UK Defence Forum

First UK Wedgetail arrives for conversion by STS https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/first-uk-wedgetail-arrives-for-conversion-by-sts/141909.article https://d3lcr32v2pp4l1.cloudfront.net/Pictures/780xany/0/9/8/76098_boeing_bhx_0004_103370.jpg A former Deer Jet-operated Boeing 737NG which will be m...

https://www.babcockinternational.com/news/harpoon-missile-system-in-service-support-extension-agreed/ Harpoon Missile System – In-service support extension agreed Babcock International, the Aerospace and Defence Company, is pleased to announce a further year contract extension has been agreed to con...

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...

Tempest414 wrote: however this has been planned for sometime by both the RN and HMG as a show of force

Show of force against who in order to achieve what?

It's not anything to do with "our fish" because HMG caved in on that one.

According to STRN's review of the year: Two hydrographic vessels will be purchased to replace HMS Scott, but with additional capabilities to monitor and protect undersea cables. So maybe this is in the wrong thread. But with so little to go it seemed this was possibly a reference to the mystery Mult...

Go to 4:09.

"We also had announced two new ocean surveillance ships to help us with our data gathering but also to help us protect critical national infrastructure and undersea cables."

SKB wrote:The RAF do not own the Voyagers. AirTanker Services Ltd do, and they lease them to the RAF.
https://www.airtanker.co.uk/
https://find-and-update.company-informa ... y/06279646

Have you actually read what you're replying to?

Yep, as an interim lets have five set of NSM for the T-23 then T-31 and say forty eight LRASM for the T-26 allowing for four sets of eight to be installed routinely, with two sets in reserve ashore. That would make the RN the only user of LRASM as a ship-launched system. Is it still in active devel...

If RN wanted Absalon it would have been the T31, perhaps it should have been. Personally I think a Arrowhead 140 with alterations and additions from the Absalon design is in fact the concept to beat. An Arrowhead 160 design is a very tempting prospect. If RN deviate too far from the existing T31 pr...

Jensy wrote:However the main thing these two designs have in common is that neither is likely to ever see the light of day

Happy to stand corrected on the origin, I completely forgot there was an Arrowhead 120. But still more marketing material than a ship design.

Interesting to see VLS in the above image in B position. I wonder if that graphic came from babcock? Absolutely nowt to do with Babcock. It's a Stellar Systems Spartan CGI, which was essentially marketing bumf. http://www.stellersystems.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/Project-Spartan-Broch...

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...

Ron5 wrote:It is now, they've given it an F number plus ASW gear earmarked for the IH's.

I think that's all the confirmation needed that the support ship concept hasn't worked. But some people just seen to love 'em.

Poiuytrewq wrote:Is an Absalon a Frigate?

No.

SW1 wrote:Well you may consider the LSS is dead but the Iranians have gone a built one for 2.75m dollars

Bonkers!... and Williamson.

Caribbean wrote:As I'm sure you know, the concept is effectively being trialled at the moment, using a Bay, rather than a dedicated vessel.

Sorry for lack of clarity. I meant the LSS. That's dead.

I don't know how the LSG trial differs from any other exercise that's involved amphibious forces.

What has become of the LSS/LSG It's dead. It was Gavin Williamson's "thing". It died the moment he leaked national security details. He mentioned it in one speech and just about nothing else he mentioned in that speech has materialised either. As for the rest, maybe the Strategic Defence ...

Speculate away.

My speculation is something like:

I think STRL have probably called it right in their latest editorial. If it's a new project there has to be an element of competition. They can't just hand it to Babcock. But Babcock will bid with an Arrowhead variant and it will be their's to lose - unless they're right royally screwing up on Type ...

We're going to have months of this now aren't we? And publication of the review won't clear it up.

"We" haven't designed anything, unless you mean the removal of systems "We" couldn't afford. That's just factually incorrect. Type 31 is a British design developed from an original Danish design. You can moan about the equipment fit, and we all have, but it's a large and adaptab...

Nope. Dumb is spending £40bn annually on defence and still be unable to cost effectively design a general purpose Frigate. We just have designed one. Do you expect Babcock to keep building Iver Huitfeildt variants forever? It's not plausible. They haven't even started yet. This is a golden opportun...