So do members of that regt deploy onto RAN frigates etc as protection as the RM do or do the RAN use sailors. Just being nosey.

Recent rumours ? Do tell. Wedgetail for the RAF ?

Back on topic do the RAN have their own version of the Royal Marines? If not I assume the army provides the military personal for amphibious operations ?

Plane guard is a total waste of an Wildcat or a Merlin.

They'd be better off keeping a few of the current Lynx for that role or even say the Griffins as used in Cyprus.

That'd do it at a push. They've only got the one of those though haven't they.
Maybe use a few of the Hercules J's the RAF are retiring.

Is the plan not to back these up with Predator/Protector drones with the Seaspray prodded radar?

I think the time has come for the Coastguard to have its own fixed wing mpa as well so that the limited number of Poseidons aren't being wasted on the SAR role.

Missed her again, she's off past Burghead now. I was out in the woods on the bike other wise I'd had legged it down to Findhorn beach for a good look.

I flicked through it at WH Smith's didn't bother buying it. Wasn't really anything I hadn't read before. I would have preferred the P1 & the potential of cooperation with Japan but I guess the P8 makes more sense from interoperability with NATO allies. I'm just glad they didn't hold out for an A...

Did the tail fold on the old Naval Lnyx? If so why not on the Wildcat ?

Bare with me, about to type in total guff. So now we know the name of the T26 class what about the T31? Say they select a variant of the Venator what about names starting with a V? First ship in class being HMS Venator then how's about Vulcan, Valiant, Victor, Viking ? Last ones a stretch mind you. ...

Ahh I understand now.

I thought it was going to carry helicopters on-board but is rated for 4 Sea Stallions but I don't think its hanger has space for them all

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ession.jpg

Pretty clever use of resources. I imagine the ship's don't have a Russian missile system fitted yet or will they eventually spec a french/western system? Does show again though that the UK are behind the curve by not having a SAM system fitted to our bigger ships. CAMM should be rolled out across th...

I thought the idea was for it to be an offshore sea base. Packed full of LCACs with large chopper capacity.

Or am I thinking of a different ship?

xav wrote: Expeditionary Sea Base USNS Lewis B. Puller Begins First Operational Deployment

Would it be worth the RN looking at something like this as an Albion, Bulwark, Ocean & Argus replacement ?

Looks like an upscaled Meteor. Something the UK sould be looking at?

Same video is posted above. That's one pug ugly truck.

Pie in the Sky thinking here. Just how knackered are the J's? 1. Would there be an argument for retaining some more. Using the UK aid budget, hand than over to DfiD ? They can use & fund them for aid relief. 2. Coastguard/UK border force. Upgrade to SAR/MPA song the lines of USCG ? Help enforce ...

Pity (or maybe not) they're pretty useless. Just look at the poor performance of its Russian sister/cousin ship off Syria.

The minimum number of 35b's they need is 80. That allows for spares, training, maintenance & attrition.
Maybe after that the RAF can consider the A.

I take it that the new hawk( T2?) with the longer nose is more advanced & has a cockpit layout much like the F35 then ?

I was wondering if a Vulcan might have gone through at some state though ?

Amazing. Must be the biggest thing to fly through there ?

Timmymagic, this is why I wondered if they ought to keep some Lynx, either Army or Navy as a liaison/taxi chopper. Also would it not make sense to keep some as a plane guard for the carrier's. Seems awfully wasteful to use a Merlin or Wildcat for this purpose. Pick the best aircraft, use the rest fo...

I'm in Forres so hopefully she'll still be off the coast between Nairn & Burghead when I get home from work later.

Good to see his blog back. Used to enjoy reading it

Guy in the second video is lucky a Marine or sailor didn't decide to get some target practise in with a mini gun