Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum. And I'm really impressed of your know how and courtesy towards eachother even towards flamers.
[ontopic]
Okay first I want to discuss page 40 of this discussion, where someone said that my country (the Netherlands) had selected the F-35 because it was the cheapest to operate and most suitable to our needs.
But I have to say that it was a decision of the Airforce and the Airforce alone. Even if the politicians had an ounce of intelect, and chose something that's not going to cost us all the clothes on our back. It wouldn't work, because the airforce had decided what they wanted when they first heard of the F-35. That's how it always works here, and the last time (AH-64 procurement) it cost us our indiginous aircraft production capability, because of the non existing offsets with the AH-64.
Also it was mentioned that the Gripen requires low trained personnell. And there was a whole discussion about it. I think the author of that message referred to the fact that the Swedish Gripens are maintained by conscipted personell, and thus are (supposedly?) easyer to maintain.
Now my main point, or rather question. There are a lot of rumors lately about the second F-35 engine (F-136 engine?) being canceled. And I was wondering how this reflects on the offsets in both the UK and the NL (which contributes to the F-136 engine).
I wonder what the English politicians think, and what impact this would have on the overall project for the UK?