According to your headline, the historic Dambusters squadron is to be first to use the Joint Strike Fighter (The Herald, July 19).
We can be sure that the No campaign will be quick to point out that the deployment, scheduled for 2016, will not go ahead if Scotland votes Yes.
However, there are a few things about the F-35B Lightning that the No campaign will not point out. That the planes will cost at least £130m each. That because of the rising cost, the RAF, in common with every other air force foolish enough to buy them, is continually scaling down the numbers to be purchased (Defence Secretary Philip Hammond won't give a number, though we do know we will only have enough for the air wing of one of the two new super carriers).
The sales department of the makers went into a bit of a tailspin when they found out that the Russians had no intention of getting into an arms race involving fifth-generation fighters. Consequently it had to come up with a new sales strategy.
It's true that the Norwegians were considering an independent joint fighter initiative with their Swedish neighbours, but what with the existence of their oil fund and some interesting political decision-making (outlined by wikileaks) they are buying at least four dozen. So even if the Russians decide to attack Scotland they will have to get past the Norwegians.
Some even say that the pilots can't see behind them, a normal requirement of fighter pilots, apparently. However, this is one calumny relating to the F-35 I have will have no truck with. At £130m per plane why should the pilots need to see what's behind them?
Bill Ramsay,
84 Albert Avenue, Glasgow.
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