Reuters reports a possible deal with BAESystems for a similar quantity as previous, making over 140 fighters. It's not clear where these fighters are coming from, but it may end up with the RAF getting 150 Typhoons rather than the 292 originally planned.
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Really? What are we going to do for a primarily air-to-air platform?

Check out this from the Aussie discussion board:

It looks like the F35 is going to be as expensive as the Typhoon, and not as capable air-to-air, at least without compromising stealth.

The 150 Typhoons?

 

You could easily have 8 squadrons of 12 with that number, for a total of 96 front-line aircraft, leaving plenty of war-stock and rotational airframes.

 

We don't need 232.  We are no longer dealing with facing down thousands of Mig's and Sukhois.  Just the cost of one Typhoon, not to mention through-life costs, can buy a Hell of a lot of Mastiffs.

 

However, I was originally figuring on 292, which is my faulty memory as the actual number is 232, so now it's only 90 left for the RAF.

A cut too much? Perhaps the numbers would be made up, if needed (or possible), by tranche 3+ aircraft.

I would be happy with 90.  That would give for, perhaps five squadrons of 12 aircraft a piece for a total of 60, plus 30 airframes sealed away.  Which could give us a minimum of a squadron broken down into flights of 2-4 airframes around UK airspace, a squadron broken down into flights dotted around the Falklands and Cyprus et al, and up to three squadrons of deployable aircraft.

 

I don't see us needing many airframes to defend UK airspace - just a few fast jets which can intercept the odd Bear or stray airliner.  So long as we can deploy a couple of squadrons or so to forward airbases to cover our expeditionary forces, that is all we really need from air superiority aircraft.  I largely envision the air-cover of our expeditionary forces as being achieved by the RN's two new 30+ fast jet embarked aircraft carriers.

 

We need spend our money where air assets is concerned on helos.  That I believe to be our priority - and I believe the AAC should have more of the RAF's pie.

I suppose that we only have five Air Defence Squadrons, two of which are already Typhoons.

First of the Saudi Typhoons already running her engines!

very likely:  Lybia (14), UAE (60),maybe India, Brazil, Greece...we'll see.

 

Rafale is an expensive bird, no argument there, but I don't see anyother plane that could fit the french army's requirements.

I think they'd rather have one multi role plane than let's say Super Hornets + Block 60 Falcons + whatever, which would probably cost the same in the end.

 

Good job to BAE for their sale. Obviously Saudi Arabia only needs interceptors and not ground attack/bombers.

Interceptors against whom?

There are only two likely adversaries for Jihad Central's Typhoons: the US, and Israel.

Will they get the Meteor too?

If it is true that the USAF is sending 137 F15's to Davis-Monthan for mothballing, we should really think about acquiring a couple of squadrons, sticking Elta's new AESA radar in their noses, and fitting them with a F22-like TVC ass-end. These F35's we ordered will be too few, and come way too late, to be of any use.

Or maybe, we should ask Sarko for a discount on Rafale-J's?

The Saudi Air Force needs to be prepared to intercept US, Israeli, Iranian, North African/Gulf State and Iraqi aircraft.

-DA

I attended a briefing on the Typhoon today conducted by a serving RAF officer attached to RAAF and attending the air combat  school.

 

He confirmed that the Saudis are getting another 70+.  They're also doing some build work in Saudi Arabia.