You can operate from a port or hired vessel around the uk. If you need mcm for an amphibious operation you make allowance to carry it. Agreed. But with one Bay away, none in refit, that leaves one (and then there will be none for the Ports Group... or is it a Rgmnt... to travel in, with their heavy...

Sorry about the long post, had to comment on the discussion while there is still 3 more pages ahead, to catch up: to be added the ability to move raiding forces up to a reinforced company strength to take offensive action, launched form the sea or by air, swiftly over greater distances, in platforms...

fantasists and a chronic retweeter have ruined this forum Say no more; but I have to feel for the moderators, too. How much time can you put in, if the peer "review" is not working? - I try not to be too rough :crazy: ... perhaps that is a too gentlemanly act; but then we could soon be do...

SW1 wrote: What a load of waffle. Never ending nonsense

There should be a button, in the F-35 context, to push all that to a separate thread
... at a push of a button!

I think on balance going for N/SMJSM with possibly Raytheon industrial participation in the uk investing in both their paveway 4 and JSM long term may cover all industrial and operational concerns across all domains with few if any downsides. Sounds sensible... but have not had time to read through...

It should also be noted that Mr Sweeney is MP for Glasgow North East so has an interest in seeing more type 26's being built in his town so maybe more self interest than common sense Who else was from "there abouts" and made sure, contractually, that TWO, not just one, carriers would get ...

I love it; the first time ever, with a whole page filled in by my "favourites" and no need to bother reading 'one word'.
- keep up the good work!

increase the number of AShMs carrier by individual platforms to allow for significantly heavier salvos to be fired that would overwhelm an opponent defences. This is the route both China and Russia are following, equipping their platforms with 16 or more missiles that are faster and have a longer r...

P.6 of this thread had the piece on helo-launched LMM trials (March), but if there has been a mention of the ship-launched trials done later (August Navy News features this), then I must have missed it. The summary of it was that - on ships the 30mm range against swarming boats is not sufficient and...

bobp wrote:The price of them is way too high, also the running costs.

It is the latter that is the killer (needs 30% lobbed off, only the Congress seems to have any muscle in this sphere... just that progress reports only come out about once a year).

Jake1992 wrote: Add a mid ship plug and for there’s the T4X the RNs own AB in a sense.

Sounds like a good idea... the width is already there

I foresee continuing heavy pressure on defence budget - very possibly 1.5% is all that might be possible in a post-Brexit world. I would expect the UK nuclear deterrent to be an early casualty and with the consequent reprofiling of eg RN services that will bring. That's what I have been saying from...

Lord Jim wrote:WE kept our as a UK assets but also linked it into the NATO fleet. I believe the French have done the same.

Same sort of thing for joint ground surveillance... which (whether that is a reason for it or not) has been incredibly slow in its progress.

The Times leader of yesterday "the Kremlin in a bind" on p.23 is unusually informed. A little bit of research about "the 3.9% of GDP hoovered up by defence" would have shown that - internal security (another army 400k strong) adds 50% on top of that amount - not to mention the hi...

Built in 57 modules, the Type 26 is designed to be adaptable all the way up to incorporating the sort of firepower that would make it the blueprint to succeed the Royal Navy Type 45 fleet of destroyers. if for instance all the ships were produced quickly and there was not any follow on orders No wo...

a helicopter base in the Gulf of Finland off the Estonian coast (approx. 50km) Would bet it being on Suursaari Island, which is in middle of eastern Finnish Gulf, about 40 kilometers from Finnish mainland and about 45 kilometers from Estonian coast line – a strategic location due to which it repeat...

Poiuytrewq wrote:

ArmChairCivvy wrote:You could paint a hi-grade hospital (on a barge) white, drop it into the advertised location - as required by Treaties - and the grey part could sail on...

And still send DFID the bill?

Pay per (day of) use

Poiuytrewq wrote: A Flo-Flo vessel loaded with LCU's/LCVP's and mexefloates would be a great addition to the LitM group

You could paint a hi-grade hospital (on a barge) white, drop it into the advertised location - as required by Treaties - and the grey part could sail on...

Interesting that all the complex weapon purchases have been made public, but the guns not. My 2 cents: - a 57 (moved over from Haminas, which are being LEP'ped and receiving torps that will add weight) - a Swiss (now German owned) 35 - as used on Danish frigates - to enhance close-in defences... or ...

Repulse wrote: putting 20-30m Fast Patrol Craft into LPD/LSD docks and davits for Littoral Operations

An excellent idea... to dampen down state piracy appetites (and keep some Apaches nearby - in Oman? - with engines churning and ready to go at a moments notice).

seems that Germans have allready stolen the AIP market, at least until now. That's why they wanted Kockum (now Saab; ehhm, for that exact reason) to build coastal subs, only. - Spain also has an offer (just that their own first-in-class has been badly delayed; who is going to buy without years of t...

international treaties on a lot of things but this never stops a nation breaking them when they want, just look at freedom of navigation being broken by China and Iran. You forgot Russia in the Black/ Azov Sea. - so the argument is valid - where next? The Baltic? Or establish the shorter sea route ...

Ron5 wrote:suggested replacing competition at the ship level to competition at the block level to open up more bidders.

Yup. More pre-fitting out was also called for. So more like duplo ships, rather than lego.

marktigger wrote: I wonder if in the future there will be an equivilent there is a need for a small tanker

NSS (draft) plan has an aux tanker in it, to supply our (and NATO) bases
- why not lease one, as has been done before?

any info on how the Kirov class will look once they have completed their overhauls, isn't Peter the Great current undergoing such work? She was part of the "navy day parade" last summer and at the time it was said that Adm. Nakhimov will have t come out first, not to leave them without an...