UK to revert back to F-35B?

[stonesfan]

Third - as to the negative reaction to teachers; remember that we get the children for just over 25 hours a week - therefore about one seventh of a week - the rest of the time its down to parents to educate, teach, control. A huge amount of the problems we face are down to poor parenting, families who split up and pass the children from pillar to post, don't bother reading with them, don't send them to school on time or having had breakfast. It's a wonderful profession and a great job, admittedly with just a few bad apples, but don't ever blame us for all societies ills!

Just remember. Go on strike when you arent getting that above inflation wage rise or maybe see your pension not quite as cushy as it once was But seriously, I agree teachers are often picking up the pieces from what is a becoming a broken society in places.

[AlexC]

Third - as to the negative reaction to teachers; remember that we get the children for just over 25 hours a week - therefore about one seventh of a week - the rest of the time its down to parents to educate, teach, control.

There was an article in yesterdays Sunday Times about just how unprepared some children are to start school. Teachers are apparently having to be trained to instruct children in skills such as throwing a ball because pupils lead such sedentary lifestyles that they arrive at school unable to cope with the most basic physical activity. Also an increasing number of children are wetting themselves in class because they have not been toilet-trained by their parents before they started school. Some small children do not even know their own names, or are unaware whether they are left or right-handed.

[ericbee123]

There was an article in yesterdays Sunday Times about just how unprepared some children are to start school. Teachers are apparently having to be trained to instruct children in skills such as throwing a ball because pupils lead such sedentary lifestyles that they arrive at school unable to cope with the most basic physical activity. Also an increasing number of children are wetting themselves in class because they have not been toilet-trained by their parents before they started school. Some small children do not even know their own names, or are unaware whether they are left or right-handed.

Obviously all these can be worked out very quickly on the first day.

Shout "Johnny Catch" and throw a ball at them and see if they look up and which hand he catches it with, or if it smacks them on the head or they just wet themselves as the ball hurtles towards them -- Simples.

[AlexC]

Obviously all these can be worked out very quickly on the first day.

Shout "Johnny Catch" and throw a ball at them and see if they look up and which hand he catches it with, or if it smacks them on the head or they just wet themselves as the ball hurtles towards them -- Simples.

Can I suggest that you take these social problems that we face a little more seriously?

[ericbee123]

Obviously all these can be worked out very quickly on the first day.

Shout "Johnny Catch" and throw a ball at them and see if they look up and which hand he catches it with, or if it smacks them on the head or they just wet themselves as the ball hurtles towards them -- Simples.

Can I suggest that you take these social problems that we face a little more seriously?

Suggest what you like, I will suggest that I am happy to live the remaining third of my life in the same carefree manner as the first two thirds of my life.

I have children and grandchildren who seem to be just growing up as just fine normal human beings, thanks.

I know many children ( friends of children and grand children ) and they all seem more grown up than children I went to school with and better behaved than children I knew in the 60's and 70's.

I also don't really care if we get the F35B, the F35C or declare ourselves a tiny little European island who have no global ambitions and just need a local Defence Force not a global power projection force.

You live, pay taxes and die -- they are the only certainties.

You can be happy, miserable or worried as your own variables.

[Mister Tee]

You live, pay taxes and die -- they are the only certainties

And nurses!

Mr Tee

[AlexC]

Suggest what you like

I fully intend to do so as long as people make silly inappropriate comments such as yours.

[Russ]

Back on topic please folks.

[ericbee123]

Suggest what you like

I fully intend to do so as long as people make silly inappropriate comments such as yours.

How was it inappropriate -- it gave you a solution to find out if a child knew their own name, if they could catch, if they were left or right handed and if they were prone to wetting themselves in one simple, easy to use technique.

Anyway back on topic -- I don't really care which version of F35 we get.

I can guarantee that whichever version we get will be :

1. Late
2. Cost more than we thought
3. Won't do as much as we thought.
4. Will be loved by some
5. Will be hated by others
6. Will be photographed by everyone

[Dragon Rapide]

Whether you are loved or loathed, eric, no one can argue with your 6 points!!

[AlexC]

Back on topic please folks.

Sir yes sir!

