Quote:
Originally Posted by Rainbow Six
I was thinking about this as well.
In my opinion, there are two factors involved. The first is the increasing global tensions in the first half of the 1990's (I seem to recall there are reference to various bush wars taking place) that culminates in the outbreak of the Sino Soviet War in the summer of 1995 (at least in V1).
The second - and perhaps the critical one for this discussion - is when the Eurofighter can be expected to enter frontline service. The first test aircraft flew on 27 March 1994 and as best as I can tell it was originally scheduled to enter Squadron service sometime in 1997 (before the various delays which RN7 has referred to kicked in and it actually ended up being 2007).
In my opinion valid arguments can be made for the F16 entering RAF service or valid arguments can be made for Eurofighter entering service sooner. However, I find the idea of both being in service less likely.
For example (and following a v1 timeline) British forces are placed on full alert after the outbreak of the Sino Soviet War. Perhaps this is what prompts the Ministry of Defence to review its fighter requirements. At that point I think there are two possible scenarios.
1. Eurofighter is on schedule to commence deliveries in 1997 (or possibly even ahead of its RL schedule if we accept that a continuing Cold War may have reduced significantly some of the delays - IRL I understand German Reunification was one of the contributing factors to these delays). That being the case, with Eurofighter eighteen months away, would the RAF opt to acquire - at considerable expense presumably - a Wing of F16's and all the supporting paraphenlia that goes with that and embark on a training programme for the air and ground crews when Eurofighter is scheduled to enter service in eighteen months or less? Ultimately we don't know what the answer would be but I'm inclined to think that the decision would be taken to soldier on with the Phantom / Tornado option bearing in mind the MoD don't have the foresight to know that WW3 will break out the following year (IRL the Phantom was retired in 1992, but I'm suggesting here that it would remain in service until Eurofighter's arrival in service).
2. Eurofighter is not on schedule to commence deliveries as planned and is going to be delayed by several years (at least). In this scenario then I can see the logic in the Ministry of Defence deciding at that point that soldiering on with Phantoms indefinitely is not an attractive option and opening discussions with the US sometime in 1995 to procure F16's (possibly on some sort of lease basis). Dependent on when the deal is signed this gives the RAF something in the region of a year and a half (maximum) to get their Falcons delivered, carry out the neccessary conversion training and become operational.
So imho I think you can have the RAF operating Falcons or Eurofighters but not both (other than a handful of Eurofighter test planes if you go with the second option).
Cheers
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I would agree over the F-16 and Lend Lease is pretty much what Dan proposed on Etranger. I would disagree with only having the F-16 or the Eurofighter and not both, as the F-16s wont be built in Britain, and Britain has a large aerospace industry.
The final assembly line for all Eurofighter aircraft is at Warton, and most of the flight testing is also done at Warton. Components of the Eurofighter are made at Samlesbury
The share of work is as follows:
Britain: Front fuselage, canopy, dorsal spine, tail fin, foreplanes, inboard flaperons, rear fuselage sections
Germany: Main centre fuselage
Italy: Left wing, outboard flaperons, rear fuselage sections
Spain: Right wing, leading edge slats
Much of the work and most of the key components of the Eurofighter are built in Britain. Take Italy and Spain out and redirect the work and I would say the Eurofighter is 75% British made. Also the CAPTOR radar is British, a development of the Sea Harrier FA.2s Blue Vixen radar developed by the then GEC/Ferranti, now part of BAE. The real life EJ200 Eurofighter engine is assembled in Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain, with the British part being the combustion system and high pressure turbine and health monitoring system. But the EJ200 is based on the British Rolls Royce XG-40 technology demonstrator engine that was developed from 1984. The T2K Eurofighter is a joint British/German development, but the Germans don’t have a significant aircraft engine manufacturing capability other than what they produces under license or in joint-partnership with other countries. Britain on the other hand does, Rolls Royce is/was the largest maker outside of the US and Rolls Royce’s commercial engine are built in Derby while the Eurofighter engine is built in Bristol.
Even on low production starting in 1996 I would say that Britain could build two a month up until the nukes start flying, so 28 RAF Eurofighters is realistic.
However I never intended the Eurofighter to be fully operational, as 1997 is to early to have a fully functional aircraft in mass production. More likely about a dozen operational aircraft at any one time with another dozen or so under going trials and testing, and replacements for lost aircraft.