Good to know CJ, I can't wait to see them. Also thanks to SKB, that's an interesting PDF.

cockneyjock1974 wrote:Yeah last Friday I think, the jigs for the FWD island are still visible on the Island so can't see it being welded into place yet. Just shows that practice can speed up build eh?

Yes it does, and it also helps explain why Newport News is so quick at building the US carriers.

Didn't the forward island itself only go on last week?

Is the Thales solution AESA or still based on the Pulse Doppler system? Any takers? Still the pulse doppler using the Cerberus system. The Thales solution is an updated, improved and repackaged role-fit version of the Cerberus tactical sensor suite currently in service on the Sea King Mk7 helicopte...

The Conservatives have all seats on the Defence Select Committee. Say what you will about the other parties but they are there to make the government accountable. With no opposition MPs or Rory Stewart just how important will this committee be? http://order-order.com/2015/05/22/new-select-committee...

I'll put this here as I think it'll be relevant after 2015 is finished. The Conservatives have all seats on the Defence Select Committee. Say what you will about the other parties but they are there to make the government accountable. With no opposition MPs or Rory Stewart just how important will th...

Thanks, hadn't seen this image.


It's weird looking at that image with the island on and then realising there's nothing behind LB03 at the moment. It's certainly a different build schedule to HMS QE.

CB01 added!

Well that was unexpected. Looks good!

So the next question is, what costs more - fitting P-8 with a probe (possibly same as E-3) or retro fitting Voyagers with booms. Buying the P-8s costs more. With the treasury it is a good idea to say 'Yep, 12 of those is all we need. Just sign here.. and here. OK bye.' Then when all the airframes h...

Navy Probes Leaked Trident Safety Claims Some low rate techy gets all moody because no one gives a fuck about his opinion so he writes this. The same low rate techy gets a chub on because no media outlet cares enough to publish it. Golden boy puts it online and breaks numerous laws (very serious on...

downsizer wrote:We should in no way be involved in a project that's purely on paper at this stage of the day.

Agree with that. The UK will be lucky to buy 8 P-8s, never mind buying unproven kit with a smaller number of customers and a supply chain that hasn't been established.

This is fantastic: http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9528312/inside-the-milibunker-the-last-days-of-ed-did-ed-miliband-sacrifice-ed-balls/ Another Labour insider told of the scene in the press office when Miliband posed with the notorious Ed stone, the 8ft 6in slab of limestone upon which his six ...

On the lower right it looks like CB01 undergoing preparatory work. I assume they're going to try adding CB01, UB01 and the first stage of the ramp before skidding.

The Armchair Soldier wrote:Some nice footage here showing one of the UK's F-35B's in trials

Nice find, thanks.

Solomon has some interesting articles, however his 'facts' regarding British defence seem to be based on Fox News reports. I'm not saying defence in the UK isn't hurting, but the way he goes on you'd assume we've let Putin take up residence in Buckingham Palace and replaced our jets with Cessnas. Ed...

Is that a bit of the ramp in place or have they put another piece of the ship on the flight deck :?: Good spot, seems about the right place and size to be a piece. You'd have thought they'd wait for the rest of the front blocks to be added first. Btw I'm going to stop talking politics in this threa...

I think we can be reasonably sure of getting both. The armed forces should benefit from a great deal of stability from the result, which is exactly whats needed. I think we can be 99% confident of 2 carriers and 4 successor submarines, but for now that's all I'm willing to bet on. I'd agree with yo...

Just to be able to shut my SNP loathing father up, there's nothing they can do to delay the builds, is there? I can't say I'm familiar with industrial law but from a political standpoint, absolutely nothing. The Tories can easily outvote them if they try anything in Parliament, and if they do that ...

I can reveal the forward island's going on today. I used Twitter

Reading on another UK military themed forum (guess) a well informed poster commented how often former Business Secretary Vince Cable (Lib Dem) would not support any British defence export efforts. Now he's gone so hopefully we'll get our exports back in order.
/OT

bobp wrote:Well surprised at the result. After weeks of opinion polls in the papers telling us different. Be interesting what now happens with defence.

It's still getting shafted.

Stayed up all night watching that. Nearly cried with laughter when Balls lost his seat. And now the SNP get shafted because they are in no position to influence, control, bribe, blackmail, coerce or bully a minority government.

Well I voted earlier, quite a large turnout for mid-afternoon. This election must be important to people, can't think why..