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Well as a reasonable person who does not enjoy argumentum ad ignorantiam I can state that in 1963 the design parameters were for the recovery of 40,000lb aircraft (speed unknown), after that the trail goes cold. However, the whole way through the programme the RN is looking at the aircraft generation beyond the F-4K and Buccaneer (which is why 70,000lb capable catapults are frequently requested and may have been included in the final design) so it is far from inconceivable that the arrestor gear capabilities may have crept up too. I only asked because the certainty with which you suggested that major modification would be needed to the arrestor gear implied you had actual data, my apologies.So upgrade the Buccaneer's avionics, like the US did with the A-6, then you end with an aircraft that can do all the "combat thingies" that the A7 can and possibly more. As it turned out the Buccaneer was perfectly adequate for RAF needs the whole way through the 70s and into the 80s anyway. It's questionable that the RN would need an operational pool of 100 aircraft. When the UK ran three carriers in the 1980s they only operated two air groups, if that pattern were to be the case for CVA01 (with 18 Buccaneers per squadron) the UK could and probably would get a way with an operational pool of about 50-60. If three air groups were sustained that number might get up to 80 (kept steady in both cases by low rate production) but not much more.Could you provide a source for this? the only major 1971-72 Buccaneer news that I am aware of is the order for 16 aircraft for £20 million in October of 1971. Thanks.
Well as a reasonable person who does not enjoy argumentum ad ignorantiam I can state that in 1963 the design parameters were for the recovery of 40,000lb aircraft (speed unknown), after that the trail goes cold. However, the whole way through the programme the RN is looking at the aircraft generation beyond the F-4K and Buccaneer (which is why 70,000lb capable catapults are frequently requested and may have been included in the final design) so it is far from inconceivable that the arrestor gear capabilities may have crept up too. I only asked because the certainty with which you suggested that major modification would be needed to the arrestor gear implied you had actual data, my apologies.
So upgrade the Buccaneer's avionics, like the US did with the A-6, then you end with an aircraft that can do all the "combat thingies" that the A7 can and possibly more. As it turned out the Buccaneer was perfectly adequate for RAF needs the whole way through the 70s and into the 80s anyway. It's questionable that the RN would need an operational pool of 100 aircraft. When the UK ran three carriers in the 1980s they only operated two air groups, if that pattern were to be the case for CVA01 (with 18 Buccaneers per squadron) the UK could and probably would get a way with an operational pool of about 50-60. If three air groups were sustained that number might get up to 80 (kept steady in both cases by low rate production) but not much more.
Could you provide a source for this? the only major 1971-72 Buccaneer news that I am aware of is the order for 16 aircraft for £20 million in October of 1971. Thanks.
