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 ...

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...

Repulse wrote: ↑01 Apr 2024, 14:44

SW1 wrote: ↑01 Apr 2024, 13:23 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?

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...

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...

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...

That’s one way to look at it and you raise valid points. The other way to look at it is to say that defence is being run too hot and there is virtually no excess to allow for a realistic rate of attrition in a conflict. Continuously running hot fleets is a peacetime luxury that goes out of date as ...

Just sounds like a fantasy shopping list to me tbh Looks like a solid grasp of the priorities to me. Interesting how the RAF didn’t get much of a mention. Why are our current 7 ssns not getting to sea much, why are the ssbn patrol lengths getting longer. It’s not because we didn’t order 12 ssns. Wh...

Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 16:47

SW1 wrote: ↑31 Mar 2024, 11:17 Really is that all sensible on top of everything else?

I think the short answer is, yes, absolutely it really would be sensible.

It’s just time to fund it and do it now.

Just sounds like a fantasy shopping list to me tbh

Indeed because the vehicle you posted an image off has a gross vehicle weight limit which is less that the weight which can be lifted by chinook. So you are still missing the point. So regardless of what configuration it is(gun, cab whatever) it should still be lift able by chinook. Somehow I doubt...

Indeed because the vehicle you posted an image off has a gross vehicle weight limit which is less that the weight which can be lifted by chinook. So you are still missing the point. So regardless of what configuration it is(gun, cab whatever) it should still be lift able by chinook. Somehow I doubt...

Indeed because the vehicle you posted an image off has a gross vehicle weight limit which is less that the weight which can be lifted by chinook. So you are still missing the point. So regardless of what configuration it is(gun, cab whatever) it should still be lift able by chinook. Somehow I doubt...

Extremely illuminating. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-13254155/JAMES-HEAPPEY-spend-three-cent-GDP-Armed-Forces.html • Grant Shapps was offered 2.5% GDP in a decades time! Effectively 3 parliaments away. • Heappey proposing increase to 2.5% by NATO 75 summit in July. • Heappey proposing...

I have no idea what your point is. Yes, that was obvious from your previous post. Indeed because the vehicle you posted an image off has a gross vehicle weight limit which is less that the weight which can be lifted by chinook. So regardless of what configuration it is(gun, cab whatever) it should ...

sol wrote: ↑30 Mar 2024, 20:32

SW1 wrote: ↑30 Mar 2024, 20:15 We don’t have those ...

Sometimes I really ask myself why I even bother

Fair enough. I have no idea what your point is.

If something like coyote was towing a 105mm gun I don’t see the problem. How about something like this, because, if I am not wrong this is something that he had in mind https://i0.wp.com/militaryleak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/supacat-and-am-general-unveil-hmt-extenda-mk2-with-105mm-light-weigh...

Why can’t archer be moved by a400m? To big or to heavy, not sure. Info came from one twitter post by Gabrielle Molinelli. We have already done the helicopter move within Europe from the fwd mounting positions on operations so I don’t know why it would be impractical now. Yes, I know that Chinook, P...

Why can’t archer be moved by a400m? We have already done the helicopter move within Europe from the fwd mounting positions on operations so I don’t know why it would be impractical now. https://www.forces.net/news/seven-aircraft-seven-field-guns-military-performs-rare-lift-salisbury-plain Seven Brit...

The joint harrier force never made it to 4 front line squadrons it only got to 3.

The invincible class operated with up to 14 harriers on it

Just a nice pic

20-25 year service life should be a pretty standard goal. They shouldn’t be doing mid life upgrades either. They should be big enough and simple enough with an open architecture command system to have relatively straight fwd capability insertion periodically at relatively short dry docking periods e...

Everything I see points to a top-end ambition that includes a scale and compelxity of formation that shouts "battlegroup!", and again; that is a cascade of procurement consequences that makes the idea of harmonising commando equipment to 16AAB Chinook-undersling seem short-sighted. It’s w...

Is the concept that different to the brigade reconnaissance forces that were formed to support the brigade’s that were sent to Afghanistan or indeed the long range reconnaissance group that deployed to Mali only configured to deploy from the sea in complex terrain against a high end enemy. They don...

Secondly, can everything that 3Cdo and 16AAB needs (on land) be made air mobile by underslung Chinook? It’s essential IMO. [If] we've made the choice that the RM are out of the business of combined arms maneuvre under armour, then sure. [If] the game is now 72hr raids by company sized units of nava...

For those interested there is on bbc iPlayer a two part documentary to mark the 30th anniversary of ZD576 Titled Dead men don’t talk https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001vxy6/chinook-zulu-delta-576-series-1-1-catastrophic-loss I think it deserves the widest possible viewing so it’s never allowe...

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... rategy.pdf

RAFs new drone strategy document