Red Arrows Hawks to be replaced by F16s!
Discussion
No chance of that at all. The F-16 would be a lot more expensive to maintain and operate. I think it must be a case of misreporting.
Operating a fleet of a dozen aircraft of a type that none of your ground crew or pilots have any experience of, does not make any sense.
Could you imagine the cost of retraining ground crew, pilots, and setting up supply/ maintenance contracts for a bespoke fleet of aircraft?
The only logical choice is the Hawk T2, or perhaps the turboprop Tucano replacement.
Operating a fleet of a dozen aircraft of a type that none of your ground crew or pilots have any experience of, does not make any sense.
Could you imagine the cost of retraining ground crew, pilots, and setting up supply/ maintenance contracts for a bespoke fleet of aircraft?
The only logical choice is the Hawk T2, or perhaps the turboprop Tucano replacement.
FunkyNige said:
Quite like that!
If the Red Arrows did have to change from the Hawks, what else is there about they could be replaced with? I can't think of anything that small and relatively cheap to run.
Historically it's been the RAF's fast jet trainer. That's currently the Hawk. If they wanted to replace those, the Hawk is still being produced. But there are quite a few fast jet trainers on the market. If the Red Arrows did have to change from the Hawks, what else is there about they could be replaced with? I can't think of anything that small and relatively cheap to run.
TorqueVR said:
Pay attention at the back please!
There is no proposal to replace them with F16s. One(just one)officer has raised it as a suggestion. No more than that. It's non-story
We're way ahead of you, that's why we are discussing (not too seriously) what they might eventually replace the Hawks with given that it obviously won't be F16s.There is no proposal to replace them with F16s. One(just one)officer has raised it as a suggestion. No more than that. It's non-story
The original source was the officer commanding 736 Naval Air Squadron - which recently stood up to replace the contractor-run FRADU in the providing missile attack and fighter control training to warships while building a cadre of FAA fixed wing expertise ready for the F-35. He was specifically talking about a replacement for the Hawk T1s used by 736 NAS with a view to widening the role of the squadron to include 'aggressor' training for fighters. In all likelihood, they will receive Hawk T2 for fleet commonality.
At no point were the Red Arrows mentioned. They in any event will almost certainly have a BAE replacement too for their current Hawks.
At no point were the Red Arrows mentioned. They in any event will almost certainly have a BAE replacement too for their current Hawks.
Be interesting to see which way the USAF will go with the TX contract. Presumably whatever replaces the T38 will be the lead in trainer for the F35 (and F22), will they go for relatively simple, low cost, commonality(ish!) with the USN, or will they want something closer to the F35 in performance, bearing in mind there's no 2 seater?
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