RAF plane returning the soldiers!

[Von Boy]

Watching the very sad and moving scene of the brave young soldiers being returned to the UK yesterday...

"find enclosed one son, one medal and note to say he won!" Paul Weller, 1979

BUT I didn't know, until a colleague told me, that the C-17A Globemasters that the RAF are using are LEASED from the US Air Force!! We are not even in a position to buy our own planes for the RAF!

Oh well onwards and upwards!!

!wink!

[andy at handiwork]

How does ownership of the aircraft affect anything? If its cheaper to lease for as long as you need it rather than find the large amount to buy it, so be it.

[Jonone]

Doesn't seem like much of a 'win' to me ... or was that Weller's point ?

[jj]

.... and bugger our manufacturing-base even further?
What if the Yanks decide one day not to supply us?

The only time I can remember the US buying OUR planes was
the Harrier sea-launched version. Other than that, it's been
one-way traffic since at least '44.
Eurofighter? Don't make me laugh......

[jj]

Reggie Perrin wrote:
>It's sad that they are dead but it isn't some
> kind of national tragedy.

Yes it is; unnecessary deaths are always tragic ehen provoked by
incompetent and/or ambitious politicos.
OTOH, if we don't try to defend global democracy, what's the point
of pretending to any idealism? We might as well dig up Joe Kennedy
and go for his brand of isolationism, till the Eternal Night comes
and we're plunged into totalitarianism.

[johnsix]

I'm afraid its down to the 'Europe First' brief imposed on military procurement that has meant substandard fighting vehicles, and in the case of the RAF the FLA as its Hercules replacement which still only exists as CAD/CAM drawings.

The Tornado/Eurofighter is about as relevant to today's military needs as the flintlock. (And the number ordered has just been increased)

Your anti USA stance is, I am sure fashionable, but the facts speak otherwise. The real villain is far closer to home.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/bri ... ent-01112/

[padster]

Not that any of this matters to the families of the dead servicemen....

The "FLA" isn't just a CADCAM drawing - the A400 exists in a physical form granted its not yet flown)

Would really like to know where the Eurofighter numbers have been increased - at least it will keep me working for a bit ;op

the C-17s were originally leased for 7 years in 2000. But in 2006 a deal was struck such that they were bought outright, as well as an additional 2 a/c.

[jj]

johnsix wrote:
> Your anti USA stance is, I am sure fashionable, but the facts
> speak otherwise. The real villain is far closer to home.

You misread my drift; on the contrary, I'm a big fan of the US
as a [partial, at any rate] defender of freedom of speech. And
yes, I'm well aware of who the villains are.