US & UK reach agreement on F-35 technology transfer

U.S. and British defense officials have inked a new agreement on the transfer of sensitive technologies for the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, removing an irritant in the close relationship between the two allies that has rankled both sides for months.

At a July 18 meeting, the U.K. Ministry of Defence's chief of procurement, signed an agreement setting forth a statement of principles for Britain to achieve operational sovereignty of any Joint Strike Fighter aircraft it may acquire, according to Defense Department officials. The U.K. Ministry of Defence wants access to technologies and secrets that will give it the means to maintain and upgrade its notional JSF fleet independent of the United States; the Defense Department in recent months has resisted releasing the technologies Britain seeks.

Aviation experts say the sticking points in deliberations likely have been British access to stealth technology, software source code underpinning the aircraft's operations, and agreements on follow-on development of after-market capabilities that U.K. firms could manufacture and market around the world. The Defense Department's reluctance to provide key technologies -- particularly critical software code -- to Britain, however, sparked deep resentment and threats earlier this year from London to withdraw from the fighter-jet program.

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I guess that sinks all those ideas of navalized eurofighters and british rafales.

For all practical purposes I suppose it does, but this is not an agreement for Britain to buy F-35's, only an industrial agreement on technology transfer and operational sovereignty, for example in the second paragraph;

setting forth a statement of principles for Britain to achieve operational sovereignty of any Joint Strike Fighter aircraft it may acquire

Originally posted by waynos
this is not an agreement for Britain to buy F-35's, only an industrial agreement on technology transfer and operational sovereignty

I don’t know for sure, but this seems to be a follow up agreement to the original one where Britain committed itself to buy F-35's. From what I can make this agreement is an extension of the earlier agreement to thwart British threats to pull out of the JSF programme.

Britain has not yet committed to buy any F-35's, although I believe that is now only a formality.

It was always stipulated that this industrial disagreement had to be settled to the UK's satisfaction before any commitment to buy would be forthcoming. Now it has been settled it will only be a matter of time before the UK buys its aircraft imho.

Another reason why there is no commitment to buy from the UK at the moment is that we are still debating whether to buy all F-35B's or an F-35B/C mix, we can't place an order until this is decided once and for all.

[edit on 4-8-2006 by waynos]

[edit on 4-8-2006 by waynos]

I think to a large degree the damage has already been done. While the JSF will still be bought by the UK, that was pretty much always going to happen anyway.


The real hit will be the lack of cooperation between the UK and the USA on a similar venture in the future I think. I'd expect the UK to move closer to Europe for future projects.


While the Eurofighter had political problems, they were over work allocation etc - there was never a question of one country effectively holding the keys to anothers aircraft.

I think the effect of the tiff over technology transfer and operational independeance will effect British/US collaboration in the future.

I suppose the proof will be in the next big round of developmental work - that of UCAVs - where the UK seems to be falling towards the European camp with an emphasis on industrial independence.

Personally I think the US have made mistakes and have demonstrated a willingness to TAKE and not give. The US position has - I fear - been perceived as a snub and crass arrogance by other nations too, notably Australia.

Regards

Originally posted by paraphi

Personally I think the US have made mistakes and have demonstrated a willingness to TAKE and not give. The US position has - I fear - been perceived as a snub and crass arrogance by other nations too, notably Australia.

Regards

mate seriously this is comming from somebody from England.

Our nation is a dog to America and will continue to be so for a very long time even after Bush and Tony Blair.

That Aircraft is not the only thing that Britain/US work together on its also Nukes, Nuke tech, Aircraft, missiles etc...

Britain will fork over 100% of any technology it has to America in a heart beat while America will give nothing in return this has been going on since the end of WW2 and nothing is going to change.

Originally posted by iqonx
Britain will fork over 100% of any technology it has to America in a heart beat while America will give nothing in return this has been going on since the end of WW2 and nothing is going to change.

Yes, I appreciate that this is the case. However, the F35 spat seems to have been the catalyst to call an end to it all.

Regards

Well I very much disagree with iqonx, there’s been a lot of two way technology sharing. Obviously the US has been difficult on more than one occasion, but it’s not as bad as that.

Kilcoo and paraphi are spot on, pending UCAV work will involve absolutely no technology sharing with the US but the MoD are considering sharing information with Europe and indeed BAE are exchanging information on there demonstrators with EADS and Alenia.

Britain won’t cut itself off but a lot of opinions on US/UK cooperation have been soured both in industry and government.