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can anyone tell me when the eurofighter is going to enter service with the raf?

there was a rumor that it was going to be at waddington but i looked all over the place for it but alass there was no sign of it the only eurofighter i saw while there was a fligt simulator

craigmason71 wrote:can anyone tell me when the eurofighter is going to enter service with the raf?

there was a rumor that it was going to be at waddington but i looked all over the place for it but alass there was no sign of it the only eurofighter i saw while there was a fligt simulator

Initial training has started at Warton already. Type acceptance was signed in Manching on Monday of this week by all four partner nations, so initial deliveries should be starting anytime now. First deliveries in the case of the RAF will be from one end of Warton to the other! The first squadron (17) will be detached/based at BAe Warton for the first couple of years to ensure close collaboration between the manufacturer and the customer whilst bringing it into service.

watched some of it

i fear the worst re his plane
costs too much too much probs with getting it in service

some back peddling with eu forces buying it

What were you doing climbing all over RAF Waddington, didn't the RAF Police have something to say??

i was at the airshow numb nut

Best what in the world Craig?, and Dronfield, isn't that the housing estate attached to Sheffield?

Barry

barryc wrote:Best what in the world Craig?, and Dronfield, isn't that the housing estate attached to Sheffield?

Barry

very funny barry are you (pissed) you do not no your geography otherwise you would no that sheffield is in south yorkshire and that dronfield is in derbyshire .

Where is Derbyshire, hell, I've never heard of Dronfield.
Maybe its Craig's time of the month, he seem a bit tetchy today.

In reply to that comment, I doubt that an airbase would have access all areas to every munter just because there is an airshow on, especailly if the aircraft concerned is probably in bits somewhere in some closed up hangar.

I can't but wonder just what the RAF is going to do with this plane. The MOD is to tight to have the cannons installed into it, but have instead filled that gap with concrete to give the plane it's correct balance or the computers would be unable to fly the plane correctly. As the RAF has not been involved in aerial combat for a very long time just what are they going do with this plane except park it on the side of a runway and polish it.

Tab wrote:I can't but wonder just what the RAF is going to do with this plane. The MOD is to tight to have the cannons installed into it, but have instead filled that gap with concrete to give the plane it's correct balance or the computers would be unable to fly the plane correctly. As the RAF has not been involved in aerial combat for a very long time just what are they going do with this plane except park it on the side of a runway and polish it.

I'm as dissapointed as anyone about the cannon issue, but we shouldn't make too much of it. The last air to air combat kill with a cannon was in 1982, and that was a lucky shot by an Israeli F-16. I exclude the BO-105 helo kill from GW2 by an A-10. This is an aircraft which, with proper control and tactics should never get closer than 5-6 miles of an enemy aircraft. Now, I'd still prefer a cannon in case the first rule of war comes into effect, but it's absence doesn't make it an ineffective platform. In normal A-A mode with Meteor and ASRAAM the Typhoon will be just about the deadliest adversay out there (apart from F-22, which is great if you have that kind of money to chuck around!) . Even the ASRAAM's engagement envelope is virtually BVR given it's motor size and seeker sensitivity.
And any pilot who decides he wants to employ his £50 million superfighter to strafe a truck convoy should be relieved of his duties the second he steps from the cockpit!
Lack of a cannon is an annoying niggle, but is likely to be operationally irrelevant, the egos of the fighter pilots will have to be stroked some other way I'm afraid! Total cannon usage in GW2 was 175 rounds for the Tornado, which is less than one full load. Even the Jaguars only used their 30mm Aden very sparingly, preferring to use rockets and CBUs where possible.

Damanton me ole mate, you have hit the nail right on the head, £50million per plane that can't be used in ground attack, and the RAF has not been involved in aerial Combat since about WW2. All the Aerial dog fights in the Falklands were carried out by the Fleet Air Arm, so when was the last time the RAF shot down another fighter in a dog fight. AS I SAID JUST LINE THEM UP ALONG SIDE THE RUNWAY AND POLISH THEM.

That can't be used in ground attack.

They can. The Eurofighter is a "swing-role" aircraft. Their primary role is air to air. However they do have a strong ability in air to ground as well as it can carry the Paveway and JDAM guided bombs, unguided bombs, as well as missiles such as Storm Shadow. So it has the same ground attack capanility as the Tornado. It is also very well equiped for naval engagements (ie shooting ships) with the Penguin. As an all round aircraft this is the best in the world. The F22 may be stealthier and slightly better in air to air, but not much for twice the price. The RAF is getting a VERY good aircraft, albeit over a decade late.

The RAF does seem to get a large piece of the pie and P**ss it against the wall.

How much was spent on Nimrod and associated radars over the years before, giving up and buying American????????

I see in the Sunday Telegraph 5/10/03 that the order is being cut back again.