It's been stated time and time again. What has been stated? Apart from lots of empty announcements and endless criticism of the current incumbents nothing approaching a clear vision for the future of the country has emerged yet. The cash raised from the non-doms appears to have been allocated to mu...

14 years of Tory austerity and "there's a lot of money that could be moved around". Are you aware of the state of local authorities going bankrupt? The NHS is funding disarray? Schools falling apart? The state of the roads? The lack of big infrastructure projects? Tell me about about Labo...

Rome wasn't built in a day it takes time to rebuild capability, Cammells/A&P would love the work if it is at no risk to them, SDA virtually bankrupted them again. A bit of subbing is fine, but the risk goes up the bigger the blocks are. As for Fergusons I wouldn't touch that dumpster fire with ...

Because the public accounts are FUBAR….. It’s not that simple. HMG has little fiscal headroom because it is choosing not to reallocate funding to different priority areas. UK GDP is now more than £2.2Trillion. Government spending equates to around 45% of that figure. That’s a lot of money that coul...

We will have a smaller fleet of specialists and potiential a larger group of all rounders in the middle. No sure that’s adequate. If funding remains roughly static a more balanced approach is the likely outcome IMO. - 8x T45/T83 - 8x T26 - 8x T31/T32 The cruiser idea for makes little sense for mult...

I fear you are right, because this comments on this thread seems to represent the wallcharts first requirements & strategy last approach that got us in this shit in the first place. I don’t understand why are not jumping for joy at the news? Surely an extra 5x T26 in the North Atlantic is what ...

You would need to overlook where the linage of commandos come from in 41 formed for the raids on the Norwegian and French coasts. Why start the clock in 1941? The commando raids and the invasion of Norway was all Britain could achieve at the time and Churchill wanted “action this day”. RM needs to ...

SW1 wrote: ↑15 Apr 2024, 18:21 The fleet will be looking more and more like the Australian one post review

Meaning?

The T31s are not Corvettes.

LMAO. So the Tory fiscal policy is to lose the election by making unfunded promises they can't afford, so that Labour then have to make cuts, which in 5 years might influence an election. That's your joke, right? Really pleased I gave you a laugh but it’s no joke. Why would a policy to increase def...

Because they can't fund it…. They don’t need to fund it long term, they just need to make it policy at the next fiscal event which will be just before the election. If the first thing a new Labour administration has to do is cut defence spending from 3% of GDP to 2.2% of GDP it will be a disastrous...

Difficult one, but based on 8 you are either cutting TAPS or two ASW escorts for the CSG. Is it not a small price to pay to have another 5x T26 in the North Atlantic? It’s only a one year delay on one hull before the drumbeat can adjust. Squeezing another CSG deployment out of one T23ASW would prob...

So all in all, no commitments to anything, as far as I can see..... Isn’t everything easy in opposition! The most interesting things they have said recently are around procurement and accountability. The U-Turn on UK defence posture EoS was also a highlight and a sign of things to come. The part I ...

Personally I think it is an absolute no brainer… It is an absolute no brainier. Another 5x T26 in the North Atlantic! HMG must do whatever it takes to make it happen. RN must swallow hard and accept the one year delay which is insignificant anyway will the headcount crisis. Invest in a further P8 p...

Moved across. I would add in first Priority 0 as short term, highest prioritity investment in RN & RFA Crew annual pay and bonuses, plus investment in property & accomidation - without extra money to improve crew recruitment and retention, we are going to struggle to man the equipment we alr...

It’s a world away from what people get excited about for a cheap T31 pointless class. I think it's more a case that many of us realised the potential and believed that there was more to be got from the platform. If the current plans come to fruition, then the T31 will be an extremely potent surface...

…defence of specific high value locations is probably going to cost in the region of $10-15b depending on exact numbers. IMO it’s becoming increasingly clear that a short term defence re-capitalisation is warranted. Effectively the reverse of the peace dividend and on top of a long term commitment ...

SSNs and XLUUVs are all part of the anti submarine toolkit, but are you seriously saying increasing this capability in a credible way is something that is remotely feasible in the next decade?? It cuts both ways. How do you realistically commission more T26 within a decade? I think BAE are going to...

It’s a question of priorities: 1- More P8, ideally increase to 16 2- Maximise T31 and build 8 3- More SSN, aim for 12, start asap 4- More T26 only if HMG commits to 3% GDP 5- T32 but not before mid/late 2030s In that order IMO In a perfect world the optimum escort mix is: • 12x AAW Destroyers (T45/T...

inch wrote: ↑12 Apr 2024, 10:19 Will France join pillar 2 also ?

If it gets too big it will fall apart.

You forgot the £100 for them to get a Hogwarts magic wand :D It’s easy to be cynical Ron but would it be more straightforward than what USN is attempting with Constellation? • The forward 32x cell silo would take some substantial re-design. • The addition of hybrid propulsion would take some substa...

We do not need more compromised frigates for the RN - we have been here before I am not convinced so no point dragging this out further. The examples I have given are just to illustrate a simple point: If extra £Billions became available RN needs many other things funded before extra T26. The T31 a...

The threat to Australia and the region is not going to be solved by GP assets with compromised ASW capabilities. The threat to Australia will be solved by SSNs and lots of F35. IMO the Canberras could ultimately be more useful than the Hunters. No I don’t, no two more will not cost £1bn each, and y...

Repulse wrote: ↑11 Apr 2024, 09:38 Yes, 100%.

Why?

Well someone should have told the T31 design team that.

You are clearly not a fan of the T31.

If T26 hulls 9 &10 cost £1bn each is it really the best use of the cash if the U.K. wants additional ASW capability?

Any illusion that build a new “cheaper” (read compromised) class in a multi-national program and it will be a success is just that, an illusion - albeit sadly one that the Treasury will believe. Are you suggesting the Australians have got it completely wrong with their smaller, more numerous ASW ve...

The only way this has a chance IMO is that this class is the only new one in the 2030s. If the Albions are not to return the replacements are needed now. The luxury of everything being needed a decade away is over for the foreseeable. How much money is going to be pissed away on endless concepts an...