Just out of curiosity, how does the 3-watch system work with senior officers (and indeed other key/specialist staff for whom presumably there are only one or two posts per crew for a small lean-manned OPV). The navy used a three watch system on the Bird class patrol boats after comparisons done whe...

They'll just cut my MoD pay by 25% to cover it I have a better idea cull 25% of our self serving M.P.s , slash the house of lords. Pass a law capping the numbers. That with there staff and pensions should free up some funds. On the positive side the public would approve. There again they wont do wh...

Timmymagic wrote:It looks great...but can't help but think it would look better in hemp...

As long as it doesn't come out brown like a one Nimrod xv 246 . A K A the flying t***.

The replacement specification for speed and endurance is not far from the requirement that the Mk 2 Rescue target towing launches operate by 1102 M C U. I wonder if with the recent resurgence of the Russian navy has required the need to go to there western Mediterranean anchorage on the banks. This ...

ArmChairCivvy wrote: in managed decline"

John Knotts advection for defence with long term managed decline making it impossible to reverse lost capability. Only possible at prohibitive cost that makes it electorally impossible.

[quote="Repulse"]I agree there is little chance, as the UK government has always looked short term - the unit costs of the FSS built in the UK will be higher but you’ve taken a national capability away and the chance to build something that in the longer term could be competitive building ...

If it turns out it was not responsible for this leak, The ramifications of this could come back and bite the Mrs May in the arse. Especially there is a police investigation under the official secrets act.

Did the Treasury ever pay back the MoD for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Weren't they supposed to compensate the MoD for the operating costs as these were not part of the core budget, but the MoD ended up using its own funds for a large part of the operations. This was the Blair Brown stealth...

Up until Osborne moved it into the core budget. the running costs for CASD have always been within the core but in the past the design and construction of the actual boats etc were a separate budget funded directly from the Treasury. Given all the cuts that the Labour did massive defence cuts in th...

I think the future SSBN has had a financial detrimental effect but i do sort of agree we should keep it. The long term thinking of the Bollinger boys when putting the nuclear deterrent in the mod budget. The costs of submarine procurement would allow removal of the class of weapons because of its d...

whitelancer wrote:I wouldn't count your chickens, or tanks in this case. Reducing to just 2 Regiments just makes it easier to bin them completely. You only have to look at what happened to the Harrier to see the way this is going.

Managed treasury decline at its finest.

Know one believes that there are a who!e load of ex 42 Booty's ( it was they that got re-rolled not 43) dressed up as Matelot's and retraining at Drake to form the future crew of a Type 26. I beg to differ with your thinking R M personnel who were made surplus to trade transferred to the R A F mari...

I think T31e having no ASW capability, being small, has little problem. Even cancelling T31e will be better. In future, when "XLUUV-like UUV and ACTUV-like USV" turned out to be key assets, what assets RN can afford to sacrifice? May be mixture of- postponing T31 for 5-6 years, The major ...

My last job before leaving 1102 MCU Gibraltar was to make a rowing oar (George Bell oar) this was made in the then boat house. It had at the time a working oar lathe. It is now the Gibraltar Squadron building. It was a seral working environment as the dockyard employed Charles. The proprietor of the...

Ron5 wrote:Why on earth does it fold that way instead of swinging back like the Sea Kings? Looks daft.

Different centre of balance due to plug and play rather than dedicated airframe as Sea King was.

jimthelad wrote:Comrade Corbyn thinks all personnel involved should face trial.

About right for the provisional supporter.

With the latest news reports on the Bloody Sunday, I only hope that the defence sectary ensures that M.O.D. gets the best legal support for the ex paratrooper. I cannot express my views but our political masters must have been asleep.

Mr Haynes whom was a retired Major was also on the flight. He was from Crewe. He was at school with my father and always called me by my childhood nickname when I saw him. I hold little hope of disclosure as it will open a nasty can of worms.

Ron5 wrote:The Telegraph suggests HMS Corbyn just to piss him off.

I think that H.M.S. Conqueror as would be a better suggestion as it would possibly piss off a south American nation.

So having underestimated the budget by about 100% to build them, we also underestimated the crew requirements by about 20%, I assume these crew numbers could be subject to revision after we actually test the ship in operationally relevant trials? The underestmate was only 40 % the rest was due to t...

How about installing a shore battery and carrying out gunnery practice "within territorial waters" whenever a suitable target appears? The Royal Gibraltar Regiment has towed guns . I have done range safety for a live fire exercise. It would be prudent to replace the previous Exocet land c...

I only hope its not smoke and mirrors by using two of our existing four point ships? If its conversion of the S.S.D.R.10 of hires or two new vessels I will be pleasantly surprised. The defence sectary may have honest intention. Beware the managed decline treasury policy turning him inti a snake oil ...

what missions are we going to be doing in the future that needs a gun that we aren't doing now? I remember conversation about the loss of guns to aircraft on upgrades causing concern. The gun pod on the Lightning once fully operational is option that can procured and integrated without major proble...

Nope - a force formerly called, HM Coastguard, Border Force, Welsh (and possibly Scottish) Fishery Protection Agencies, HMRC, local council operated Marine Environmental Control, London, Kent, Sussex, Dorset etc. etc. Marine Police Units etc etc etc.All under one organisation, with responsibility f...

There was a painted white table in Rosyth dockyard it had rounded ends that was of hms Queen Elizabeth along with it chairs. So I don't think is Jacky fishers table from 1918. If it's of the first Queen Elizabeth then the scratches are to be left.. As like the ships silver it belongs on board.