UK Defence Forum

have to look at the need before the platform, so what will we most likely need to do - 2 - small scale amphibious raids 3 - Littoral security 4 - HADR I would say that is the likely need. Added to this the ability to reconstitute a disused or damaged port to deliver a strike brigade . I still think...

For me we have to look at the need before the platform, so what will we most likely need to do - 1 - form an ARG up to Brigade level 2 - small scale amphibious raids 3 - Littoral security 4 - HADR So requirement 1 could be covered with a similar set to what we have today, so can requirement 4 with a...

but we can’t make the same mistake we’ve made with the current crop by not having hangers on our LPDs LSDs I’ve been thinking about this and do not believe it was a mistake on reflection. The LPDs were designed to operate with a LPH, and in the future it will also with a CVF (or a RFA Argus replace...

If I am understanding you right from your list you are saying that Caribbean and NATO mcm are both only 6 month tasks at any one time so can be covered by 1 Mk2 Bay correct ? No. I'm saying it can be absorbed in the "rotation". For example, after a half-year APT-N, the Bay can move to lon...

if we go down the route of just 2 large LHDs That will be the great debate for the next 15 yrs, but I’d say that a) no replacement will come till mid 2030s and b) the historical LPH/LPD/LSD combination is superior. Having LHDs look very nice on a photo shoot, but are suboptimal compared to a LPH + ...

I believe the 0.5s on your list would still need to be seen as 1 each as even though the tasks maybe no be full time each they may over line in the times they are needed. Not sure what you mean. Bay in APT-N can do refit, or join amphibious training, when a River B2 (or Wave/Tide) is covering the o...

I think it would be a mistake to build specialist large MCM motherships, or to that any unmanned craft motherships. I’m personally ok with using the (LPD + LSD) resources we have and building more patrol type craft (MHPC) which have the a T26 style mission bay for unmanned and manned craft. I’d say...

I still don’t like the idea of being reliant on ally’s, yes work with them but to be reliant is just asking for problems. I don't like it either but with defence spending at its current levels I'm afraid we are going to have to get used to it more and more. The FLSS that has a secondary replenishme...

Not sure. In amphibious operation, now (after PoW commission) RN can send, Prince of Wales as LPH only sometimes, in addition to 1 Albion and 2 Bays, at most. With my plan, up to 5x 150m (or 170m) LSD (1 in long refit) on surge, in addition to one LPH or PoW will be there. Big big improvement. Sorr...

...No because even through the platform it’s self will be flexibile in what it can do due to its design and off board systems it can use the initial numbers would still be needed. In the gulf do you believe mcm can be conducted by the off board system operating from shore ? IMO I don’t think this c...

was going off what Donald proposed of 6 Mk2 Bays so looking beyond the current bays and Albion’s. Yeah but there’s no money for new ships especially especially when one is mothballed. I’d say the gulf isn’t a long term priority and next to no uk trade has been affected by Iran. There is freedom of ...

In the gulf do you believe mcm can be conducted by the off board system operating from shore ? IMO I don’t think this could be done so intern you’d still need a new Bay there st all times to be the Mother Ship. In the Caribbean it could under take all the roles you’ve mentioned but the vessel it’s ...

T26 comment, not news so here it is, 8 years to build a Frigate? The same yard completed Lb03 and Lb04 in less time, with more metal than 3 T26. QE was At sea in 8 yrs! Please explain? It’s a treasury set time table, at the moment the T26 build for 8 ships is being stretched out until the T45 repla...

Numbers due to the fact that you’d need 1 in the gulf at all times for mcm, 1 for NATO standing mcm and one the Caribbean for aid. That’s all before taking into account any amphibious ops or literal work. Then there’s other unmanned work that will come down the line and mcm around the UK. Is this n...

Donald also appeared for them to replace all mcm vessels as well, IMO 6 wouldn’t be enough to cover all current mcm, Amphibious and aid roles. But, how about 7x 170m version? 4x for "Albion and 3x Bays replacements", and 3x for MCMVs. I hope it will be affordable. Anyway, heart of my prop...

Moved across. Point-class is very simple and cheap (to operate) cargo ship, RoRo. Flo-Flo ship is more specialist and be expensive to operate. Thus, I think Point's replacement will be just a RoRo ship of the day. Maybe but I don't think the Points will be replaced like for like as well as adding t...

So I assume we would want any Bay 2.0 to have a loading dock similar in size to that of the Albions? That shouldn't be a problem as the Enforcer catalogue seems to have a design to suit all tastes and wallets. I also assume that these six platforms would replace both the Bays and the Albions. Seems...

That is totally wrong. The NSS called for more competition to keep prices down. SJP's solution to shipyards going out of business was to suggest large steel box makers (of which there are a few in the UK) with zero experience of marine building, could build blocks at inland sites to be shipped to a...

Priorities have to match resources, I would start with doing less with less. I think I would much prefer doing more with more. Either more money turns up or the wheels come off of the bus and that would be politically unsustainable at present. Recent highlighting of the embarrassingly small size of...

So making us no more than a regional player at best and some could argue only a local one, that’ll go perfectly with HMGs global Britain approach. This argument can be powerful enough to gain money, so that to stop cuts? Not sure.... By the way, among the items on my list, I do think T31e cutting i...

Is there really much across the MOD as a whole that can cut with out drastically reducing our capabilities or that isn’t desperately needed ? After 2010 we were cut so far to the bone is there anything left ? Is this the point where instead of accepting more cuts the MOD and senior servicemen need ...

Is there really much across the MOD as a whole that can cut with out drastically reducing our capabilities or that isn’t desperately needed ? After 2010 we were cut so far to the bone is there anything left ? Is this the point where instead of accepting more cuts the MOD and senior servicemen need t...

This is where if Boris was smart he’d... If he was smart he'd realise hes on the cusp of breaking the country he leads in two (or three) and cancel Brexit immediately, before committing to the old order of the Type 26s with a corresponding increase in budget, and then immediately begin work to make...

No surprise. No. But, it's very important to have alternative English yards - especially as Northern Ireland could go as well. This is where if Boris was smart he’d say to the SNP yes you can have another vote but not until 5 years after brexit has happened and explain to the people of Scotland thi...

No every effort should be made to have the T-31e based on a large enough platform so that it can evolve over its service life, it should not be diluted into becoming a "Super" River. If the RN actually has a need for an up gunned OPV then it should look to modifying the B2 Rivers for that...