Nice to see this is a problem in other countries as well. Reminiscent of the f35
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Although at least the German navy know when to reject something that's clearly not fit for purpose.
May I introduce the G36, the main German Assault Rifle, that might be fit for purpose in cold Stalingrad but fails miserably in Afghan temperatures? Or the German Eurocopter Tiger that just falls from the sky when deployed to Mali, due to heat?
Whats new, I raise you the British SA80 mk1 assault rifle. The UK Chinook helicopters ordered in the wrong spec that cost double to convert to the correct spec. The Eurofighter a decade late. The QE aircraft carriers with no aircraft, where they were still arguing if it needed a catapult years after it was ordered. The UK Nimrod MRA4 that were all built and then cut up again...
edit: sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SA80#Service_and_modification
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Chinook_(UK_variants)#C...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurofighter_Typhoon#Delays
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth-class_aircraft...
The QE aircraft carriers with no aircraft
This is hardly a design fault. Instead, how about Type-45 destroyer gas turbine engines suffering from overheating in gulf/Mediterranean temperatures.
It was designed to carry only an aircraft that existed on the drawing board and no others. It is a bit like it being designed for Donald Trumps F52 fighters[0].
Remember the audacious class that could fly an array of aircraft, as well as being inter-operable with our NATO allies (our aircraft could land on their ships)[1]. I suppose that is true in a way with the QE2, as only our NATO partners aircraft will fly off it for some years...because we don't have any.
[0]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/01/11...
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ark_Royal_(R09)#Aircraft_a...
It's not even true, is it? From the wiki page:
The aircraft are expected to begin trials flying from Queen Elizabeth in 2018 with a carrier air wing fully operational by 2020
So what it's saying is that the new set of aircraft won't be fully delivered until 2020, but given the very long timescales associated with building an aircraft carrier and designing and building a new carrier air group in this case, is that such a big procurement failure? The HMS QE is still engaged in sea trials throughout 2018 anyway.
Also it can carry US planes and will do so sometimes.
That may have been the plan. It seems the UK will have around 24 jets by 2021. That seems to be what the current planned operation wing will comprise, but doesn't allow any for training, working up and maintenance[0]. The carriers are designed to carry 36 planes each. So I would say it is true.
Yes it is planned to work up the ship for operational deployment using USMC F35's if they are available in time.
Regarding the long timescale, the Audacious class Ark Royal carrier had an operational life of 24 years, so I would say not having the air wing ready until 3 or 4 years after commissioning is a pretty serious procurement issue. You have to remember that the UK does't have any carrier pilots (unless seconded to the US, but certainly not a squadron) waiting to just do a type conversion, you would have hoped that some aircraft were available to work up pilots before the ships are commissioned.
This is also ignoring the cats-and-traps vs VTOL debacle and the propulsion debacle that delayed both carriers. It makes you wonder actually, had the carriers not been delayed by this, they may have been ready even more years before the aircraft
[0]http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/09/usmc_will_fly_f35s_o...
Not to mention the Nimrod AEW - I remember seeing one dumped near the perimeter fence of RAF Kinloss - contender for the ugliest plane ever to fly.
The sa 80 was designed by engineers who had no experience with guns
OTOH what business does the BundesWEHR have in the Mali heat?
Fighting islamic terrorists afair