Search found 619 matches

by whitelancer
03 May 2021, 12:05
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1421004
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

Would be more impressive if you could actually carry a weapon! I have to say I am rather impressed, it seems easy to use and control and much quieter than I thought it would be. As for weapons, one was carried all be it only a pistol, I see no reason they cant come up with an arrangement to allow s...
by whitelancer
26 Apr 2021, 00:02
Forum: British Army
Topic: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)
Replies: 2323
Views: 1032375
United Kingdom

Re: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)

Lord Jim wrote:with a crew of two
A 2 man crew would be a bad idea,
It was a bad idea in the past, its a bad idea today and I cant see it being anything but a bad idea in the future.
by whitelancer
25 Apr 2021, 23:40
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

But what they are is irrelevant at present. The old saying is that the attack helicopter would make the MBT obsolete, but the AH can't hold ground. And that's the reality today, because there is no expectation to hold ground in the forecast conflicts going forward. Instead high mobility units with ...
by whitelancer
25 Apr 2021, 13:27
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

Joking aside I wouldn't mind a small bet on the proposed structure of the Army never being fully implemented and that within 5 years (probable less if they can find some money) they will be looking at acquiring an IFV of some description. Either a version of Boxer or a tracked vehicle, originating i...
by whitelancer
25 Apr 2021, 13:13
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Integrated Review (previously SDSR 2020)
Replies: 1307
Views: 59984
United Kingdom

Re: Integrated Review (previously SDSR 2020)

Been otherwise occupied; has anyone noticed any hints of what the promised 'by the summer' next installment will contain? Haven't heard anything, but going on recent (and not so recent) history it will have all changed by the summer. :crazy: Joking aside I wouldn't mind a small bet on the proposed ...
by whitelancer
25 Apr 2021, 12:48
Forum: British Army
Topic: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments
Replies: 865
Views: 293391
United Kingdom

Re: Royal Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery future developments

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Compares favourably with the RM video of them doing shoot&scoot with even lighter vehicles (for their 81mm) on the Salisbury Plain.
Using hired trailers and having to manually load and unload the mortar! It is the 21st century isn't it?
by whitelancer
25 Apr 2021, 12:40
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

Things change. Things do indeed change, probable the most important one on the battlefield at present is the introduction of ever more precision guided munitions able to hit targets at ever longer ranges, coupled with the introduction of unmanned systems. If things have changed to make MBTs irrelev...
by whitelancer
24 Apr 2021, 21:07
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

I could understand it if the Army decided to change the way they do business and transitioned to an all light highly mobile force. Emphasising SF and light armoured forces supported by joint fires. But what they are going for is just a mess, a heavy element which lacks mass, a medium element that is...
by whitelancer
24 Apr 2021, 20:27
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: N.A.T.O. News & Discussion
Replies: 118
Views: 9573
United Kingdom

Re: N.A.T.O. News & Discussion

Hardly going to replace Sentinel.
by whitelancer
24 Apr 2021, 19:25
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

As an aside Jack Watling is also able to provide some very interesting insights into the Army’s current thinking around Challenger 3, seeing it as an institutional knowledge retention (industrial and operational) and business case exercise first and foremost with the real prize being MGCS in the fu...
by whitelancer
24 Apr 2021, 19:08
Forum: British Army
Topic: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)
Replies: 2323
Views: 1032375
United Kingdom

Re: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)

Still thinking in terms of a manned turret; crew in a hull 'citadel' would create a lot of space. As far as MBTs are concerned an unmanned turret saves very little space within the hull. This comes down to the swept area of the gun including recoil, which also has an effect on the size of the turre...
by whitelancer
06 Apr 2021, 01:26
Forum: British Army
Topic: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)
Replies: 2802
Views: 715269
United Kingdom

Re: Boxer / Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV)

With all the comments above about the various options for arming Boxers, I thought it was worth pointing out that to be effective a 3 man crew will be needed. This is true whether its fitted with a manned or unmanned turret or just a RWS. Can Boxer carry a 3 man crew plus 8 dismounts?
by whitelancer
28 Feb 2021, 23:49
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Rewriting history, "Britain's Empire of Evil".
Replies: 34
Views: 2389
United Kingdom

Re: Rewriting history, "Britain's Empire of Evil".

