Germany buys F35’s

[Chainedtomato]

It seems Germany is about to announce an order for the F35A

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-decid...

[ApexCult]

Very interesting!

Lots of knock on effects there (some potentially a positive for UK industry!)

[aeropilot]

ApexCult said:

Very interesting!

Lots of knock on effects there (some potentially a positive for UK industry!)

Merkel had originally ruled out the F-35 buy so as not to annoy the French because of the Franco-German FCAS project, but the new Govt has instead gone for a 'European' option (but still annoy the French ) of 35 x F-35A (likely to be built on the Italian F-35 production line) along with 15 x Typhoon ECR to be developed and built in Germany.

[AlexIT]

aeropilot said:

Merkel had originally ruled out the F-35 buy so as not to annoy the French because of the Franco-German FCAS project, but the new Govt has instead gone for a 'European' option (but still annoy the French ) of 35 x F-35A (likely to be built on the Italian F-35 production line) along with 15 x Typhoon ECR to be developed and built in Germany.

While I have few hopes to actually see the FCAS operational, there would be a huge gap to fill between the demise of the Tornado (2025-2030 if I read correctly) and the FCAS entering service (2040... maybe).
What other decision could Germany take if not going for the F-35 or the F/A-18? Could the Typhoon in future version be capable of carrying US nuclear weapons?

[aeropilot]

AlexIT said:

Could the Typhoon in future version be capable of carrying US nuclear weapons?

That was exactly the issue, and I believe the answer was no it couldn't.

They've gone for the more expensive option, but politically and militarily the better one (assuming the new EWA version of the Typhoon will be on time and on budget, and actually work or course!)

The UK should have joined that party as well, for a possibly conversion/use of those Tranche 1 Typhoons they are soon to put on the scrapheap

[Tony1963]

What’s an EWA Typhoon? Googled it, nothing.

If the Tranche 1 Typhoons could be used for anything, I think they would be. There’ll be too many differences/shortcomings to make them viable, and they already have flying hours on them.

[aeropilot]

Tony1963 said:

What’s an EWA Typhoon?

Technically of course, it will be a EWA of the Eurofighter, rather than Typhoon, as our European friends don't call it the Typhoon.....

However, it will be a Leccy Warfare version of the Eurofighter, like the Wild Weasel F-105's, EF-111 Raven's, EF-18 Growler etc.,etc.
I would guess they will be new build two-seater's for that role.

[Tony1963]

aeropilot said:

Technically of course, it will be a EWA of the Eurofighter, rather than Typhoon, as our European friends don't call it the Typhoon.....

However, it will be a Leccy Warfare version of the Eurofighter, like the Wild Weasel F-105's, EF-111 Raven's, EF-18 Growler etc.,etc.
I would guess they will be new build two-seater's for that role.

Any sources for this?

[AlexIT]

Tony1963 said:

aeropilot said:

Technically of course, it will be a EWA of the Eurofighter, rather than Typhoon, as our European friends don't call it the Typhoon.....

However, it will be a Leccy Warfare version of the Eurofighter, like the Wild Weasel F-105's, EF-111 Raven's, EF-18 Growler etc.,etc.
I would guess they will be new build two-seater's for that role.

Any sources for this?

I think aeropilot is referring to this:
https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-events/2019/1...

Is it correct?

[hyphen]

Why are they buying older BMW F35's and not the newer G28s?

I have so many questions:

How is a long wheel base 3 series saloon going to help Nato?
Are they going to remap them?

[Simpo Two]

hyphen said:

How is a long wheel base 3 series saloon going to help Nato?

The longer the car, the more troops you can squash when you drop it on them.

[wolfracesonic]

hyphen said:

Why are they buying older BMW F35's and not the newer G28s?

The grill on the G28 shows up like a fking Christmas tree on radar.

[Tony1963]

AlexIT said:

I think aeropilot is referring to this:
https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-events/2019/1...

Is it correct?

Well, that’s a three year old story, so if nothing has been decided yet, I doubt it’ll happen. Typhoon is getting old now, and a new ‘concept’ wouldn’t make it into service til… 2030 at least?

[FourWheelDrift]

Don't forget we have Tempest coming, UK, Sweden, Italy & Japan involved in joint development.

[aeropilot]

Tony1963 said:

AlexIT said:

I think aeropilot is referring to this:
https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-events/2019/1...

Is it correct?

Well, that’s a three year old story, so if nothing has been decided yet, I doubt it’ll happen. Typhoon is getting old now, and a new ‘concept’ wouldn’t make it into service til… 2030 at least?

Germany has already committed to it.....
The annoucement was last year. The question now with the F-35 annoucement is numbers, as it was originally going to replace all its Tranche 1 EF's with 34 x new ones with the Praetorian DASS electronic warfare system included....
But, now its buying the F-35A, there is a question mark over how many of the DASS EW EF's it will buy, it might just be 15 in addition to the 34, as that was how many EF-18 Growlers's it was going to buy, or it might be 15 instead of the 34 announced last year.

There was this from last year about the 34 x order.

https://www.defenceprocurementinternational.com/ne...