I dont think there is any realistic scenario where Russian military assets start attacking merchant shipping heading to western nato nations. There maybe intimidation like we are seeing in the Philippine sea from China at the minute. There maybe interference with navigation systems as we have seen ...

I’m not convinced the US would actively engage Chinese forces both being nuclear powers and all. The play would be the put forces in before an attack took place with the implication that direct engagement would escalate conflict to Cuban missile crisis levels. I’m not sure anymore - if the conflict...

How many modern subs do Russia have in their northern fleet? Somewhere between 12 & 15 - enough to keep a large submarine and surface fleet busy. We ie nato have more than that even the European nato nations do would they not be keeping the Russian fleet busy? If the scenario is that they are a...

By 2030 about 40 to 50 but as said there would be 60 + modern Subs in Nato Would be interested to see how you got to that number of capable ASW frigates. 60+ modern submarines is including 40+ submarines suited to and designed for the Med and Baltic Sea. How many modern subs do Russia have in their...

Are we the west likely to engage Chinese forces directly anymore than we are engaging Russian forces directly in Ukraine? No, we (the UK) aren’t, but the US in Taiwan is quite possible which then draws in regional players. If the answer is no then should Chinese forces surround Taiwan there would b...

Just to put this into Context NATO Europe not including the USN & Canada has 3 x Fleet Carriers 1 x Light Carrier 6 x LHD's ( 3 fixed wing capable 1 x F35 , 2 x Harrier ) 7 x SSBN's 13 x SSN's 53 x SSK 127 x escorts 80 x Corvettes / OPV's 50+ MPA How many of the 127 Escorts have a capability to...

What we have is Mexeflote if we put 2 x Maxi- Mexeflotes together we get a 80 x 12 meters Causeway capable of taking 180 tons we have 50 Mexeflotes of different sizes what we need is away of fixing up to 3 Maxi-Mexeflotes together and fixing them in place so a Point class can unload We do, and it’s...

Thanks for your thoughts on the five year RN surface fleet priorities / tweaks given the realistic (IMO) China invasion of Taiwan scenario with Russia supporting by using its navy to threat and disrupt the NATO region in parallel. I’ve been thinking about it over the break also, and what strikes me...

With all the reporting on Gaza, I’ve been reading about the US Expeditionary Elevated Causeway (ELCAS) capability. There’s a lot of information over at ThinkDefence. Seems to be too expensive both in terms of cost and supporting troop requirements for the UK, but it does feel a capability that the U...

Whilst I do not buy the idea that Russia will be in a position to launch a major ground attack on NATO countries anytime soon, I can see a conflict in the far east having an knock on impact to the European region (and possibly Gulf, South America and Africa through proxy wars). One plausible scenari...

Sell 2 x T31 and buy 1/2 a T26 :D ? Really, that is not funny! T26s are £1.6bn each now are they? Regardless, it’s not just the money it’s the 2 x110 crew also. We really getting the 31's in service before the 26's? :eh: We might get HMS Glasgow first but the T31s will all be in service long before...

If 16AAB and 3Cdo have a underslung Chinook capability without losing effectiveness then where is the negative? It is ridicules to said that they should not get something just because it is tone or two over the weight transportable by Chinook. Perhaps not, but it’s only ridiculous if we rule out so...

tomuk wrote: ↑30 Mar 2024, 01:22

Jdam wrote: ↑29 Mar 2024, 10:26 We really getting the 31's in service before the 26's?

We might get HMS Glasgow first but the T31s will all be in service long before the last T26.

Would be even quicker if we sold the last T31s and bought more T26s

If I understand correctly, it’s the Merlin that can take half. A “whole one” can fit into a LCVP and we need to ensure the future CIC is the same.

Jdam wrote: ↑29 Mar 2024, 10:26 We really getting the 31's in service before the 26's?

Let’s see - the chart is a bit misleading in the way it’s presented as it’s 5 T31s over four years and 8 T26s over 8 years.

https://www.navylookout.com/the-factors ... ace-fleet/

Nothing new, just a reminder of the challenges and the capabilities being dropped without replacement especially minor warships

They’ve got an option for snow for the MRZR Alpha Thanks. The tracks are great until you hit the first rock. The RZR have a role to play but as a universal vehicle for the FCF IMO they have major limitations. True - an array of air / LCVP transportable light vehicles are required - my view is that ...

Tempest414 wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 16:19
22 MA T150 heavy lift drones

Should look at the T400 also

Also, how many regions in the world are the RZRs not suitable? Anywhere boggy, mountainous, heavily afforested, with deep snow or with swollen rivers isn’t happening. They’ve got an option for snow for the MRZR Alpha https://cdn1.polaris.com/globalassets/military/2025/model/model-pages/mrzr-alpha/a...

The next-gen ARG needs to be a broad spectrum capability specialising primarily in Littoral A2/AD specifically designed to augment and protect the forward based LRG. IMO there is no ARG and no meaningful separate LRG in reality - it’s one task group. Other capabilities would include: • Forming a Bl...

Thank god we’ve moved the future army discussions out of this thread… There is an overlap with requirements for future amphibious capabilities, but they are very limited. If you want to move large / heavy army units it will be the job of the Point Class / STUFT and transport aircraft. The overlaps I...

I can flip that why have you jumped to the conclusion that we don't . Frigates and fleet carriers have there own job to do we can't alway rely on them being able to undertake secondary roles or that we will have the second carrier fit for duty. I do agree some op's can be undertaken as you laid out...

In Fact all 3 are needed we are now getting an idea of what the FCF is looking to do which is dispersed battle group op's using 12 man team by air and sea this will require a aviation centred MRSS with a dock… I don’t know how you’ve jumped to the conclusion that we need a MRSS - helicopters from a...

Before dismissing such a group the consideration must be what can a modernised ARG actually achieve? We need to start with what is the requirement in a UK context, and then decide what it needs to do. Is it to launch brigade level amphibious operations? Is it to transport large formations or troops...