My recommendation to the British MoD: don’t buy anymore of these flying failure factories.
U.K. planned to buy138 F-35s, bought 48, delivered 35, aims at 75 by 2025.
Judging from the delays and failures universally in the program, achieving a delivery of all functional fighters is probably a pipe dream. Since the readiness rate for the F35B (carrier-borne) in US hands is below 20 percent, one can imagine the the British will not be able to keep that percentage aloft. Do the math and single digits of these aircraft still functional in five years is not a sure bet.
Not to mention the two new massive oil-fired 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth-class carriers can’t safely navigate beyond the shores of England without a catastrophic engine casualty. They may become very expensive aircraft ferries to tour the circumference of the UK.
The Royal Navy is a shadow of its former majesty and there is simply no future for a blue-water armada under the Union Jack for the remainder of this century, if England lasts that long since London is a first world city in a third world country.
The extinction of British steel on the alter of the green religion will play a role in this demise that will roll well into the future.
Former Trotskyist Keir Starmer is the new PM of the rickety old England and the new UK Labor government is reviewing military spending and is unclear on F-35B fate. The UK is also the only country to solely purchase the naval F-35B S/VTOL variant of the fighter for both its navy and air force.
For a long time, the stated goal of the UK was to purchase 138 F-35s, but later, the government seemed to grow cold on that number and seemed to want to reduce it. However, with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the UK affirmed its plan to eventually purchase 138 F-35s.
While Labour may adjust the number of F-35Bs to be procured, it is highly unlikely to cancel the F-35 program. The new government will undoubtedly adjust Britain’s military procurement, but it is unclear at this point what those adjustments will be. Labour has committed itself to increasing military expenditure to 2.5% of GDP “as soon as they can” (up from around 2.1% now).
Labour also claims the previous government “failed on defense” and that under the Torys, “200 aircraft have been taken out of service in the last five years alone.” It is possible Labour will increase the number of fighter jets to be purchased – time will tell.
https://simpleflying.com/what-to-know-britains-f-35-lightning-ii-program/
Email me at cgpodcast@pm.me
