Quote Japan was my reference for the 4 year number I mentioned. I read an article about how the Japanese were happy that they were able to cut build time down from 5 to 4 years. 5 year build times were the old standard, and we are barely catching up to that when we should be aiming for 4. The Mogam...

In the context of UK shipbuilding the increase in speed is great, but internationally we are catching up to the pack of 10 years ago.

A frigate should be buildable in 4 years at most, and done 2-3 at a time.

Generally makes a lot of sense. Uses a German engine made by a Rolls Royce subsidiary, A Swedish gun made by a BAE subsidiary, Mounted on a German chassis that can be built from scratch by another BAE subsidiary (admittedly only 45%) in the UK. If there can be time spent on the tracked version pitc...

Generally makes a lot of sense. Uses a German engine made by a Rolls Royce subsidiary, A Swedish gun made by a BAE subsidiary, Mounted on a German chassis that can be built from scratch by another BAE subsidiary (admittedly only 45%) in the UK. If there can be time spent on the tracked version pitch...

Its the total lack of substance that really annoys me. Its not like they will wait till the 1st of April 2030 to increase the budget, this would happen over time. So if the budget is to increase by 12 billion over 6 years (for example) when does it start to appear? Will it be 2 billion starting thi...

I did say I was delusional.

Without a major change in head count and ship count anything more than maintaining current commitments is obviously a pipedream.

But if there's money to be had investment is not impossible.

Perhaps we can salvage some of the Type 45 systems for later improvements to the Type 31, provided someone doesn't want to buy them outright.

We really need to do something about the southern Caribbean in general, Antigua is just a single issue in a larger picture. A strategy to woo Guyana into using some of their oil money to contribute towards UK forces protecting them against Venezuela as they get stinking rich from the oil in peace wo...

It would be logical for the RN to procure a new or suitable existing radar of excellent quality that could be fitted on T26, T31, QEC, T83, if T83 will being going in the direction of numerous AAW hulls rather than a select few. BaE was awarded 270 million (of which 50 million is R&D) last year...

I'm pleasantly surprised by them commiting (?) to 6 ships ! as said Argos should be replaced first but after that ???? bays are newer, but, Albions require more crew ...... The cynic in me would say that Sunaks blurb is irrelevant to be honest. They are on borrowed time. MRSS is nothing more than a...

I guess you are proposing to use CEC to control SM-6? In other words, using T31 only as a Mk41 arsenal and SMART-L radar picket? In that case, there is a US destroyer there. In a theater as small as Red Sea, why not the US Destroyer just do the job? "The Americans will do it" is an old mi...

The article is hinting at 6 ships including Albion/Bulwark. Replacing them all with one ship type will be cost-efficient but somewhat a missed opportunity to make a ship like the HMAS Canberra/Juan Carlos for the Royal Navy flagged ships to provide some flexibility for our F35B deployments, but this...

I guess you are proposing to use CEC to control SM-6? In other words, using T31 only as a Mk41 arsenal and SMART-L radar picket? In that case, there is a US destroyer there. In a theater as small as Red Sea, why not the US Destroyer just do the job? "The Americans will do it" is an old mi...

In an effort to move the discussion along a bit. I am pleased you have conceded that at least in the short term RN must make the most of the T31. That’s progress . Thanks - but be under no illusion it’s fucking stupid how we got where we are. Edit: and if anyone even indirectly suggests we buy more...

The T31 has nothing of value to offer in the priorities and commitments that I’ve laid out - the only way is to stop the nonsense and as I suggest above revert to a IH AAW design for the last 3 on order and pay for it by selling the first two. This seems like mostly the right direction to go. The T...

I have read that Milei is not at all hawkish on the Falklands but is still by law required to maintain that the islands are Argentine. NATO does not allow territorial disputes so I am unsure what the future holds. I don't know why they want into NATO though, does Milei think the Alliance is heading ...

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-reduce-licensing-by-80-uk-australia-boost-aukus-2024-04-18/ Not sure exactly what this covers but this could be pretty important for strapped UK defense spending. Seeing as it also covers missiles, we may see a lot more tomahawks or even some of the expensive anti ba...

My thoughts on the Type 31 is that the platform is flexible in nature, and they can become "multi-purpose" not "general-purpose" in the way they are used. I feel there are negative connotations around the term "general" and it has become something of a misnomer in rega...

This may seem a bit random but; My thoughts on the Type 31 is that the platform is flexible in nature, and they can become "multi-purpose" not "general-purpose" in the way they are used. I feel there are negative connotations around the term "general" and it has become ...

We keep talking about 22 or 24 escorts but was it not said in 2008 we needed 30 to meet our needs? If anything the needs have gotten more rather than less.

The Rivers are clearly pulling more than their weight right now.

It'll be an interesting one. Airbus DE have no export success with Eurofighter. But then again Rafale has a long waiting list and Dassault don't really do local assembly. Personally I think it will come down to money, EF is still more expensive, there will need to be a major discount from list pric...

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... uv-system/

Is the concept of the Submarine Carrier being revived in the modern day?

Not quite, but an interesting concept that gives Submarines even more importance than they already have.

Round 2 Vs the Rafale in India. https://idrw.org/airbus-to-enter-indias-mrfa-race-with-upgraded-eurofighter/ Seems like a smart idea to use the same plane but this is a land based system and not a carrier based one. The biggest thing going for the Typhoon is the production backlog for the Rafale. It...

Round 2 Vs the Rafale in India. https://idrw.org/airbus-to-enter-indias-mrfa-race-with-upgraded-eurofighter/ Seems like a smart idea to use the same plane but this is a land based system and not a carrier based one. The biggest thing going for the Typhoon is the production backlog for the Rafale. It...