[Newsbot]

Title: CF will contract out air-to-air refueling if F35 selected
Category: Military
Posted By: BeaverFever
Date: 2012-12-20 17:53:56
Canadian

[BeaverFever]

Aw man, we only got a REAL air-to-air capability a few years ago! What are we going to do with those now? This F-35 deal gets stinkier by the minute.

[saturn_656]

The F-35A comes standard with a receptacle for flying boom refueling HOWEVER Lockheed also designed the F-35A to accommodate a probe and drogue system. This was necessary as the large majority of allied air forces do not use the flying boom.

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/06/19/lockh ... -the-f-35/

Steve O’Bryan - vice president for F-35 business development Steve O’Bryan - vice president for F-35 business development:

“We anticipated a number of the operators would want probe-and-drogue refueling in the F-35A and we kept that space empty on the F-35A to accommodate probe and drogue refueling. We‘ve done a number of studies – funded studies, not projects – funded studies to evaluate that, paid for by the countries who want that to happen. It’s a relatively easy … doable change.”

If we don't order them with the probe and drogue system, it's our own damn fault. It is an option.

[DanSC]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

If we don't order them with the probe and drogue system, it's our own damn fault. It is an option.

I've got a few with the probe and drogue system coming onto the lot next week, but they also come with the $2000 anti-rust undercoating option.