Future Combat Air System (FCAS) - France/Germany
- Thread starter randomradio
- Start date
I can't find a single examle of an economy wich is NOT based on a finite wealth that flucutates.
Additionaly, in the case of petroleum, the world wide economy is soooo dependant on it that its price is irrelevant... oil price rising leads to inflation wich leads to oil price rising... but oil price decreasing leads to deflation...
What is important (at world scale, not a single state) is the number of tons of wealth kilometers achieved. This is what creates wealth for mankind. And watever the number of dollars you need for your barel of oil, what is important to the woldwide economy is the amount wich is made available to consuption.
And if you look at the word GDP, it is utterly decorelated to the price of oil. On the other hand, it is strongly correlated (and following, not preceding) to the volume of oil extracted.
Wich is why in my opinion, the SCAF should focus on low fuel consumption ! ^^
No the story is the Italian girl looking at the British boy.
Taking sides: Italian defense industry rep attacks Franco-German fighter deal
Taking sides: Italian defense industry rep attacks Franco-German fighter deal
By: Tom Kington February 15
80447
ROME — Plans by France and Germany to team up on a next-generation fighter are an affront to Italy and will weaken the European Union, according to the head of an Italian defense industry association.
In a strong attack on the Future Air Combat System, or FCAS, deal, Guido Crosetto told Defense News that Italy would seek closer ties with the U.K. as a consequence, despite the U.K.’s pending exit from the EU.
“The fighter deal between Germany and France leaves all others on the margins. And since the only other country with equal industrial capabilities is Italy, the deal is clearly against Italy,” he said.
“Have France and Germany tried to get the Italy involved? It doesn’t look that way,” he added. “Additionally, if two European stakeholders strike deals together, how should the others react? This risks weakening the EU, while giving more justification to those trying to weaken the EU.”
Crosetto is the head of the Italian defense industry association AIAD.
After signing to pursue a joint fighter last year, France and Germany this month awarded home players Airbus and Dassault a first contract for a concept study worth €65 million (U.S. $73 million), while Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines announced a partnership to supply propulsion.
The FCAS program covers both manned and unmanned aircraft, which are due in service from 2040 to replace French Rafale fighters and Eurofighters currently flown by Germany.
Showing that Paris and Berlin do want additional partners, Spain signed up Feb. 14, stating it would become an equal partner on the program.
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But in the belief that Germany and France will call the shots, Crosetto said Italy would do well to sign up with the U.K. to work on the British future fighter known as Tempest.
“A jilted partner has the right to look around for other partners, and the U.K. has asked us to join Tempest,” he said.
Italy’s junior defense minister, Angelo Tofalo, said in December that the country “needed to enter the program immediately.”
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By: Tom Kington
Crosetto said he was not alarmed by the potential difficulty of doing business with the U.K. if and when it leaves the European customs union, which is due to happen this year. The split will be a headache for Italy’s defense champion Leonardo, which owns facilities in the U.K. and would spearhead Italy’s work on Tempest.
“Brexit would mean more red tape for Leonardo but would not be a difficulty — the Italy-U.K. relationship would remain very positive,” he said.
As Germany and France signal progress on FCAS, they are also drawing closer politically in the face of Brexit and the rise of populist governments in Europe, including in Italy.
Last month, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Italian daily Corriere della Sera he was upset by France’s offer to Germany to get it a permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council, despite long-term plans in Europe to give a new seat to the EU, and not to an individual country.
“Looks like they are making fun of us,” Conte said.
Added Crosetto: “That offer of a U.N. seat is hugely important to the French-German deal, and goes way beyond defense deals.”
Italy is already involved in a row with France over migrant quotas and Italian support for the gilet jaunes protesters in France, which have targeted the government of Emmanuel Macron.
Crosetto said the current rift with Paris was not a cause of Italy’s being sidelined on the fighter deal. “That predates the recent rows,” he said.
The new Franco-German tie-up suggests the two countries will now look to work together on joint programs that can draw on cash made available by the new European Defence Fund, possibly isolating Italy.
Crosetto said the Italian government was now obliged to invest more heavily in Italy’s defense industry to make it more competitive and better able to grab slices of the funding.
“Industry now needs the government to invest more,” he said.
Leonardo targets role on UK's Tempest next-gen fighter
Leonardo is hopeful that Italy can join the UK's Tempest sixth-generation fighter programme, building on the involvement of its defence electronics division in the effort.
Although the company is headquartered in Rome, it has a large presence in the UK, including the former Selex operation.
Norman Bone, managing director of Leonardo's electronics division, said during a financial results briefing on 14 March: "We are very clear as a company that it would be our preference for a collaboration that included Italy in the long term on Tempest."
The Rome-based group's senior executive team is making efforts "to help position [Leonardo] so that Italy could become a partner" in the project, which is intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in the long term, Bone says – adding: "That’s a strong preference."
Leonardo is a partner in the Eurofighter consortium, producing around 20% of each aircraft – principally the port-side wing – and performing final assembly on those for the Italian air force and some export customers.
