Earlier:

Revolting British admirals, generals and air marshals (and the F-35)/Only 40 F-35s Upperdate?

The Brits had been planning to buy 138 F-35Bs, the short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) version (our government is commited to buying the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing version). The UK government has now announced the results of its Strategic Defense and Security Review (MoD news release here, full text here). A decision on the size of the F-35 fleet has been deferred for some time but it appears clear the total buy will be reduced, probably considerably, since only one of the Royal Navy’s new carriers will eventually field the aircraft, not both as originally planned. And the carrier F-35C version will be acquired instead of the F-35B, none of which will now be bought (see also Part Two, pp. 23, 26 of the “Review”):

…the government has decided to reduce its F-35 buy. Britain also will shift its carrier-based version to the F-35C, away from the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing B system. How many Lockheed Martin F-35s will be bought…remains to be sorted out. A defense official says those decisions may await the next defense review in five years time, leaving a lot of uncertainty over the program…

On the aircraft carrier side, the HMS Prince of Wales will be modified to allow operations of the F-35C, designed specifically for carrier-based operations…The carrier will be fielded four years later than planned, around 2020, when the aircraft also are slated to arrive. The HMS Queen Elizabeth will be held in reserve and may be sold, leaving the U.K. with a single carrier force in the future…

More:

…One of the carriers will be designed to operate with 12 of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes.

“The single carrier will routinely have 12 fast jets embarked for operations while retaining the capacity to deploy up to the 36 previously planned, providing combat and intelligence capability much greater than the existing Harriers,” the review document said…

That leaves the US Marine Corps as the only buyer of the F-35B, looks like they’re planning on 262 operational aircraft. In any event that pool of international JSF sales, from which our government hopes the Canadian aviation industry will make out like bandits, is starting to shrink.

The British review is far more comprehensive, detailed and specific–in terms of what things the government intends that its military services be capable of doing, and of what personnel levels, as well as types and numbers of equipment, are needed to do them–than anything you’ll see from this or any likely future Canadian government.  A previous post:

The Canadian Forces, war present, and future?

By the way, the UK is planning to acquire an ice patrol ship (p. 21 of “Review”). Somehow I don’t think we’ll be able to sell them the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships intended for our Navy, whenever we get around to building them.

Update: Round-up piece from Defense Industry Daily:

Canada Preparing to Replace its CF-18 Hornets

Upperdate thought: With the loss of the 138 F-35Bs planned for the Brits, the cost of the ones the USMC is to buy will certainly go up, perhaps substantially. One wonders how many the Marines will get in the end [Oct. 25: more here on the Marines and the F-35B, and on the Marines' future generally].

Uppestdate thought: And, heavens to Betsy Ross, depending on the F-35C’s testing progress and eventual cost, might the UK’s sole carrier end up with Super Hornets?  The US Navy will still be buying them for a while to come (Oct. 21: Lockheed Martin’s competitors are sniffing wider opportunities). Or, gasp!, maybe the navalized Rafale? Interoperability!  Une entente aérienne!

After all there have been suggestions of increased Anglo-French naval cooperation. Meanwhile, here’s a quick but substantial US reaction to the British defence cuts.

Beyond Uppestdate: Post is in the Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs:

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Canadian Commentary
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Mark Collins — Unambiguously Ambidextrous
How many F-35s?…

Mark
Ottawa