KDR wrote:

Guy Alcala wrote:
Brian Sharrock wrote:

"Fred J. McCall" wrote in message
...
"Paul J. Adam" wrote:

:Fleet fighter cover is currently gapped until the F-35s show up...

So you've got a DECADE of gap in Naval air?

Ouch!


All courtesy of that nice Mr Blair (and his side-kick /subordinate Brown)!

The three 'Invincible class, Through-Deck-Cruiser, vessels that were
inherited are to be replaced by _two_ something? ; although nobody is yet
cutting metal, onto which will be embarked something else?

Meanwhile the RN FAA's and the RAF's Harrier entities have been absorbed
into 'Joint Force Harrier' and somewhere along the way the RN's
Fighter/Strike aircraft have been .... ?

I'm too _young_ to have direct experience of the RNAS cum RFC merger but
combined with my direct experience of Healey's Defence White Paper, with its
immortal phrase - the fleet will not fight out of range of land based
aircraft-, I've got a horrible feeling of deja-vu!

I think FAD isn't quite so bleak as you believe (always assuming, of course,
that the CVFs actually get built, which goes firmly in my "I'll believe it when
I see it" file). There are very few potential conflicts where the UK would have
to go it alone, and none (I can think of) where the lack of the FA.2 is likely
to be a major handicap. The need now is primarily for precision A/G capability,
and the FA.2 was just too limited in bring-back weight in hot weather as well as
number of pylons to play in that game.

But let's assume that somehow the UK gets into an "us and nobody else"
conflict. Offhand, I can only imagine the Falklands or maybe Gibraltar, neither
of which is very likely. Gib could benefit from land-based air, so let's assume
Malvinas Round 2. The FA.2's hot weather limitations wouldn't be a big deal
there, and the radar and AIM-120 would be nice to haves. But they're not
essential, because Argentina's FAA and CANA are even more outclassed now than
they were in 1982. Out of all the kills scored in 1982, only three involved the
SHAR's own radar getting contact; the rest were visual interceptions. The Brits
now have AEW cover, their biggest tactical lack in 1982. The GR.9s can stay on
station far longer than the SHARs could, and AEW cover allows them to orbit at
altitude instead of down low, increasing their endurance even more.
Additionally, even though certification of the GR.9 for ASRAAM was stopped a few
years back, that decision would be reversed in a hurry if the prospect of a
shooting war developed, and you can bet that qualification would take a matter
of weeks instead of years. British strike range is far greater and the weapons
are now PGMs.

Since the Harrier GR9 does not have radar or a Link 16 terminal, I
believe the AEW helo would have to direct the Harrier by voice
communication. The Harrier pilot in turn would have to acquire the
bogey with his Mk1 eyeball.

Yes, exactly how it was done in all but three kills in 1982.

Wouldn't it improve the Harrier pilot's air-to-air situational
awareness to fit a Link 16 terminal into the Harrier GR9 even if it
still lacks radar?

Certainly, but again that's a nice to have.

Or does it already have one?

No idea.

snip

Guy