- Joined
- 27 September 2006
- Messages
- 6,033
- Reaction score
- 6,129
Now that the Government seems to be turning back to Jump up and down Dave otherwise know as the JCA STOVL, I cannot help wondering again as a poor, and getting poorer, taxpayer, why we have allowed ourselves to be flimflammed by BAe and the MOD once again.
It was obvious to anyone that unless we built a nuclear carrier like France or the US the catapult option was going to be risky and expensive. So we embarked on a risky and oversized carrier programme built round an aircraft of only limited capability and great risk-STOVL JSF as was.
Italy on the other hand has built itself a prefectly good modern Harrier carrier (which can also operate Dave if they ever get it into service). In the years since the 1997 Defence Review we could have built a whole trio of such ships to replace the Invincibles in time for them to leave service gracefully and without embarassing spares shortages. The RAF Harriers could have been kept in service until Dave arrived. All at a reasonable price and even with some possibility of Australia buying the same ships.
MOD and BAe screw up again. Denis Healey would have called time on the ships and let BAe argue it out with the lawyers. Even now we could build upgraded Oceans which would employ the shipyards and be much more use to a workaday post Iraq madness military.
Well thats what the Bar is for a good old rant!
It was obvious to anyone that unless we built a nuclear carrier like France or the US the catapult option was going to be risky and expensive. So we embarked on a risky and oversized carrier programme built round an aircraft of only limited capability and great risk-STOVL JSF as was.
Italy on the other hand has built itself a prefectly good modern Harrier carrier (which can also operate Dave if they ever get it into service). In the years since the 1997 Defence Review we could have built a whole trio of such ships to replace the Invincibles in time for them to leave service gracefully and without embarassing spares shortages. The RAF Harriers could have been kept in service until Dave arrived. All at a reasonable price and even with some possibility of Australia buying the same ships.
MOD and BAe screw up again. Denis Healey would have called time on the ships and let BAe argue it out with the lawyers. Even now we could build upgraded Oceans which would employ the shipyards and be much more use to a workaday post Iraq madness military.
Well thats what the Bar is for a good old rant!