Your right SB , Airbus does seem to want to expand and advance the zephyr , if they can achieve what they say they can these could be a very useful aircraft indeed . Just got this off the Airbus website , it looks like they are planning for around 2018 for the future zephyr , nice list of added cap...

There are solid plans for a bigger zephyr. The one proposed in this thread is just the first commerical itteration they are using to fund the development of the bigger variant.

How many final flights has this thing had?

It would be interesting to see if the final bigger sized Zepher could carry something like a Raptor pod or even the new airborne radar from the Merlins. Indeed it would, there is certainly some utility for such a system. I hope the rumors are true and the MOD do indeed fancy tasting the waters with...

It is not "Touted" to return to Scotland at all, there are so many bull shit articles out there. Its a Scottish MP saying it should return to Scotland, which incidentally is a terrible idea, why waste the money on another base. It should be based at Waddington, where it belongs with all th...

Bull shit scaremongering article, if you cut all the undersea cables the internet would still work, it is incredibly robust by nature. There are far more effective ways of disrupting the internet, its just this version is always sensationalized by the media. Natural disasters such as typhoons fairly...

Even if when we do get official numbers it won't be the end of speculation since it looks like it will be a batch order. There is nothing wrong with the principal of batch ordering, its weather successive governments can be trusted to continue their predecessors grand projects. I would also add we n...

Sunk at Narvik wrote:Can these ships really be called "frigates"?

Classification names are irrelevant these days, its just a tag.

I agree the size graphic was rather striking, but its going to take that size to be the multipurpose beasts that are promised to be.

ArmChairCivvy wrote:
Heh-heh, just he upgrades to each B2 cost half of that - and for the original price you do not need to apply inflation correction index to breach $2bn unit price:

That is the exact cause of my cynicism, they just refuse to learn from their many failures

Northrup Grumman wins the LRS-B contract to build the USAF's new bomber . The aircraft will supposedly cost $564 million per unit in 2010 dollars. Initial Operational Capability is set for 2025. So I think we can expect to see a billion dollar aircraft taking to the skies in the 30's then The desig...

looking at the video and freezing the last shot it looks like the lower Absolutely. Some great British engineering. Makes me laugh when people say we cant build xxx in this country anymore. We have the talent to design and build anything we want, it might just cost a bit more, the carriers are an e...

For the limited amount of situations where we're likely going to be doing deep strike without access to allied refuelling capability might it not work out more cost effective to develop stealthy external tanks that could be jettisoned along with the pylon to maintain the stealth characteristics of ...

Not such a bad thing considering the F-35B's long range compared to Harrier (and even to the F-18's). With external tanks, I'd guess ROA to be 650+ nm. Probably enough to target all of Scotland from a carrier in Portsmouth harbor - to continue a recent theme :-) Of course unlike CATOBAR carriers, S...

[Those numbers can be played with depending on the task at hand, V22 can also be re-roled into long range spec-ops. But it's the ££ that's the problem There little doubt the V22 is the most capable option, as well as probably being superior at AEW. Unfortunately it's the price tag that's the proble...

What is the current plan for air to air refueling the F35 on carrier ops? A discussion I had elswwere the other day highlighted a few options. A voyager hanging around from a civilian airport. A V22 with RORO system A buddy pod for the F35 Or buy back the harriers we sold and attatch a buddy pod to ...

I'd like to echo Jonas point that critics of the T26 would be a lot more effective if they were to be specific about what they would like to see added or changed in the design instead of just verbal arm waving. Examples of other navies ships that are superior, in whole or part, would also be welcom...

If T26 has as much growth potential and modularity as has been suggested then I'd be tempted to think that you might get your wish of twenty ships, but it'll be with an AAW variant replacing the T45's. That's a long way off, but if the T26 turns out to be loved by the royal navy that's definitely w...

I don't have many criticisms of the T26 design, I think it is the ship the royal navy needs right now. I just have criticisms of the numbers proposed. What I think the royal navy needs from its surface ship of the future is; * A quality multi-purpose ship * Reasonable build and operational costs * L...

Remember that the clyde yards were building the type 45 and 2 of the largest sections of the qe carriers plus an island at the same time, so i think they can handle a few type 26 at the same. They might also have been building the off shore patrol boats for t&t as well. True, capacity doesn't s...

@shark , I was wondering what if BAE actually shocks me and puts together a favourable sales package :roll: which results in a export sale of say 2-3 type 26s , considering our own predicted drum beat of construction being between 1-2 years when the line is operational , would the facilities on the...

TYPE 26 looks a good design, I just hope 13 are the minimum, I would like to see 16 -18. Yes yes yes. Right now with 19 ships I believe the royal navy is teetering on the edge of credibility. Right now, in favourable conditions, we could deploy a strong force alone. However should those conditions ...

Tiny Toy wrote:Re the USVs: http://forces.tv/36861986

They should probably have their own dedicated thread.

Probably should, there's alot going on in the unmanned world, and the Royal Navy doing some great stuff.

Also, Bay class = Great ships

Gabriele wrote:

Mr Wolf, what a man!!
Perhaps we should send him into BAE to sort that mess up!

ACA would be obvious to build MARS SSS, I hope someone with power is thinking that. Me too. Keep a great facility going a little while longer, with all of many skilfully people involved. Could be enough to keep it running until Albions and Bays are up for renewal. It would be nice to see them putti...

that is welcome news. Its about time we has some stability so we can put together a realistic long term plan and actually have it fulfilled.