At the 2018 Farnborough air show, the UK government revealed plans for the Tempest project as part of the country's future combat air strategy.
A concept for the aircraft was developed through a collaboration named "Team Tempest", which includes Leonardo alongside BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce – as respective airframe and engine suppliers – MBDA and the Royal Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office.
BAE Systems
Saab has also recently indicated an interest in joining the programme.
Lucio Valerio Cioffi, managing director of Leonardo’s aircraft division, notes that the manufacturer's primary objective is to play a part in the development of a sixth-generation fighter under "the new European defence concept".
But he says: "We have a lot of commonalities with the UK initiative, also in terms of [existing] platforms on the table."
In Bone's view, there is "no closer relationship" among European air forces than between the RAF and Italian service.
As both nations operate or have employed the Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 and versions of General Atomics' Predator-series remotely piloted aircraft, Bone says the Italian air force and RAF are "strongly aligned in how they envisage future [air] combat".
For the technical support of their Eurofighter fleets, the two countries co-operate in a "very integrated manner" and have "mutual dependency on each other", he says.
France, Germany and Spain are jointly pursuing a separate project to develop a next-generation fighter for their air forces.
Leonardo is hopeful that Italy can join the UK's Tempest sixth-generation fighter programme, building on the involvement of its defence electronics division in the effort.
Although the company is headquartered in Rome, it has a large presence in the UK, including the former Selex operation.
Norman Bone, managing director of Leonardo's electronics division, said during a financial results briefing on 14 March: "We are very clear as a company that it would be our preference for a collaboration that included Italy in the long term on Tempest."
The Rome-based group's senior executive team is making efforts "to help position [Leonardo] so that Italy could become a partner" in the project, which is intended to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon in the long term, Bone says – adding: "That’s a strong preference."
Leonardo is a partner in the Eurofighter consortium, producing around 20% of each aircraft – principally the port-side wing – and performing final assembly on those for the Italian air force and some export customers.
At the 2018 Farnborough air show, the UK government revealed plans for the Tempest project as part of the country's future combat air strategy.
A concept for the aircraft was developed through a collaboration named "Team Tempest", which includes Leonardo alongside BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce – as respective airframe and engine suppliers – MBDA and the Royal Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office.
BAE Systems
Saab has also recently indicated an interest in joining the programme.
Lucio Valerio Cioffi, managing director of Leonardo’s aircraft division, notes that the manufacturer's primary objective is to play a part in the development of a sixth-generation fighter under "the new European defence concept".
But he says: "We have a lot of commonalities with the UK initiative, also in terms of [existing] platforms on the table."
In Bone's view, there is "no closer relationship" among European air forces than between the RAF and Italian service.
As both nations operate or have employed the Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 and versions of General Atomics' Predator-series remotely piloted aircraft, Bone says the Italian air force and RAF are "strongly aligned in how they envisage future [air] combat".
For the technical support of their Eurofighter fleets, the two countries co-operate in a "very integrated manner" and have "mutual dependency on each other", he says.
France, Germany and Spain are jointly pursuing a separate project to develop a next-generation fighter for their air forces.
It's funny because it's not Italy who is making noise, it's Leonardo.
Yeah, industrials want to get contracts; that's absolutely not surprising. What's important to know is if they will actually get them. We're talking about defense, where sovereignty is key, so the British government will only give contract to foreign industries (Italian or others) if either they can provide something that the British industry cannot (and I doubt this is the case here, I would tend to think BAE can do everything Leonardo can) or Italy is a partner in the project, and so far it is not.
In fact, it is very doubtful that it could be, because Italy is in a recession now and already cannot afford to stay in the F-35 program. If they have no money for the F-35, how can they have any extra money for the Tempest?
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So Leonardo can say whatever they want.
Yeah, industrials want to get contracts; that's absolutely not surprising. What's important to know is if they will actually get them. We're talking about defense, where sovereignty is key, so the British government will only give contract to foreign industries (Italian or others) if either they can provide something that the British industry cannot (and I doubt this is the case here, I would tend to think BAE can do everything Leonardo can) or Italy is a partner in the project, and so far it is not.
In fact, it is very doubtful that it could be, because Italy is in a recession now and already cannot afford to stay in the F-35 program. If they have no money for the F-35, how can they have any extra money for the Tempest?
Italy says won't buy more F-35 fighter jets, may cut existing order | Reuters
Italy will review F-35 jet program in 2019: deputy PM | Reuters
Italy signals slowdown on F-35 orders
Italy Air Force chief attacks F-35 ‘uncertainty’ in Rome
So Leonardo can say whatever they want.
You don't even have a scale model of your POS yet.
And £5 bet it does have fins when it hits operation.
You don't even have a scale model of your POS yet.
That's the fastest I've seen someone lose a bet.
That look a little too small for a pilot if it's to scale. Maybe Macron can fit though.
Scale model means 1:1.