20 minutes ago, martin-w said:

As for the F16... no, it was developed for USAF. 

I was relating stories told right after the F-16 was introduced. The modern version may be different.

This wiki article pretty much confirms everything I remember:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon

Hook

Edited January 7, 20251 yr by LHookins

15 minutes ago, martin-w said:

Yes..... but to replace the Red Arrows Hawk the Aeralis will need to be ready in 5 years. Is that possible? Depends how much work the company have currently done, but from what I understand they only have a mockup.

In five years? No chance. That would require a firm financial and political commitment the MoD is incapable of making.

After a lot shouting and screaming the RAF will end up with the Leonardo - which would be no bad thing - and the Red Arrows will be disbanded.

 

52 minutes ago, LHookins said:

This wiki article pretty much confirms everything I remember:

 

The article confirms it was developed for USAF. Not, as you said, build it because you know it would sell. 

USAF required a fighter and there was a final competition between the YF17 and YF 16. 

 

"The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF)"

Edited January 7, 20251 yr by martin-w

4 hours ago, birdguy said:

Dave, you are always pointing out the people who receive social welfare.  But you never mention corporate welfare.  Why not?

I agree with you.  I have railed against Big Pharma, Big Healthcare, Big Insurance, Big Tech, Big Banks, and Big Defense several times.  These entities actually control almost everything and vote themselves largess just as most individuals do.

You served in the military and earned your pension.  You also earned your SS as you paid into it for decades.  This isn't "largess".  Largess is the fact that millions of normal, able-bodied people get benefits they never earned, and we just borrow money to pay for it.  Moreover, people pay very little into Medicare over their working life, but extract 3-5 times as much money-wise after they retire.  The problem is that people are selfish and greedy, and no one wants to pay for anything, which is reflected in our govt.

This is not sustainable.

Dave

 

4 hours ago, martin-w said:

The article confirms it was developed for USAF. Not, as you said, build it because you know it would sell. 

I'll invite anyone who cares to read the entire article and draw their own conclusions. The information we had at the time was probably from people who focused on different things and said the same thing in different ways.

Hook

What color will the new Arrows be? Republican blue, or still commie red? 🙂

12 hours ago, Fielder said:

What color will the new Arrows be? Republican blue, or still commie red? 🙂

 

They wont be a color they will be a colour. 😁

 

The Red Arrows actually became red due to the combining of multiple display teams.

 

Quote

 

It was in 1964 when the Royal Air Force amalgamated its display teams into one, premier unit – the Red Arrows. The name was taken from the Black Arrows team and the colour scheme as a tribute to the Red Pelicans, while the aircraft chosen to be flown, the Gnat, had been used by the Yellowjacks.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/the-team/#:~:text=It was in 1964 when,been used by the Yellowjacks.

 

 

 

 

Sadly I don`t think they will survive after 2030. And I`m not allowed to say why.