UK Defence Forum

I didn't say it was cheap but the fact is we can't design and build a tank on our own on the cheap work share is here to stay and if we want something that is not Euro pack or US we will need to find partner's I cited two cases where one of the original partners left a collaboration and made their ...

Did they? It really depends if your strategic horizon is 5 minutes or 5 years. "Strategic horizon"!!!? Absolutely they caved. Strategic horizon doesn't come into it. They got what they were given and failed to take back control. Do you actually think this is part of a cunning plan? Let th...

As an aside, the idea of turning Boxer into a tank as pushed by Nicholas Drummond et al, seems remarkably stupid. Tank Boxer vs any real tank is going to have only one conclusion. Not sure I buy that RCH 155 Boxer either. Looks way too tall and unstable even with the new lower design. I suspect it ...

donald_of_tokyo wrote:In that case, they need to be ice breaker. Something like Canadian Harry DeWolf-class?

Or a slightly modified version of RRS SD keep commonality

Yep, the Brits absolutely need a Coastguard. Surely it has to be better to have a single organisation responsible for all the UK's maritime security instead of the mishmash we have at the moment? It also makes things better for the RN, enabling them to become a more streamlined organisation focused...

It's a certainty they'll get more T26. It close to a certainty they’ll get the remaining 5 ( nothing is certain until the contract is signed ) but what I meant was more beyond the 8 planned. Look at it this way if we are getting only 8 T26 and 6 T4X then the build rate needs to be stretched out to ...

construct the Frigate Factory on the Clyde after all? The current mood music is positive. Why would they? Most companies would push for productivity gains, but they have the T26s in the bag ... and Ron says that :?: T4(x) cannot be tailored, to fit the bill?? If true (and he seems to be the unoffic...

construct the Frigate Factory on the Clyde after all? The current mood music is positive. Why would they? Most companies would push for productivity gains, but they have the T26s in the bag ... and Ron says that :?: T4(x) cannot be tailored, to fit the bill?? If true (and he seems to be the unoffic...

Serious question, how are the italian going to make any sort of serious investment into any new fighter program? They were in a bad place pre-covid, don't know how to pay for their F-35s and are going to struggle post-covid. The Italian's treat their military in a similar way to the German's. It's ...

Serious question, how are the italian going to make any sort of serious investment into any new fighter program? They were in a bad place pre-covid, don't know how to pay for their F-35s and are going to struggle post-covid. The Italian's treat their military in a similar way to the German's. It's ...

Lord knows the Americans don't like the F35 as it has turned out. Is it across the board, or just the 'C'? The Marines would lose their own airforce without the 'B'. not just solely for military use but also for stetegic industrial needs. Well, we are not v good at defining 'strategic'. The Chinese...

Serious question, how are the italian going to make any sort of serious investment into any new fighter program? They were in a bad place pre-covid, don't know how to pay for their F-35s and are going to struggle post-covid. The Italian's treat their military in a similar way to the German's. It's ...

Serious question, how are the italian going to make any sort of serious investment into any new fighter program? They were in a bad place pre-covid, don't know how to pay for their F-35s and are going to struggle post-covid. The Italian's treat their military in a similar way to the German's. It's ...

So we get around £4bn extra a year then need to cut £1bn it makes no sense. It was made out the extra funding secured not only filled the black holes but also allow extra on top, so who’s been telling the lies ? Both things can’t be right so either HMG has been fudging it by making out there increas...

leaks of Macron stating he’ll use the MN to enforce french fishing rights. This is just complete bollocks the French navy can't and wont face down the RN / UK over fish and we all know it. There are much bigger things at play it will end up a bit like Gib with the French fishing fleet fucking us ab...

If HMG is serious about growing the size of RN what are the proposals? I haven't seen anything so far apart from like for like replacements. If the T32's replace the MCMV's that will be another cut to vessel numbers. We now know what the RN is hoping for i.e 5 x multi mission GP frigates with the c...

With the discussion of the timeframe for replacing the type 45 should though planning be instead of upgrading the Sampson which only has a short-range upper atmosphere range to one with a longer range for earlier detection of ballistic and hypersonic missiles which were not envisioned in the design...

The DK evaluation of JLTV sounds very similar to the reputation of US commercial vehicles - build them cheap, buy in bulk, use for 10 years then throw away/sell on. I think someone has been bedazzled by the list price price which let's face it is often marketing bumpf. Total cost of ownership over ...

I am not sure to be honest but I could see on a very tight budget the RN would go for an Absalon but would ask for the odd small change here or there, I only say this as I can’t see them just saying Yh we’ll take it exactly as is. If RN wanted Absalon it would have been the T31, perhaps it should h...

Poiuytrewq wrote:

Jake1992 wrote:....modified Absalon if real tight.

Modified how?

I am not sure to be honest but I could see on a very tight budget the RN would go for an Absalon but would ask for the odd small change here or there, I only say this as I can’t see them just saying Yh we’ll take it exactly as is.

What we get is surely going to depend on what budget the program gets, if it gets a good healthy budget I can see the RN going for something like an updated version of the UXV based on the T26. If it gets a low to modest budget I can see something like a British Absalon or a modified Absalon if real...

Hopefully we’ll see HMG choice to for a family developed from Foxhound and take into account both the tax income and economic growth it could generate along with compositing the MOD for this.

Have seen various posts on how the T31 with its minimal capabilities improved, we could all come up with our own wish list if funding were available, but, a big but, understand T31 contract was deliberately written so specification was set in concrete, MoD/Navy has no ability to request/fund any ch...

Problem is no Government is going to raise Defence spending to the level required to have meaningful forces available both assigned to NATO and operating in the far east. Whilst we may get involved in a major conflict as long as Russia doesn't start playing up at the same time, it is going to be up...

It just makes it even clearer that the even increased poultry 2.2% is just not enough, I can honestly see a new Cold War starting by 2030 but this time on 2 fronts with both China and Russia being a problem for the west. Unlike the last Cold War we won’t be able to solely concentrate on the N.A and ...