[silver fox]

There are criminal negligence laws in this country, would be a precedent!

You may feel that Brown should be charged with criminal negligence, fine, on that basis what do reckon for Camercon, Osborne, Hammond and musn't forget bent as a hairgrip Jeremy Hunt, the guy so deep in Murdoch's pocket that he was only found when the Leveson inquiry got down to sorting the fluff at the bottom.

[AMB]

Can we get back on topic? Jeees - where are the moderators when you need them?

Great to see the UK revert back to the J-35B. That means Shuttleworth can get one into Old Warden for their Military Pageants

[TonyO]

Great to see the UK revert back to the J-35B. That means Shuttleworth can get one into Old Warden for their Military Pageants

There's no way a Draken could land at Old Warden, would just be a few fly-throughs? Surely?

[AMB]

Great to see the UK revert back to the J-35B. That means Shuttleworth can get one into Old Warden for their Military Pageants

There's no way a Draken could land at Old Warden, would just be a few fly-throughs? Surely?

Nice one Tony!

[boff180]

At an interview with the press at the handover of the UKs first F35, Philip Hammond today confirmed that the UKs order of the F35 is now 48 aircraft.

It's looking likely that these 48 will be expected to man the carriers and replace the Tornado at the same time.....

Andy

[Trevsy]

musn't forget bent as a hairgrip Jeremy Hunt, the guy so deep in Murdoch's pocket that he was only found when the Leveson inquiry got down to sorting the fluff at the bottom.

It'll be interesting to see what replaces the Tornado now.

a) An F-35 variant
b) A UCAV
c) Just use Typhoon's we already have

Hopefully the F-35 will prove itself the same way the C-17 has, leading to more orders, after all their initial order was for far fewer C-17 airframes than we have now.

[TonyO]

Wow, 48 F-35s - we are truly worthy of Tier 1 participation now aren't we? Thousands of jobs of sustained?

Time to leave this pitiful project, it's clearly way too expensive for this country to sustain.

That number will leave the UK with a fleet of just over 200 combat aircraft after Tornado retires. I guess that's what Labour created austerity does to the armed forces.

[boff180]

For those that want to read...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... ghter.html

[swingy]

I guess if like Mr Hammond and you are worth several million you can afford to ignore surveys and audits however mere mortals like myself generally take heed of what experts tell us and I would prefer my government to take warnings of potential fatal flaws with a less flippant attitude. For once I agree with Tony O when he says time to get out of this project.

[boff180]

Doing the maths, development (not purchase) costs for the UK break back as follows...

F35B - £41.7million per aircraft based on a 48 aircraft order.
Typhoon - £41.8million per aircraft based on current order of 160 aircraft.
Typhoon - £28.8million per aircraft based on contractual commitment of 232 aircraft.

Andy

[raffairford]

We should off bought either the f18 , raffale , gripen proven airframes not this pile off rubbish sorry my own thoughts .

[Russ]

I can't find the actual quote from Hammond regarding 48 aircraft anywhere? I can see one or two dubious newspaper alluding to it, but nothing more and no actual quote. Additionally this is the first RAF one. FAA examples have not been mentioned at all yet. So maybe you can double that number.

Either way, the MoD has said the final F-35 numbers for the UK will not be confirmed till 2015.

Thousands of jobs of sustained?

It's a good job there's over 3,000 examples being produced, which will create and sustain thousands of UK jobs for decades.

That number will leave the UK with a fleet of just over 200 combat aircraft after Tornado retires.

That was always the plan after the SDSR, we'll only operate 107 Typhoon's and however many F-35's.


So the UK receives it's first F-35, the most capable and advanced warplane we've ever had and some people suggest we cancel the project and buy 1970's and 1980's designed aircraft instead.

[TonyO]

Russ, being a Tier 1 partner is also dependant on the number of aircraft being bought by that nation, and I can't imagine that the number 48 is one plucked out of the air by a journalist. It's a pitifully small number, and of course if that's is the way we are thinking, how many other nations will be thinking the same?

[Traveller]

I'd be happy with 200 combat aircraft in todays world and as a NATO partner. Those that disagree - remind me which decade you are currently residing in?