone has not considered this, since it’s more likely the most significant in terms of what Sweden does here.
Some, well one, can pray for their own reasons that states with major aerospace sectors just shut up, go away and do what HE thinks, however if Sweden does pull out and Japan is coming in, is that an overall loss or potential enhancement to the program? Pretty obvious isn’t it, I say that as a great admirer of SAAB too.
Remember too, Japan’s needs likely match more, they had their fingers burnt following the RMAJZ formula with the F-22, they also feel that promises on tech transfer on the F-2 were broken. That might not be fair but it is their perception.
They have already flown for a couple of years a technology demonstrator, they did not do that for nothing and that data will likely be factored into Tempest.
