Tuesday, 15 May 2012

U.K.'s F-35B Decision a Blow to Franco-British Defense Cooperation

French President-elect François Hollande has hardly had time to savor his victory in the May 6 election in which defense issues were barely mentioned before they have risen up to slap him in the face.

The slap has been administered by France's closest defense ally in Europe: Great Britain, with whom, you may remember, France signed an historic defense cooperation pact, known as the Lancaster House Treaties, in November 2010.

This accord was to lead to greater cooperation and inter-operability between the two nations; but the volte face by the U.K. government over its choice of the version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for its future aircraft carriers means that plans to be able to use each other's aircraft carriers will have to be scrapped. This is because the F35-B the U.K. has now opted to buy is not compatible with the French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, which is equipped for catapulted and arrested aircraft – like the F-35C – and not for short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) ones like the F35-B.

British officials say their decision was taken because the cost of the new electromagnetic catapult for the F-35C has doubled and that Lockheed Martin has said the F-35C can only be delivered in 2023, whereas even if the F-35B has less range and can carry fewer weapons, it should be ready by 2020 — in time to equip the Royal Navy's brand-new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

The decision has strong support from Gen. Sir David Richards, chief of Defense Staff, and unanimous backing by Britain’s three service chiefs.

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