Search found 870 matches

by Defiance
15 Feb 2022, 20:27
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4067
Views: 951041
United Kingdom

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

Couple of extra little nuggets about this from DefenseNews https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/02/15/new-warplane-sensor-team-boosts-uk-japan-defense-agenda/ Confirmed (as expected) that Leonardo UK are the UK-lead in this, so that's three next generation radar programs that Leonardo UK a...
by Defiance
13 Feb 2022, 21:49
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 242233
United Kingdom

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

We baulked at £250mn to buy missiles that already exist and bolt them on top of the deck. Yes, I believe us funding PrSM/Mk41 integration to be beyond our will. It's easy for 1SL to wax lyrical about what he wants us to be able to do, I want to see him back it up with action. Until then I don't see ...
by Defiance
13 Feb 2022, 08:23
Forum: UK Defence & Aerospace Industry
Topic: MBDA (UK)
Replies: 310
Views: 26669
United Kingdom

Re: MBDA (UK)

Good stuff there. Storm Shadow is among the more useful things we can bring in a peer conflict so it's good to see it's getting the development money it needs rather than being left behind
by Defiance
12 Feb 2022, 14:27
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 242233
United Kingdom

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

Not unless the US does it first it isn't. Integrating PrSM into Mk41 will be £££ for which we'll see little to no return on our investment.
by Defiance
12 Feb 2022, 14:12
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1163
Views: 85636
United Kingdom

Re: The war in Ukraine

Large buildup by the West continues ... 4 more DDGs deployed from the US to the Med https://news.usni.org/2022/02/10/4-east-coast-destroyers-deploy-to-europe-joining-u-s-naval-build-up Germany-based F-16Cs move forward to Romania https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44262/missile-laden-f-16s-head-t...
by Defiance
11 Feb 2022, 07:29
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Indonesia
Replies: 34
Views: 3308
United Kingdom

Re: Indonesia

US State Department has also approved the sale of 36 F-15EX to the country

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -indonesia
by Defiance
10 Feb 2022, 11:33
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Indonesia
Replies: 34
Views: 3308
United Kingdom

Re: Indonesia

I imagine South Korea's cocking an eyebrow at the moment considering Indonesia never pays their share of KF-21 on time
by Defiance
10 Feb 2022, 07:26
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion
Replies: 63
Views: 4680
United Kingdom

Re: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion

Have any of you herd of CFM International the 50/50 joint venture between GE and Safran that has 39% share of the jet engine market? The trouble with CFM is collaborative work with the US gets ITAR restrictions slapped on it pretty quick. You can be sure France isn't going to want US IP infecting t...
by Defiance
09 Feb 2022, 13:40
Forum: British Army
Topic: Ground Based Air Defence
Replies: 685
Views: 191157
United Kingdom

Re: Ground Based Air Defence

Secure datalinks are already the norm, the West have done a great job over the last 30 years showing our adversaries exactly that. That's why older school things like a spool of cable are coming back in fashion
by Defiance
09 Feb 2022, 09:59
Forum: British Army
Topic: Ground Based Air Defence
Replies: 685
Views: 191157
United Kingdom

Re: Ground Based Air Defence

Things can be too dependant on networking. If the signal is jammed the missile box would become completely useless. That's what fibre is for... Lots of pre-planned positions for Russian SAMs have buried cables between dispersal zones to ensure uninterrupted comms within the battery (and maybe even ...
by Defiance
08 Feb 2022, 14:07
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)
Replies: 6067
Views: 1724557
United Kingdom

Re: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)

It's not that well known, but apart from their industrial involvement in IRIS-T, the Italian's also have industrial involvement in AIM-9X. Asraam in comparison has little involvement from Italy (its easy to get blindsided by CAMM-ER in that respect). Huh, learn something new every day! I did a bit ...
by Defiance
08 Feb 2022, 08:33
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Ukrainian Forces
Replies: 91
Views: 5458
United Kingdom

Re: Ukrainian Forces

One question I have is where did all those NLAWs come from? Have we emptied our inventory to supply them leaving us short? I'm rummaging around the brain for this so some of the details might be off, but from memory we had purchased something like 20,000 back in the early 2000s. You have to wonder ...
by Defiance
08 Feb 2022, 08:30
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)
Replies: 6067
Views: 1724557
United Kingdom

Re: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)

