Originally Posted by GDVS
The OCU is supposed to be ready within the next 12 months, actual retirement of the Tornado will probably take a while.
Actually, I think it's been running for about 12 months now. It has its full complement of aircraft (minus the 1 that crashed in January
) and the first operational squadron (3 Sqn) was formed in April. I believe they are supposed to take over QRA (Qucik Reaction Force) sometime next year. From then on I think the Tornado F3's (the fighter version) will be phased out for the Typhoons.
The Tornado GR4's (the bomber version) won't be replaced any time soon, although the Typhoon will gain air-to-ground capabilities by 2010 and will no doubt end up being the workhorse of the RAF by then. Also, despite what the papers keep claiming whenever they write about the Typhoon, it will NOT be going on any carriers; that will be the F35/JSF/JCA/whatever they're calling it this month...
Originally Posted by dinoprime
still tho the c-17 is a damn fine aircraft, not long till farnborough
It is indeed...until you see the C-5 Galaxy there!
