Search found 579 matches

by Spinflight
23 Feb 2024, 17:59
Forum: British Army
Topic: Churchill Tank (1941-1952) (British Army)
Replies: 3
Views: 6684
United Kingdom

Re: Churchill Tank (1941-1952) (British Army)

I've seen the after action report of the Kingforce Churchills. They took 106 hits with one being knocked out by an 88. Don't from memory recall a single one taking 80 hits though. There used to be a very interesting website dedicated to the North Irish Horse which was run by a veteran who served in ...
by Spinflight
21 Sep 2020, 22:26
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: UK Shipbuilding
Replies: 236
Views: 29100
United Kingdom

Re: UK Shipbuilding

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/governm ... -warships/

Well if they are planning on jump starting the industry this is a first step.
by Spinflight
21 Sep 2020, 15:32
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: UK Shipbuilding
Replies: 236
Views: 29100
United Kingdom

Re: UK Shipbuilding

Post brexit I'm wondering whether commercial shipbuilding might have a future in the UK... Seems that the nonsense of globalisation has been put to bed by Covid and this may lead to a new eye being cast on strategic vulnerabilities. With well over 90% of all large commercial vessels now being made i...
by Spinflight
03 Jul 2018, 09:09
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: ASDOT
Replies: 78
Views: 56284
United Kingdom

Re: ASDOT

Why don't we just use the T1 Typhoon squadron(s) for this to maximise their utility and provide a proper threat for training. Money. Not sure what the hourly rate for a Tiffie is but would be surprised if it wasn't 6x that allocated for ASDOT. Which works out at about £7000 per hour IIRC. With no c...
by Spinflight
03 Jul 2018, 01:51
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Or... Just throwing this out there...

Andrew knows what he is doing? :)
by Spinflight
30 Jun 2018, 00:46
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: ASDOT
Replies: 78
Views: 56284
United Kingdom

Re: ASDOT

Dahedd wrote:Just buy/lease the bloody Scorpion :crazy:
If you go entirely subsonic there's much better to be had, for less, than the Scorpion.

There are very good reasons no-one has bought the buggers.

And Asdot has no capital hence even a new build turkey isn't really feasible.
by Spinflight
30 Jun 2018, 00:38
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

Well either all that above or.... you don't understand the reasons for Artisan.

Operational research boffins generally have this stuff nailed in my experience.
by Spinflight
29 Jun 2018, 20:05
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

While it's true that the Conceptual Design phase and Design & Construction competition (2020) are two different things. Given that we now know that T26 is 8800 tonnes full load, this is highly unlikely to fit the "light" frigate which the USN are after. I appreciate there's been an up...
by Spinflight
29 Jun 2018, 19:35
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: ASDOT
Replies: 78
Views: 56284
United Kingdom

Re: ASDOT

ASDOT delayed yet again. RFP now due late August.. Probably a favour to Babcock. Meanwhile 736 NAS due to stand down in 2020 which would effectively leave the RN without aggressor training. RAF could take up some slack but not all of it. Which itself would impact upon FOST and every tub we send into...
by Spinflight
29 Jun 2018, 14:50
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

onto the Canadian competition! 15 more ships. while i'm glad for all this success, it's tragic how the type 26 wasn't able to compete in the us frigate contest :( My understanding is that it will be. The contract award for FFG(x) was for others to up their designs to the US specs, a Cenceptual Desi...
by Spinflight
19 Jun 2018, 23:17
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1464506
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

I'm hearing that the T26 has won SEA5000..

News to be released soon.
by Spinflight
18 Jun 2018, 00:06
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1419972
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

Maybe they used the same glue as Trudeau? #browgate

Anyone shocked at BAes incompetence hasn't been paying attention.
by Spinflight
17 Jun 2018, 00:20
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1419972
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

Hopefully, you can't have too many OPVs.

It has to be asked... If you can't build OPVs for rather obscene amounts of money then what the hell is going on?
by Spinflight
01 Jun 2018, 04:52
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8469
Views: 2142303
United Kingdom

Re: Type 31 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

I think it’s promising, but all that ship for £250million?... what parts of the brochure would be sacrificed to meet that cost? I’ll look forward to a side by side comparison between the Arrowhead 140 design and B I'd quite like to see Usain Bolt and Roseanne Barr in a 100m sprint, just for the lol...
by Spinflight
27 May 2018, 08:38
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

On the other hand, I believe RN MUST use ExLS in T31e, so that to be "cleared" for use. Erm.... Why? To promote ExLS+CAMM for export. May be you missed my point? I said nothing about Mk.41. We do not need Mk.41 on T31e. Having it on power-point brochure is OK, for export. But, if we are t...
by Spinflight
27 May 2018, 07:43
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

On the other hand, I believe RN MUST use ExLS in T31e, so that to be "cleared" for use. Erm.... Why? Only difference between them is the depth to fit. We currently have nothing in our entire arsenal that needs strike length 41s. The only thing of any distant possibility is a project which...
by Spinflight
26 May 2018, 03:40
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Which rather neatly puts a lie to the excuse that our tubs are more capable than in the past, they still can't be in two places at once, and too often have been stuck crewless in port. Can only hope that forward basing results in an uplift of personnel as logically each of the forward based ships ha...
by Spinflight
25 May 2018, 21:47
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Lord Jim wrote:Surely the Gulf is possibly one of the highest threat areas we currently patrol. Having participated in the many heated discussions about how the T-31e as planned lacks the ability to either defend itself or attack effectively, is this the right platform for this region?
Send a ferry instead! :D
by Spinflight
25 May 2018, 01:21
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: AW101 Merlin Helicopter (RN)
Replies: 513
Views: 273073
United Kingdom

Re: Merlin helicopters

A few F-35s on board a amphib is a small step but it will be more like the USMC with these operating to support their marines rather than as a small carrier. The details escape me but it would be rather a big step diplomatically and constitutionally. Even from their cardboard built 'Helicopter Dest...
by Spinflight
25 May 2018, 00:58
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15441
Views: 4408688
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

Could be worse...

Could be an RAF pilot.
by Spinflight
25 May 2018, 00:55
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055821
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/0 ... ince-1971/

Whilst the story is mainly bollocks it does seem to indicate a change. Not a wise one I'd think.
by Spinflight
24 May 2018, 18:15
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15441
Views: 4408688
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

Neither do Tankers Key point is tankers can't reach everywhere. The QE's aircraft must be capable of very long range strike without needing tanker support. Drop tanks are a key element of that. A buddy-buddy system would be the next step. In the absence of V-22s as tankers, its the only options. Wh...
by Spinflight
22 May 2018, 14:07
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1464506
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

If they're bright they'll effectively eliminate one bidder and make the other two fight over the terms and IP.

In a 'the committee wants more detail on the industrial benefits of x any y bid' sort of a way.
by Spinflight
22 May 2018, 03:02
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1464506
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

Personally I think the Type 26 has a great chance. Politics will undoubtably play a major role in the decision but that may actually strengthen the UK's bid. How much does the Australian government value the UK's defence cooperation in the Pacific region? As we don't have enough ships to send them ...
by Spinflight
18 May 2018, 16:12
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)
Replies: 6067
Views: 1723742
United Kingdom

Re: F-35B Lightning II (RN & RAF)

12 of ours, plus more from the USMC. Not sure how many you think we'd need for the usual lob half a dozen missiles at a nasty man sort of mission...