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And China with the LHD-076 - they're adding a single EMALS to launch drones looks like.Make a few of those drones be an AEW lite and a few be airborne refuelers like the MQ-25. And if you can use EMALS to launch an STOVL aircraft like the F-35B you can greatly increase takeoff weight - you wouldn't need a long landing deck due to the vertical landing. That'd be a very useful little carrier for a lot of navies.Back to the F-35 - While I think the goal of one common aircraft across all services is great it end up hampering the industrial base too much by having only one prime with successful 5th gen fighter design experience. If it was split into two programs like a USAF/USMC and a separate for USN I bet we'd have both programs in their block 4 configuration already. Force both programs to use the same engine and radar for commonality there. Cost per plane may be higher but I wonder if those two programs would have lower recuring annual operating costs by now as was promised.
And China with the LHD-076 - they're adding a single EMALS to launch drones looks like.
Make a few of those drones be an AEW lite and a few be airborne refuelers like the MQ-25. And if you can use EMALS to launch an STOVL aircraft like the F-35B you can greatly increase takeoff weight - you wouldn't need a long landing deck due to the vertical landing. That'd be a very useful little carrier for a lot of navies.
Back to the F-35 - While I think the goal of one common aircraft across all services is great it end up hampering the industrial base too much by having only one prime with successful 5th gen fighter design experience. If it was split into two programs like a USAF/USMC and a separate for USN I bet we'd have both programs in their block 4 configuration already. Force both programs to use the same engine and radar for commonality there. Cost per plane may be higher but I wonder if those two programs would have lower recuring annual operating costs by now as was promised.
