If I were president of Europe, I would merge the FCAS fighter jet programme undertaken by Germany, France, and Spain with the GCAP fighter jet programme being undertaken by the UK, Italy, and Japan. Then use the resulting plane instead of the F-35.
But alas, there is still too much bickering and division between non-American western allies.
It’s because France wants a carrier plane and Germany have no use for it. If UK (carrier) Italy (small carrier) Japan (small carrier) join, the extra money for development could allow for 2-3 variants like the f-35, that would make everyone happy
I’d just pull Germany and Spain over to GCAP and let France do a Rafale with FCAS tbh. The French have always been a PITA to work with on military aircraft.
Never saw PITA in the wild before though I have often thought about using it but found it’d be too cryptic but, hey, you proved me wrong.
French always are a PITA whatever subject they address
Nah the UK is in the US bloc, you want to keep arms manufacturing separate from them as the US can lean on them. I hate to say it but that’s the truth here, the UK has shown no metal to dissuade such a presumption either.
If I were president of Europe, I would merge the FCAS fighter jet programme undertaken by Germany, France, and Spain with the GCAP fighter jet programme being undertaken by the UK, Italy, and Japan. Then use the resulting plane instead of the F-35.
But alas, there is still too much bickering and division between non-American western allies.
The F35s don’t even work, they sat grounded on a software issue for almost two years.
Even FCAS is at its breaking point because France and Germany cannot agree. Merging the two would ensure that nothing is build in the end.
It’s because France wants a carrier plane and Germany have no use for it. If UK (carrier) Italy (small carrier) Japan (small carrier) join, the extra money for development could allow for 2-3 variants like the f-35, that would make everyone happy
I’d just pull Germany and Spain over to GCAP and let France do a Rafale with FCAS tbh. The French have always been a PITA to work with on military aircraft.
Never saw PITA in the wild before though I have often thought about using it but found it’d be too cryptic but, hey, you proved me wrong. French always are a PITA whatever subject they address
Except they are right an annoying amount of the time. Nato skepticism, nuclear power, etc.
Being correct and PITA are not mutually exclusive.
And this, Sir, is proverbial.
Nah the UK is in the US bloc, you want to keep arms manufacturing separate from them as the US can lean on them. I hate to say it but that’s the truth here, the UK has shown no metal to dissuade such a presumption either.