Carrier deal signed

[Hot_Charlie]

The fact we have concrete (and tarmac) bases in both our current main theatres is neither here nor there I suppose.

Only if you're planning on only playing there for the next fifty odd years.

At this rate, yes... After the current two we won't be able to afford any other conflicts for a good 25 years or so.

[SkippyBing]

Navalised Typhoon ftw

Apparently the major problem with a Navalised Typhoon is that the AoA on landing means the pilot wouldn't be able to see the carrier.

[DaveB]

Ah.. like trying to get the Alpha Phantom onto Ark then!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[forthbridge]

Is this more to do with the canard position or just the pilot's position relative to the nose?

[SkippyBing]

I think the problem is that as it's a delta it has quite a high AoA on finals so it's the view over the nose that's the problem. There was quite a long thread about it on Pprune, I think Rafale has a smaller nose which would explain how it manages.

[petermcleland]

They could give it a Concorde type droop snoot...

[forthbridge]

I wonder how much performance would be altered if the raised the height of the seat and provided a higher canopy?

[John]

Ummm it is odd. The new carriers are constructed to take full arrester gear etc as a relatively easy retro fit.

John

[forthbridge]

Not really odd - it's about spondoolicks. Yes, we are building two vast carriers, but at least they are making provision to fit the cat and arrestor gear - although if they go down the non-JSF route, it will become a necessity and could cost more, and delay the build - but we should not be surprised at this, especially when we hear that our MPs have just voted to keep their £24k allowances, and squirmed out of extra auditing..... :think:

[SkippyBing]

Building the carriers without arrestor gear etc. makes it much lower risk (no one has made a gas turbine powered carrier with catapults yet because the steam generation is such a problem) and theoretically cheaper, although it's a bit on the pricey side for two big steel boxes if you ask me. This transfers risk to the airframe part of the equation and also makes them less capable and more expensive than would otherwise be the case.
VSTOL aircraft also have a shorter operating life as they eat up fatigue index faster.