C7 & C8 has always been a better system than SA80 based on a better design and manufactured with better quality control. Than SA80 ever had. Interesting to compare its export sales and that units in British military who have the choice and need for a reliable weapon choose them over the SA80. M...

SKB wrote:* worry mode* Any chance that PoW will get re-mothballed after the imminent Budget announcements?

43 cdo are to make the C8 as standard http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/03/15/royal-marines-adopt-c8s/ Nice link, very credible since the picture is of RMP CPT, 43 are being issued the C8 due to it being able to fire the frangible 5.56mm round. Possibly due to the role? I can't imagine having...

marktigger wrote:I wouldn't struggle to believe it in the slightest!

nice to see 43 commando is ditching the SA80

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016 ... adopt-c8s/

Why?

Given the cash spent on upgrading the Commandos with new rotorblades & other gubbins is it not a waste to dispose of them so soon or are they totally shagged? Any friendly nation in Africa, Asia or the Carribean etc that would benefit from them ? Fleets with in fleets, expensive, thats why the ...

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

Tinman wrote:Its not the Airframe, it was the introduction of a capability. Most of the costs would have been similar if the Airframe was a AH1-W/Z.

Is that a translation of what I just said?

Without the razzle, dazzle

The NAO report on through-life costs of the Apache fleet came as a surprise to most (do I need to spell out: the grand total was eye-wateringly high). This time, if we get a more standardised (existing) product, it will be not only cheaper to buy, but also cheaper to support and upgrade. Cfr. these...

As DS says, the lack of AAR isnt going to affect the ASW unless we are in the South Atlantic. Sadly, for ASuW or overland ops it might. In reality these things are limited by the supply of chicken curry and the toilet!! Buoys are fewer than the MR2 and they are likely to be multistatic and savagely...

V good, thanks. It pays to cut out the middleman, and hear from the original source. So all models of Lynx will be gone in the course of 2018 and the successor model will have its uses with SF, in due course. Also, for the AH fleet, 50 seems to be the given number. But have we heard (when will we g...

M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle The M3 amphibious rig can be driven into a river and used as a ferry or, when a number are joined together from bank to bank, as a bridge, capable of taking vehicles as heavy as the Challenger 2 main battle tank. The M3 has a number of improvements over the M2, which ...

Little J wrote:

downsizer wrote:Operators wanted a different platform.

And twenty years later they get one...

Twenty?


Its half term isn't it!

arfah wrote:That's a little too detailed to be confirmed as "being in the public's interest."

More like giving intelligence away to our enemies.

Or pure speculation, misinformation.

The MOD do not speculate, discuss SF.

If the RAF are to get the capability early it will rely on the USN TDY, a few airframes to north west Scotland.

there are no current plans to operate US Navy P-8A, or those of other Allied nations, from the UK with British crews So a countdown of thousand days from now is confirmed. I wonder if more corn would fit in with Seedcorn, otherwise there will be a further delay for manning more than abt 3 aircraft

Its called JPR, RAF Reg, 28 Sqn Merlins were training and developing tactics, doctrine for it.

Herrick and Telic finished off when DSF said its a remit of SF.

Maingate will infect be March this year, it will be 50 cabs, 110 engines, 60 Dass suites.

Plans are being discussed for fitting AAR for chinooks on several airframes.

WhiteWhale wrote: UKGov doesn't know what to do with the Apache, they are reaching the end of their lives but there is a big question mark over what will happen once they reach the end of flying hours. Considering how stupidly long and expensive it is to integrate a new weapon onto an existing fram...

marktigger wrote:so have we got a firm in service date or is it 2020 as is being speculated in the media?

It will be before that.

If they keep all the C 120 j in service and rotate the airframes to keep 14 in squadron service. The airframe life reaming should keep the fleet in service till the new out of service date. Air to air refuelling helicopters would be a good investment in light of there ops requirement. No need as Ch...

shark bait wrote:

arfah wrote: U.K. replenishes Hellfire missiles from U.S.Army stocks.

Iraq must be taking it toll on our stock levels!

Are we using Hellfire in Iraq?

It won't be based in the US or Spain and first line maintenance will be done by RAF and probably some RN personnel. so those people can be taken straight of other types, and given a new aircraft with new engines and systems and it be up and running in 6 months? I don't think so and look at airseeke...

Manpower -Navy/RFA/RAF Some sort of guarantee on type 26 numbers, commitment to the replacment of the bv206 for the RM A more extensive challenger 2 life extension program Apache 8 Wheeled afv MPA Tranche 1 typhoon reprieve T26 numbers will be 8+5. RN to get uplift in manning. CR2 CLEP is stalled d...

Good 30min documentary on Forces TV about OP Shader.