Could see it being used as a non virus treatment facility in a limited way. Indeed - often forgotten in all the hoo-ha about CV-19 is the fact that people are still getting sick for other reasons. It all depends on what is best in the circumstances (and I agree with your point about ships being non...

3 Merlins That's a lot more capability than usual. The Bays usually deploy with a single Wildcat. It's not a hospital. People make hospitals. Yes. But buildings and equipment help considerably. Do you think they would bring cases on board though? They didn't during the Ebola operation, but who know...

The RN site says that elements of 815/845/1700NAS are deploying along with the RMs, but no mention of the helicopters that they are taking - has anyone seen any mention? They do mention "preparing for the hurricane season", but they are two months early for that. It also states that a medi...

Technically, I think that is "a Lion rampant gules" or some such. The Lion originally comes from the Scottish coat-of-arms (the Unicorn for England), but can also represent Britain as a whole and represents strength, bravery, and royalty, rampant is the heraldic position for "a beast ...

On the RN website as well. A good idea to take a hospital to them. Most of the Islands rely on flying really serious cases for treatment in Miami, which might not be an option soon.

Could the H145 also replace Wildcat (with the Wildcat being "marinised" and moved over to the RN), or are there features that could not be carried across.

Phil R wrote:Highly unusual very low level flight of a C17 over south east Essex 14:00 today near Basildon & Southend.
Could not see if it was RAF or USAF.

Phil R

Probably "exercise shaming" a middle-aged couple taking a walk on the pier

I wonder how many of these companies saying they could produce thousands of ventilators per week if only you'd contacted as earlier, could have actually done so? They would not have enough parts in stock to build them so the answer is probably none. To put it all in perspective, one UK manufacturer...

Err, the First Minister of State? Is that the same as the "First Secretary of State" (alternatively Minister for the Cabinet Office - which always sounds dangerously close to "Minister for Administrative Affairs" to my ears!!)? That post is currently held by one M. Gove Esq. - s...

I think the informal tradition in the UK is: Prime Minister Chancellor of the Exchequer Home Secretary Foreign Secretary as the four "Great Offices of State". I've read before that the Home Secretary would normally assume the role of PM (pro tem), rather than he Chancellor - no idea why th...

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Keep any trawlers well away

A slightly different version of "fishery protection" , eh!

From what I can see nothing actually changes from EU law from current UK law its just that the ECJ no longer holds jurisdiction and any new laws passed by the EU has no basis in UK law Yes - that's my understanding, though the Act specifically refers to "retained EU law" and "retaine...

It looks like the Eur 800K limit for grants has been retained/ imposed, so the UK has had to re-label it as support to SMEs, rather than all businesses. No sign of flexibility there. The loan side sems to comply with existing regulations as well. This also explains some of the delay in actually impl...

The reality is that most consultants (and a fair few junior doctors) are part-time only. Once you get to consultant grade you can set up your own private practice (the less exalted can only work privately "under supervision" by a consultant), so they transfer to "maximum part time&quo...

I don't think this has been noted already but, buried in this article by STRN https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/mostly-business-as-usual-for-the-royal-navy-in-the-face-of-covid-19-crisis/ The Commons Defence Select Committee meeting held yesterday seemed to endorse the view that the current Integrate...

The Excel centre has been confirmed as the location for a temporary 4000-bed hospital - NHS Nightingale. Presumably Argus will be moored alongside to provide the more complex equipment etc. The Government has also purchased 3.5 million antibody test kits, opened a new dedicated testing centre in Mil...

Can she squeeze through Tower Bridge? Might be a bit tall

Tankers are a relatively simple, but highly specialised, vessel - the volume used by the tanks can't readily be re-roled for another use. Better to have dedicated tankers and a non-tanker for the multi-role vessel

So we won't be having portacabin hospitals. If current plans work. Hopefully they will be sufficient to manage the load on the NHS. The "Covid Support Force" is just a re-named Op Broadshare that has been in the works for two weeks or so now. There will be planning for later phases, if ne...

Any DMS personnel usually assigned to Argus would be far better used being reassigned to support NHS hospitals. /quote] Personally, I would say that having some specialist facilities available for servicemen and women (who will, of course, be asked to do the worst jobs), would be very good for the ...

OK, where have you heard it? I've also heard similar - TV news (Sky, I think) yesterday dropped in a hint that Army field hospitals and morgues may be brought into use if needed - could just be unfounded journalistic "interpretation", could be that they've been told that "off the rec...

Would also probably mean the end of “Heavy Jackstay Transfer” RAS and Mechanised WHS in the RFA as well. Only one step from sending QEC to sea with no aircraft and no escorts. Panic not “Ellida will require some tweaks but would appear to reflect the requirements of littoral strike and needs of Car...

Ruuuuun, run away!!

The US is deploying USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort to assist in the Covid-19 outbreak. Sounds like they might be useful.

Luke jones wrote:OP Broadshare

From what I've seen (public domain only) it's providing around 10000 personnel to provide medics, logistics and security to major public venues