F35 crash. One down, 23 left.

[cougie uk]

Well speaking as an experienced aviator - I was lucky enough to get Flight Deck as a kid - a better of flying your jet to the door knob and back again - catapults are a bit pants.

VTOL all the way for me.

 

[JBGooner]

Given the extra costs of catapult fitted Carriers, it was quite possible UKGov would have sold off one of them off, which they were tempted to do anyway.
Tends to be higher loss rate on cat and trap navy 'planes than on STOVL ones?

 

[HMS_Dave]

We are not the US Navy with some $210bn of clout...

We make do. That includes compromises to the carriers. If we had gone down the "cats and traps" route, we'd have likely ended up with one flat top due to added expense. That would have allowed us more choice in planes, but left us operationally screwed when the carrier is in refit. The French are stumped repeatedly by this and the French Navy brass repeatedly plead with the French Gov't for a second carrier which they will never get, even De Gaulle's replacement is only a like for like and wont be in the sea until the late 2030's!... Long before then, We will have 24/7 carrier capability and a procurement of very capable stealth aircraft, enabling the Royal Navy to meaningfully contribute to military operations anywhere in the world, any time...

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Given the extra costs of catapult fitted Carriers, it was quite possible UKGov would have sold off one of them off, which they were tempted to do anyway.
Tends to be higher loss rate on cat and trap navy 'planes than on STOVL ones?

The training costs and man hour requirements to keep pilots current on cats/traps would have meant increasing the size of the Fleet Air Arm and the RAF, would have needed more aircraft and would inevitably have meant more aircraft losses and possibly deaths. Cats and Traps need more crew and systems on board too so you need to increase the size of the navy or cut even more ships. STOVL, (especially automated STOVL as in F35B) means the brylcream boys can switch between airfields and ships with little or no notice. Yes it's a compromise and yes cats and traps is the Gucci option but it's better to have two carriers operating a respectable force with good performance than one full cream carrier with all the problems that brings.

F35B and the QE class are the cock we've got. It's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts.

Military aviation is dangerous. The US lost 186 aircraft and 224 killed in non combat accidents in the 5 years 2013-18. https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article247558165.html

 

[RoubaixCube]

It should fetch quite a bit of scrap value from the expensive materials it's made from.

Thats alright. We could sell it to the Danish for less than half price and let them clean it up. They are after a few F-35s after wanting to sell their old F-16s to Turkey much to every human rights groups ire.

 

[winjim]

The good news is that RAF Luton are keeping us updated on the recovery.


View: https://twitter.com/RAF_Luton/status/1461320652179353602?t=tQTN2pZOD19YThVNrAuylw&s=19

 

[MartinQ]

The good news is that RAF Luton are keeping us updated on the recovery.


View: https://twitter.com/RAF_Luton/status/1461320652179353602?t=tQTN2pZOD19YThVNrAuylw&s=19

Fake. Apparently the photo is from the Indian forces for detecting Chinese Submarines.
https://archive.md/QF4Ap#selection-435.0-449.141

 

[winjim]

Fake. Apparently the photo is from the Indian forces for detecting Chinese Submarines.
https://archive.md/QF4Ap#selection-435.0-449.141

They have to hurry because the Baddies are already on their way.


View: https://twitter.com/RAF_Luton/status/1461359221530783755?t=yKVkQXhaNRWlhaCmIGQR3g&s=19

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

The army are guarding the site though

Photographed from a Canberra

 

[Beebo]

The USAF are buying F15s again. Very old airframe, but a 100% combat survival record to date.

Designed in 1972!
Im sure it’s a totally different beast inside but thats still great design from 50 years ago.

 

[neil_merseyside]

They have to hurry because the Baddies are already on their way.


View: https://twitter.com/RAF_Luton/status/1461359221530783755?t=yKVkQXhaNRWlhaCmIGQR3g&s=19

BADFART

 

[Badger_Boom]

Designed in 1972!
Im sure it’s a totally different beast inside but thats still great design from 50 years ago.

My understanding is that it's internals are 100% 21st century, and that it only looks like a 1970s jet from the outside.

 

[DaveReading]

My understanding is that it's internals are 100% 21st century, and that it only looks like a 1970s jet from the outside.

Yes, the structure (external and internal) would be pretty familiar to any F-15C/F-15E mechanic from the past 40-odd years. It's the aircraft's mission systems architecture and its digital backbone where the major changes have been made.

 

[Beebo]

I’ve just seen the leaked video of the crash which shows the plane barely gets to the end of the take off deck. It looks like the catapult failed.
The pilot ejects before it even left the carrier.
https://apple.news/AKE92cjJvSaSnDbd5Y3QJeg

 

[HMS_Dave]

I’ve just seen the leaked video of the crash which shows the plane barely gets to the end of the take off deck. It looks like the catapult failed.
The pilot ejects before it even left the carrier.
https://apple.news/AKE92cjJvSaSnDbd5Y3QJeg

There is no catapult. It looks like the F35 loses thrust and the pilot is unable to stop so bails at the end of the ski jump. If that is the case, it is the only thing the pilot could have done.