UK Defence Forum

The only hope is for either of the two contender for the Conservative leadership job to actually remain in power longer enough to actually realise their promises to increase the Defence Budget to 2.5% GDP, and for that figure to remain until the start of the 2040s at least. But I wouldn't bet my ho...

Should become a standard fit on all RN vessels. It is an elegant solution to dealing with small boats and even UAVs and very cost effective. Now we need to just fit the RFA with a couple of these mounts as well. And perhaps, the B2 Rivers, if they are to have a genuinely world-wide role - it seems ...

The poster also states that there are two variants, one with 7 dismounts (59 ordered) and one "Formation Reconnaissance and Overwatch", with fewer "dismounts" (39 ordered). Explains the different versions seen, I think.

An interesting point - the IRG seem to have been unaware of the presence of HMS Montrose until she intervened (hence the rant yesterday from some Iranian bigwig about the British being "cowards" because we protected our own shipping, which I thought was odd when it was reported. The fact t...

Korea and Japan sell a lot of cars in the uk along with other trade and services the UK is in their interest, with an increased threat from Russia in uk waters are they planning to send warships to protect their interests Probably not, but if someone threatened their import routes for oil and raw m...

Voldemort wrote:humble Antioch hand grenade

Is this the one you mean?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOrgLj9lOwk

What could be done in the here and now is send 3 Archer class boats fitted with the 20mm cannon that they are FFBNW plus 2 x minigun's . IIRC only two are still capable of mounting the 20mm (Ranger and Trumpeter?). Another two were built with armour plating, so would also probably be immediately su...

Given the increase in tension in the Gulf, would people say that a T31 built at the base RFI standard would be capable of escorting Tankers in such an environment? Probably. CAMM seems to be a highly capable system, so that would likely take care of any missile/ air attack threat (which would be hi...

Hopefully there will be money in the guided weapons budget to allow for adding some deck-mounted launchers for an anti-ship missile (once the future strategy is decided).

It's used to counter attack helicopters, is that something that threatens the OPV's? It's designed to counter targets manoeuvring at up to 9g and travelling at Mach 4 - not many helicopters in that category! That said, I'm not sure that the tracking/ targetting system is ideal for naval operations....

Boeing Orca XLUUV will not be able to be operated from a Bay. The Orca would fit in the Bay's dock - it's only 15m (51ft) long. They are most likely to be operated from shore bases, agreed, but at a pinch, a Bay-class should be able to transport/ launch multiple Orcas (and effectively operate as a ...

SW1 wrote:we’re building type 26

I would contend that, by building just eight, we are losing sight of that fact. The old yardstick of 10 C1 and 8 C2 frigates is closer to the mark, especially since we now have the carriers for the C1s (and destroyers) to looks after.

I think that we should not lose sight of the fact that we will still need warships, in our enthusiasm for the flexibility offered by other hullforms in the supporting roles. As it is, the T26 and at least the A140 proposal for the T31 both offer greater flexibility than previous generations of warsh...

San Giorgio-class have lifts but for only suitable for small helicopters and have limited aviation facilities I suspected that might be the case, though the hangar looks quite capacious from these shots. Might not have enough height for Merlin https://www.google.com/search?q=san+giorgio+class+vehic...

Maybe the Italians could sell us one of their decommissioned San Giorgio-class nice and cheap? Re-fit it and add an aircraft lift down to the vehicle deck (if it doesn't already have one) and it could be configured for one of a number of roles - aviation training, HADR, PCRS (with a modular hospital...

It has four spots and can hangar four aircraft, so I guess it could get them all on deck at the same time.

Since "exportability" is the main focus of both the NSS AND the T31 RFI, I doubt Babcocks would have wasted more than a few minutes on the A140 if they hadn't got the IP issues nailed down from day 1.

Argus has 3 spots (being reduced from 4 when it was converted to be primarily a PCRS). Nice pick below, where there are 6 Sea Kings on deck: Argus isn't really a hangar forward design, though, the hangar is below the flight deck and she has a lift (originally two) to assist with moving aircraft to ...

But they don't. No navy operates that many aircraft without having a missive flat top, that is not a coincidence. Also tend to agree - I would see numbers like that on anything other than a flat-top as a ferry capability only. Also I think that I read somewhere that trials have shown that a Bay-sty...

If the FSS has to be common with anything it should be the Tides, not an LPD. Seems reasonable - iterations of the Tides for fleet supply and iterations of the Bays for amphibious support. Improving medical facilities and providing modest aviation facilities (2-6 helicopters, for instance) across t...

Don't say too much!

Both Leander and Arrowhead teams says "RN version do not include ...." I've not heard either of those teams actually use that phrase. The Leander presentation on their website clearly shows both an 8-cell VLS that appears to be a Mk. 41, as well as Phalanx on the top of the hangar. The cu...

That’s what I was thinking say get the Boxer 155mm for part of the fleet then using the same gum module on a truck like what the archer uses as a cheaper option. And an Ajax-derived carrier vehicle for the Armoured Brigades, (maybe also replacing the Stryker-derived M993 Carrier currently used on t...

This follows the T31e RFI. Hi Donald-san. The RFI actually specifies Lloyds Naval Ship Rules. ANEP 77 is a goal-based NATO-specified set of Naval Ship rules (used by the Australian, Canadian, Danish, French, Italian, Netherlands, Norwegian, Singapore, South African, Swedish and Royal Navy). RN vers...

both the Archer and Boxer/155mm meet the above OK, which one then? Personally, I'd go with a common gun module and different carrier vehicles, as appropriate (tracked or 8x8 armoured/ unarmoured). Ditto for the gun limber/ ammunition carrier (or whatever it's called these days) and any GMLRS develo...