"John Cook" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 20:29:01 -0000, "Ian" wrote:

At a rough guess you saw the Politics Show on tele this afternoon?
Don't think they're 'operational' just yet, but not too far off
(according
to AFM etc)

"Chris Whitfield" wrote in message
...
Has the RAF started operating the Eurofighter at Warton yet? Any photos
available?





Its a much more difficult question than you realise!!!.:-), Heres what
I think I know!? (Anyone who knows any better, then please tell me)

BAE have built around 16 T1's Typhoons.


Well heres a fundamental mistake - there aren't 16 T1s completed yet (unless
they're hidden in another hangar on site.....

The RAF have evaluated the first production aircraft under the
Operational Suitability Assesment.

Case White... is in progress (the handover of Typhoon to the RAF
service)

Warton is at present training 16 pilots for the Operational
Evaluation Unit '17sqn' (There about half way through the 16
pilots).

The aircraft should have been delivered there (or are due now).

The Operational Evaluation Unit '17sqn' work should take 18 months

The Operation Conversion Unit '29sqn' ( converting Tornado/Jaguar
crew) will initially start at Warton and move to Coningsby, starting
March 2004 when the Armourers are due to start.


Now the confusing bit - officially the Typhoon is 'in service', the
aircraft programme was originally deem to be useful after delivery,
but the Government has moved the goalPosts!!, they have now decreed
that the aircraft is only 'useful' when it has entered squadron
service, this looks like another 12 month delay on paper, but is in
fact just a changed definition.

Perhaps its a device to justify cuts later on!!, cynical old me eh!.

Now who actually has the aircraft now is really confusing, it could
be BAE System leasing them to the RAF, it could be the RAF loaning
them to BAE.


So in answer to your original question Yes the RAF have operated the
Typhoon in the OSA, they should now just be Operating them as part
of the OEU, but have yet to start the OCU..


Phew!! Simple enough...

Cheers











John Cook

Any spelling mistakes/grammatic errors are there purely to annoy. All
opinions are mine, not TAFE's however much they beg me for them.

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