UK Defence Forum

How much of each inventory will be able to be use by the other? We use ASRAAM for example, they with use AIM-9X, we have Paveway IV they have SDB, the list goes on. Are each contingent even able to use the others? All have obviously been cleared for the F-35B, so does it only need a software patch ...

Just saw this on Twitter - main article behind a paywall. If there’s any substance to this, then it is hard to see how the RN would recover in terms of effectiveness & prestige. I certainly won’t relish the RN playing second fiddle to the Marine Nationale Had a read of it and it doesn't seem to...

I’m still holding out hope that cuts don’t hold with the Brexit global Britain power house message. Plus I don’t trust any reporting from the MSM. Agreed. I think the political optics of selling a QE Class would be awful for Boris so I suspect they're safe. I don't think Cummings is as smart or as ...

I thought the talk of hypersonic was around missiles to be developed for use on tempest no the plane itself. IMO if tempest could hit Mach 3 odd while keeping good movability and decent range and payload would be an out come Some idiot at the Daily Mail has seen Tempest, seen the Rolls Royce work o...

Ron5 wrote:It's by Lockheed so definitely not free to buy or maintain!!

That is true. But I bet the LM product manager for ExLS is thanking their lucky stars that MBDA and Sea Ceptor rolled into town, otherwise they'd be sitting on a massive flop at present (despite the idea being fundamentally sound).

Why would you want to fit a ship with both CAMM and ESSM (block 2)? They are functionally the same missile. ESSM Blk.2 will have greater range than standard Sea Ceptor. Obviously CAMM-ER will be competitive with ESSM Blk.2, but the Canadian's will be running their upgraded Halifax for quite a few y...

Little J wrote:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... 00mph.html
To go with the above...

It's up there with the 5 inch gun....

Except ExLs doesn't fit ESSM so that will always be filled with CAMM. (in answer to calculus) ExLS at present is a pure Sea Ceptor launch system. Some graphics showing other load outs are so dated they actually include NLOS...the most recent include RAM Blk.2, Nulka and Hellfire/JAGM. But none have...

Some possible good news, hard to see how this squares with the coming SDSR and MFTS fiasco though....

topman wrote:My point is, defence reviews can and do spring surprises. Never say never.

Weirdly there are reports that the RAF are looking to stand up 8 FJ sqns today using Typhoon. You could read quite a lot into that (good news...SDSR not looking bad, or bad news...possible restricted buy of F-35).

The defence minister is a cavalry man. Remember John Nott anyone? Plus Dominic Cummings is on record saying they are a waste of money. The only positive is that given the Brexit pomp from the Gov, it’s highly unlikely there will be defence cuts post Brexit. I agree. For all of Cummings bombast the ...

To me this shows how perfectly sad our situation is, for a nation that is aspiring to global influence and a 2 super carrier force to only have 50 aircraft suitable for this role is down right abysmal. 50 Stealth fighters that are deployable, without gutting home defence forces would put us in the ...

I agree with the number of F-35B likely to be purchase, with the Marham wing being the only operator. Any further purchase would be in direct completion with any UK led Consortium's next generation aircraft programme. I keep making this point. We're definitely getting 48 F-35B, 3 of which will neve...

Caribbean wrote:Florida and the Caribbean?

Don't think another trip across the Atlantic is on the cards. Can't see anything beyond the Med. with a stopover in Gib.

ArmChairCivvy wrote:- but KPIs, in mgt speak, normally relate to on-going performance

You also use them in development programmes, Milestones tend to be fewer in number but you can use them to measure and mark any performance. Truth is they don't like it up 'em.

I admit I've not worked for the MOD, but when I was in Automotive it was like this - if there's any suspicion of the "low ball then escalate" game being played the OEMs would insist on an "open book" bid, show us where your numbers come from right down to the wage rates and over...

You'll be pleased to hear that the good folks of Yeovil that manufacture Merlins, voted for their Brexit hero and savior Boris so maybe they will be rewarded with a small top up order. I would think a dozen or so would be about right (500 million pounds)? But at the same time...if they look at proc...

Pretty sure you've had that mate. I think one of the 4 was donated to the Moriva aviation meseum in Kinloss recently as an outdoor display. Apparently there's one in Karup in Denmark now...wtf. Insane. In that case I will have to adjust my plan to purchasing the Italian ASH variant and re-building....

Ron5 wrote:Thought it was supposed to be operational by now.

Nope. It's gone very quiet recently, that might not mean anything bad but its usually not a great sign.

I have to say that I would be happy with the QE class having a standard air-wing of 20 F-35 , 6 ASW , 3 AEW and 4 HC-4 Merlin's. It's generally accepted that to provide 24-7 ASW coverage of a TF that you need 8-9 ASW helos at a minimum, carrying 6 HM.2 only works if you're carrying 2-3 HM.2 on the ...

Ron5 wrote:Be fun if the Marines brought along some V-22's and they did some a2a refueling of both the F-35's and Merlins.

Maybe "fun" isn't the right word. You know what I mean. Informative maybe.

Will they actually have VARS ready then, its gone a little quiet on it recently...

Nothing to do with Trump. I hate the guy but don't lay this at his door. If you buy foreign, this is what you get. Buy Chinese, buy Russian, buy French, buy British, it's all the same. I understand what you're saying, but I disagree as to the implications. There have clearly been countries where th...

Seems a complete non-story to me. US administration applies pressure to buy US while UK government applies pressure to buy British (Oh you didn't notice all the British Typhoon trips to Japan?). Perhaps buying the P-1 may have been a smarter move than P-8.... The bit that seems to have a little bit...

Is there any information on how many securing points there are on the deck ,is this any different to previous carriers? Not seen any numbers but they're all over, even in areas where no aircraft can fit (to tie down deck equipment), you could probably calculate a rough number based on the area of t...

The wing appears to me to have significant angle of attack at normal flying attitudes so why is that unless to generate lift? Also why the new carrier anyway, the old one could attach the same number of missiles? There is another wing, that the South Koreans use for Spike NLOS, but the UK ones were...