We ended it because slave owners were offered colossal amounts of compensation for their lost "property". What nonsense. We paid slave owners as an expedient in order to ban slavery within the Empire. That of course did not end the slave trade let alone slavery. Slavery had existed for th...
by whitelancer
23 Feb 2021, 22:12
Forum: British Army
Topic: Foxhound Protected Vehicle
Replies: 290
Views: 110951
United Kingdom

Re: Foxhound Protected Vehicle

The WCSP has 2000 requirements to meet. Spot the difference!
by whitelancer
21 Feb 2021, 21:34
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Swedish Armed Forces
Replies: 238
Views: 22243
United Kingdom

Re: Swedish Armed Forces

When CVR(T) deployed to Norway as part of AMF(L) they were fitted with studded tracks, basically standard tracks with studs fired into the pads. This worked well on roads and tracks. The problem with CVR(T) was that it was both too light and too heavy. To explain in deep snow it was too heavy (to gr...
by whitelancer
17 Jan 2021, 13:23
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal
Replies: 4600
Views: 117565
United Kingdom

Re: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal

- but of course your two rough dates were referring to the two oil crises... not strong enough, even together, to knock the trend off its changed course. Now we just sit back and wait for the next bend (and there's a slow train coming... but head-on) Have you actually looked at the graph? The trend...
by whitelancer
16 Jan 2021, 23:55
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal
Replies: 4600
Views: 117565
United Kingdom

Re: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal

But place your swivel chair/ bar stool onto 1973 on this one (the trend) https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/im ... &width=602 and look back, then turn and look from there todate. Does that demonstrate cause and effect? Could the effect demonstrated be attributed to an event that occurred in 1...
by whitelancer
15 Jan 2021, 21:59
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Integrated Review (previously SDSR 2020)
Replies: 1307
Views: 59984
United Kingdom

Re: Integrated Review (previously SDSR 2020)

Except for emergency aid, much of the aid we give is frankly pointless. It amounts to little more than trying to bail out a sinking ship, while failing to address the cause of the leak. Its long been my opinion that we should concentrate our aid budget on a small number of (Commonwealth) countries a...
by whitelancer
01 Jan 2021, 23:11
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Astute Class Attack Submarine (SSN) (RN)
Replies: 846
Views: 301307
United Kingdom

Re: Astute Class Attack Submarine (SSN) (RN)

The Poseidon [rumoured to be in service by 2027; don't expect photos] weapon is unique. It is best described as an intercontinental, nuclear armed, autonomous torpedo. It is twice the size of a typical ballistic missile, have virtually unlimited range and be armed with a nuclear warhead. " Any...
by whitelancer
01 Jan 2021, 22:15
Forum: British Army
Topic: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)
Replies: 2323
Views: 1032375
United Kingdom

Re: FV4034 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (British Army)

So low observable tanks, not stealth tanks lol would of been interesting if there was data on thermal reduction signature as u.a.v,s can have infrared cameras They did mention the paint had different thermal properties, so I assume it works in the infra red spectrum much like it does in the visual ...
by whitelancer
01 Jan 2021, 18:47
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal
Replies: 4600
Views: 117565
United Kingdom

Re: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal

While polls have their uses, some place to much store by them, particularly when they appear to show what they want them to. After all if we were to accept the polls at face value we would never have voted to leave the EU.
by whitelancer
01 Jan 2021, 15:52
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal
Replies: 4600
Views: 117565
United Kingdom

Re: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal

according to the latest poll, 48% of Britons now think the country should remain in the EU, while 38% think it should leave." Rather a pointless exercise. They could at least change the question to reflect reality. As for the agreement, I think I can safely predict endless problems with the de...
by whitelancer
30 Dec 2020, 01:24
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Scotland (Political Thread)
Replies: 380
Views: 18611
United Kingdom

Re: Scotland (Political Thread)

The problem is how to go about strengthening the union.
by whitelancer
29 Dec 2020, 16:02
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Scotland (Political Thread)
Replies: 380
Views: 18611
United Kingdom

Re: Scotland (Political Thread)

I take your point.
I should perhaps have said it was designed to keep them in their box. Unfortunately it had the effect of opening the box, which the SNP have taken full advantage of. As closing the box is impossible, I can only see independence as all but inevitable.
by whitelancer
29 Dec 2020, 13:30
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Scotland (Political Thread)
Replies: 380
Views: 18611
United Kingdom

Re: Scotland (Political Thread)

For Labour its a case of be careful what you wish for. Wasn't the idea of devolution to put the SNP back in their box and cement Labours position in Scotland. Well that worked well! Nothing will appease the SNP short of independence, so It comes down to convincing the people to remain in the union, ...