Well they could have gone with ASRAAM instead. Why would they? They could have gone for ASRAAM on Typhoon but clearly preferred IRIS-T and they probably like the Italian workshare it provides. I want British industry to succeed but c'mon, we can't pretend our stuff is the best option for everyone.
by Defiance
08 Feb 2022, 08:16
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion
Replies: 63
Views: 4680
United Kingdom

Re: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion

There's been a few oddities to the setup of SCAF. Some apparently contrary to each country's relevant experience. The 50/50 split between MTU and Safran over powerplant seems odd considering Germany's strength in the area. I'm not sure I agree with this, when it comes to engines I always thought Fr...
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 18:15
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Ukrainian Forces
Replies: 91
Views: 5458
United Kingdom

Re: Ukrainian Forces

Those drones are proven war-winners in Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. However, it is one thing to operate basic, affordable UCAVS in situations where the enemy does not have air supremacy or a strong AD network and entirely another thing to intend to operate them against Russia and / or Russian...
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 14:32
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)
Replies: 6067
Views: 1724557
United Kingdom

Re: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)

Smart choice by Italy, if they're having to go OTS for something in lieu of IRIS-T then AIM-9X is the natural choice
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 09:51
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Royal Navy SSK?
Replies: 474
Views: 121047
United Kingdom

Re: Royal Navy SSK?

Scimitar54 wrote: 07 Feb 2022, 09:47 Where does it say “Small” in the title of this thread ?
Nowhere, but lets not pretend we're discussing Astute-sized SSKs. Australia looked at something like that and threw it in the bin.
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 08:29
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Ukrainian Forces
Replies: 91
Views: 5458
United Kingdom

Re: Ukrainian Forces

Bit of a coup for Ukraine here - they've secured an agreement with Turkey to co-produce TB-2 UAVs at a location in Ukraine with a Ukrainian powerplant https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/02/04/turkey-and-ukraine-to-coproduce-tb2-drones/ Also confirmed are numbers of TB-2 drones acquired -...
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 08:05
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion
Replies: 63
Views: 4680
United Kingdom

Re: Franco-German-Spanish FCAS/SCAF Programme News and Discussion

With any luck they'll fall in love with the F-35 and stay clear of either programme, at least for the the development stages... The challenging thing about that is one of, if not the key driver, in the press about Germany's desire is to develop national skills and technologies. That's one of the cu...
by Defiance
07 Feb 2022, 07:57
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Royal Navy SSK?
Replies: 474
Views: 121047
United Kingdom

Re: Royal Navy SSK?

Surely a fleet of small SSK makes sense for covering the GIUK gap, Baltic exit point & providing cover for the SSBN fleet in UK waters. This frees up the limited number of Astutes to range further afield. Getting shot of the Upholders seems to have been an error. They make sense in a world of F...
by Defiance
04 Feb 2022, 09:53
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4067
Views: 951041
United Kingdom

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

You really think the US would waste a chance to divide et impera? Do we(both Tempest and FCAS) really want to gift the US an industrial beachhead on the continent? It is already bad that all east-Europe is in excessive US sphere of influence. The issue with the US (USAF specifically) is they're loo...
by Defiance
01 Feb 2022, 17:41
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: Egypt
Replies: 48
Views: 3546
United Kingdom

Re: Egypt

Egypt joins the K-9 club with $1.7bn deal for "around 200 K9 artillery systems" and " scores of support vehicles, such as the K10 ammunition resupply vehicles."

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2022/0 ... uth-korea/
by Defiance
01 Feb 2022, 17:36
Forum: British Army
Topic: Ground Based Air Defence
Replies: 685
Views: 191157
United Kingdom

Re: Ground Based Air Defence

I don't think anyone thinks that. The Russian bomber fleet is plenty capable of launching volley after volley of cruise missiles at the UK, conventional and nuclear. At which point the only deterrence to prevent the Russians from doing something like that is The belief that NATO would honour their ...
by Defiance
01 Feb 2022, 16:37
Forum: British Army
Topic: Ground Based Air Defence
Replies: 685
Views: 191157
United Kingdom

Re: Ground Based Air Defence

Maybe the Russia situations is focusing minds a little more to fund these capabilities rather than consider them optional. The MOD seems to think because the UK is realistically out of reach from Russian bombers it doesn't need air defense but pretty sure the sub launches TLAM capabilities is a big...
by Defiance
31 Jan 2022, 15:16
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Phalanx
Replies: 104
Views: 34767
United Kingdom

Re: Phalanx

Tempest414 wrote: 31 Jan 2022, 12:13 it is worth saying that Invincible had Sea dart in the Falklands
and they also took it away to increase deck space