This is from a brit on /int/
The Chancellor will announce that the UK will order 138 F-35Bs as part of the Spending Review
http://news.sky.com/story/1591964/pm-wants-syria-airstrikes-within-two-weeks
This is WAY more than most people were expecting, a few days ago the speculation was an order between 16 and 48. The F-35s are in addition to three extra Typhoon squadrons, meaning the RAF will be much larger than its French or German counterparts. There will be enough F-35 squadrons to fill both of the new aircraft carriers simultaneously while operating additional squadrons elsewhere.
The 138 aircraft will cost £12bn, putting them at £87 million each. Crucially a few £billion of the total cost will be invested in the UK as British companies like BAE and Rolls Royce are heavily involved (e.g. Rolls Royce makes the LiftFan).
I think it's the biggest UK defence news since... well I can't remember when they last announced something this important. My only regret is that I didn't screencap all those posts of anons saying we're never going to be able to use our carriers because we have no planes. There was that one American guy who got really angry with me because I wouldn't believe his crazy stories about permanent squadrons of US Marines on the UK's carriers...
>>27957069
Very interesting to me. A larger brit airforce/naval airforce, at the rxpense of some planned ships and the auxiliaries.
Also, $132 million per B.
Lockheed makin some dosh.
Could this also mean the possibility of a 3rd carrier?
>>27957069
Just gonna keep bumping.
$132 million is the price the for a british B in 2018.
Does this mean the $80 million A promise is bullshit?
>>27957069
No offense intended, but wasn't this already known? Wikipedia has the UK listed at 138 and they still haven't taken Canada off the list............
>>27957069
>caring this much about proving people on an anonymous image board wrong
Don't get so wrapped up in 4chan my nigga.
May your country sail the 7 seas proudly once more and colonize brown people like the good old days, and send your immigrants and criminals to Australia. Don't try taking back any former North American possessions however.
>>27957069
British Army bloke here, this was tipped by many, the RAF have suffered under the last few SDRs and were bleating about 'their turn'. Flash jets dosnt change the fact that they are basically a military themed wing of a budget airline. Should have gave it all to the Navy fleet arm.
>>27957095
Def not.
The Brit explained that the number would be 150+ if they were making a new carrier in say 2025 or later.
They listen to the SDSR. The SDSR calls for a replacement carrier in 2040 and nothing else.
But the next one is out tomorrow, so who knows? I doubt they'll have three.
>>27957069
>>http://news.sky.com/story/1591964/pm-wants-syria-airstrikes-within-two-weeks
ok well then now its USA, UK, France, China, and Russia all fighting ISIS
ya dun goofed ISIS
China for those that missed it
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/china-declares-war-isis-after-6862200
>>27957106
Now it's 138 ORDERED. Not planned.
>>27957110
? I posted this to point out the $132 million figure for a British B.
>>27957115
Some B's go to y'all. Some go to the navy. I don't know much else.
That's a lot of Bs
Does it mean we aren't getting any As though?
>>27957132
Getting caught was part of their plan however
>>27957132
China is just making its actions against IS more official. I doubt they'll bomb.
Still awesome. This is ISIS' dream.
>>27957135
So now the planned orders are confirmed. Doesn't that just mean they're following the plan?
I'm just trying to understand why this is special.
>>27957139
No A's I expect. They haven't had any planned right?
Thre more typhoon squadrons for the RaF though.
>>27957161
Many analysts thought only 80 would be ordered overall.
Planned is not official. Ordered is official.
Also they ordered more typhoons.
>>27957171
Yeah, guess I kind of expected it too. Where are you getting this news from and is there any on the Type 26s?
>>27957069
This article doesn't seem very detailed. I'm not sure if I trust it.
>>27957104
At the volumes the A is be moved at, and the constant price drop in each LRIP stage, the $85 million estimate should be reliable.
>>27957214
Lockheed Martin promises a flyaway cost of $85.
The 2019 deadline is just 38 month away and the A airframe still costs $93 million in LRIP 9.
Just looking at how the B and A cost are only 10 million apart, that would mean that an A order by the brits would be $122 million fly-away. This is for 2018 by the way.
It's my conjeture but based upon this, I doubt LM is gonna make the $85 mil A 2019 flyaway promise.
>>27957196
The article, and the Brit who posted originally is RN.
>>27957208
SDSR is tomorrow. You'll know for sure then.
Sky is decent news.
>>27957196
Some of the components for the type 26's are being made at a factory near me, and work has already begun on the ships themselves, though I can't remember how many were ordered in total
>>27957323
The Brits aren't buying any As. They are the only buyer only acquiring the B.
>Be in RAF selection
>Having this actually confirmed
Made my week.
>>27957385
What trade you going for?
>>27957449
Pilot, as a first choice.
But even if I don't get in as that, making the branch stronger / larger as a whole can never hurt my chances.
Also on BBC
>http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34893614
>"By 2023, we will be able to have these jets - some of the most powerful in the world - the F35, on the decks of these carriers and Britain, second only to the United States, will be able to project power abroad in order to defend ourselves at home."
>The government had proposed to have only eight of the US-built fighters available for deployment to the new carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales in that timeframe.
f-35 haters BTFO
>>27957069
I can't wait to read Solomon's aneurysm at this, assuming he even mentions it since it is a positive F-35 report.
>>27957810
[fox and grapes intensifies]
>>27957069
All recent sources seen on this thread mention this F-35B orders, but when they did mention something about the Eurofighters? Precisely, BAE Systems commented this week the need of shedding some workforce because of no new contracts.
>>27957090
>Also, $132 million per B.
Lockheed makin some dosh.
I dunno about that actually. Being in the restaurant business, this makes me think about what kind of margins LM is making from these jets. Hardware and vehicles are often sold with very thin margins after heavy manufacturing and design costs; which partially explains why big electronics companies risk closing if they miss their projected sales of their products even if they manage to sell millions anyway.
Everyone parrots the numbers on how much it costs to buy an F-35, but how much does it cost to build one? Don't anyone tell me it's $32 million either; anyone would love to make that kind of margin but no one would be willing pay that kind of margin.
>>27957965
I think only Apple gets away with those kind of profit margin.
There's a lot of work on the F-35 that isn't there on conventional material (aluminum) planes that can drive up labor costs.
>>27957132
The UK was already fighting ISIS and had done more strike missions than anybody else bar the US.
I'm not sure why everyone forgets this. The only difference is now they'll be striking over the border too.