UK Defence Forum

Though I agree with the point about keeping Phalanx (even if its effectiveness is diminishing, it still seems effective for now), for the 40mm it depends which variant we purchase. There are variants with their own integrated radar and FCS that can automatically acquire and track targets without ex...

This is why I used the them "organic aviation", it is totally worth exploring unmanned aircraft. However as it stands the Navy have a total of Zero UAV's. For me if we can get to a place where the RB2's have a better main gun something like a Mk-4 40mm that would offer better basic all ro...

To say that we need more T26 or more capable T26 just because we have to over-match two of our closest allies is nonsense. We will not be fighting Canada or Australia. The RN needs to spend its budget to meet its actual needs and not spend it so you can win a game of top trumps. See and this is why...

However the Type 31 program is not without its money questions i.e the fact we paid 3 companies 5 million pounds for design work this lead to two good ship designs with the winning bid from Babcocks and a well developed design that BAE can still push so money well spent in my book . But as for the t...

Are the RB2s really the best vessel for the C3 ? Yes they could do the mcm, survey and Littoral ASW but are no best designed to. Surely something with an open work deck and covered work area in front with at least a UAV hanger and multiple dividends and cranes would be better. A Venari 95 or modern...

This would give RN four common gun options, 127mm, 57mm, 30mm(LMM) and 20mm Phalanx. Seems pretty well balanced. If we are to move to four common gun options then I would like to see a move to 127mm , 76mm , 40mm , 20mm Phalanx this would allow Type 45 ) 1 x 76mm , 2 x Phalanx , 2 x 40mm plus 48 As...

Given what has been talked about i.e 3 more T-31 and more Rivers if we could end up with a fleet of

6 x type 45 to be replaced by 8 new ship
8 x type 26
8 x type 31
8 x OPV's

we would be in a great place with 16 C1's , 8 C2's and 8 C3's

OK lets dip into a little bit of fantasy for a bit and say HMG stump up for 3 extra type 31's and 3 more patrol ships what could we do. In and around the time frame of 2023/4 .we will have type 23's starting to be decommissioned this could offer up some kit for the 3 new patrol ships. Should we try ...

Replacement with three purpose-designed patrol frigates (c. 2500t range and a target cost of c. £175m) would be a sensible move and would provide the patrol fleet with a greater capability in higher-threat areas. Why would you spend 175m on a patrol frigate? You’d be better off buying 2 extra type ...

If the T31's are replacing the T23's GP's instead of the originally proposed T26 GP's, it stands to reason that the T31's must be capable of providing NGFS or its just another capability cut to fit within the inadequate £1.25bn budget. I think the 5" is out of the question for type 31 this is ...

As much as I have pushed the 76mm and 2 x 40mm combo I would be happy with a 57mm and 2 x 40mm as said there is still room for 2 x Phalanx one each side of the rear 40mm mount . I also put forward last year the idea of 3 x 57mm and if A-140 had this plus 2 x Phalanx and 24 CAMM they would be a very ...

Why are you only giving the B1's a 20 year life surly they should be good for 30 years which takes them up to 2033 There has been a lot of talk about 57mm and CAMM being fitted to the B2's but I think we do have to think long term and have the B2's return to take over from the B1's as they retire. W...

In my opinion all this talk about up-arming the OPV's is a classic case of mission creep. Patrolling around the Falklands, Gibraltar and the Caribbean does not require anything more than a 30mm. If that changes then it's the job for a Frigate or Corvette anyway. The RB2's should concentrate on patr...

Lets not forget that there is still room for 2 x Phalanx each side of the rear 40mm mount on A-140 meaning if fitted this ship could put out 360 degrees of area defence from 1 km to 25 km's. so as long as the mounts and power are fitted the Phalanx's weapons are pooled. So along with the 57mm and 40...

RichardIC wrote:LMM is a means of getting a small proximity fused warhead out to a distance of around 5 miles. Exactly the same with 40mm.

And instead of having 5 LMM ready to fire on a mount you will have 100 40mm rounds ready to fire on a mount

For me yes a 3000 to 4000 ton ship could have met the brief but if you can get a bigger ship with more space why would you not go for it we all know the NSS is looking the wrong away at exports when it should be looking at building UK ships in UK yards exporting designs is not going to keep UK yards...

This will depend on where we are going to deploy our new B2's and what they are likely to face. What we now know is HMS Forth will be deployed to the Falklands and HMS Medway to AP-N. when Forth arrives in the Falklands she will be facing a Argentina that is rebuilding its Airforce and Navy so one n...

The T31 is to be the Self Defence Frigate

I would go more with area defence frigate as it will be able to defend it's self and any ships around it out to 17km on the surface and 25km in the air

The T31 has achieved so much, especially in terms of value for money but sense must now prevail. These vessels really need the Mk45, a decent hull mounted sonar and at least four AShM. At this stage an extra £50 to £60m per hull would make them a fully credible GP Frigate. By all means build a coup...

I have to say I am very happy with the way T-31 is shaping up would have been happier with a 76mm up front but the mix of 57mm and 40mm is something I like (Not that far from the triple 57mm idea I put forward last year) . It opens the door to two real options for up gunning the OPV's if that is wha...

“The LSG is expected to consist of two Littoral Strike Units, each comprising up to three amphibious ships and able to react at “immediate notice,” he told the seminar. Given this statement what I was saying about a EoS command seems more important to me as it would give the RN / UK the ability sca...

As I have said in the past for me now I would like to see a EoS command set up to command 4 x type 31 4 x MCM 1 x Bay 1 x Wave 1 x Point If FLSS gets off the ground then one of these ships will join this command the main aims of this command is to have ships in the Gulf and Indo-Pacific all year rou...

Two very good reports interesting that a figure of 8 ships keeps getting pushed

Caribbean wrote:

Tempest414 wrote:the 2nd Thai navy B2 is in the water and is fitted with 1 x 76mm , 2 x 30mm , 4 x Harpoon missiles

The Harpoons sit where the crane is on the B2s, so you would lose the ability to self-load containers.

Bang on I would keep the crane as will come in for off board systems later on

We have seen the Thai B2 design fitted with 76mm and decoys plus a mock up of the second Thai navy B2 with anti-ship missiles so it is doable but why the RN would want to go that far is the question that grabbing me . We have talked in past about what could be done with a B2 and what could fitted an...