Author Topic: Closer UK-France Relationship  (Read 6283 times)

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Closer UK-France Relationship
« on: May 26, 2013, 04:38:34 AM »
I was just reading How the RAF almost acquired Mirage IVs: An insider’s story and started to think...

...what if at the same time that the RAF acquired Spey powered Mirage IVs, the Armée de l'Air  also were to get some Harriers?

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2013, 06:46:57 AM »
Of course the Aeronavale might join in...


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Offline elmayerle

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2013, 07:41:33 AM »
Considering that Hawker-Siddeley had a NATO-wide Harrier-production coalition agreement set up with Breguet as the French member, I could easily see that.  Perhaps some of our world's Jaguar purchases by France would've gone to Harriers instead.  With both the UK and France buying them, I could see Germany and Italy being more interested from the "get-go".  I never saw anything about who the other coalition members were, but I'd reckon either Dornier or VFW and I'm thinking AerMacchi might be more amenable in Italy.

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2013, 08:52:15 AM »
I wonder...French Navy Invincible class?
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2013, 10:56:48 AM »
I wonder...French Navy Invincible class?
Or a PH-75 with a ski jump going on to replace not just Arromanches but also Clemenceau and Foch.  Or having proven and ironed out the issues with the nuclear plant in PH-75, gone on to develop a family of de-risked CVH, CVL and CVA, with the CVLs operating independently in policing, patrol roles and the CVH/CVA always operating in concert for strike and power projection.

Offline Litvyak

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2013, 11:40:07 AM »
I wonder...French Navy Invincible class?

RN Clemenceau class. :D
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2013, 01:31:51 PM »
Joint development of a family of carriers.

Post war the UK planed to replace cruisers on colonial / station duty with a smaller number light fleet carriers, reducing cost and increasing capability and flexibility.  I am thinking of a jointly developed Colossus and Majestic replacement that would also have been suitable to replace US surplus CVE and CVL during the 60s and perfect for adaption to operate Sea Harriers in the 1980s.

ASW and transport helos, as well as a short sqn of navalised Folland Gnats, a detachment of marines and maybe a couple of LCVPs on davits as well as boats.  A decent radar set up and maybe even an area air defence missile.

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2013, 06:32:44 PM »
...or Sea Jaguars all round...


+ Mirage F.1s for all...
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2013, 08:37:13 PM »
Navalised Mirage F1?

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2013, 02:43:19 AM »
Possibly..though I was thinking of RAF...
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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2013, 03:01:36 AM »
I suppose Mirage 2000s might come into play too...as might French Tornadoes...
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Offline upnorth

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2013, 01:51:19 PM »
Breguet Atlantic falls through..........French Nimrods?

Anglo-French carrier borne ASW instead of Fairey Gannet and Breguet Alize

The initial versions of the Hawker Siddeley 125 and Dassault Falcon 20 were developed in a near parallel timeframe; a closer relationship between Britain and France would possibly see a collaborative approach as the two aircraft were essentially the same class.

Applying the real world to the HS.125 and Falcon 20, more likely would be the HS.125 becoming a dead end.

Pan American Airlines had an interest in and backed the Falcon 20 while the HS.125 was being subject to the various mergers in the British aerospace industry at the time. The Falcon certainly would have come across as a less risky proposition in light of such things.
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2013, 09:06:06 PM »
Mirage 4000 jointly developed and deployed during the late 80s as a replacement for the Lightning and Mirage III

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Re: Closer UK-France Relationship
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2013, 02:03:34 AM »
Definitely like that idea...A Mirage 4000B (two seat version) in the Tornado F.3 scheme would look good.
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