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Impossible to say without knowing more context. I don't see why there would need to be two variants unless one was perhaps an "as is" version based on the RAF purchase (option not taken on two aircraft), which should largely be USAF compatible (and USAF personnel have already been exposed to it in RAAF ride alongs). The follow on version would be more USAF system specific (probably a BACN type gateway for one thing) if that was the plan. In that case, the use of two variants would be explicitly to speed the process, most likely with the initial version ultimately being brought to a Block 20 standard once enough were available.

[QUOTE="Josh_TN, post: 583721, member: 15394"] Impossible to say without knowing more context. I don't see why there would need to be two variants unless one was perhaps an "as is" version based on the RAF purchase (option not taken on two aircraft), which should largely be USAF compatible (and USAF personnel have already been exposed to it in RAAF ride alongs). The follow on version would be more USAF system specific (probably a BACN type gateway for one thing) if that was the plan. In that case, the use of two variants would be explicitly to speed the process, most likely with the initial version ultimately being brought to a Block 20 standard once enough were available. [/QUOTE]

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