I don't think LMM has that level of capability I do not see why not. The issues for a successful engagement by a laser beam rider of an approaching missile (point defence - no crossing targets) are:- Early detection of target (ships radar) Tracking of target with director with beam laser (EO system...

I believe I am correct in saying the LMM trial fit came out of a study into the Navy's defenses against boat swarm attacks that identified some deficiencies. The DS30's were upgraded to Bushmaster guns as another result. I have no reason to doubt that, but once you have proved the integration of a ...

Firstly right now it is making what we have work better and then adding where and when needed next FFGX is in another league to type 31 and more on a par with type-26 in its weapon fit. If Type 31 was to be fitted as I put forward i.e 1 x 57mm , 3 x 30mm , 1 x Phalanx , 30 x CAMM , 8 x NSM + soft k...

Alright guys, feel free to take your discussion to the escorts thread, otherwise let's keep this one for the River-class OPVs (and keep the fantasising to a minimum). The up arming of the River B2's is a very real debate within the RN but you are it should move over Would it not be possible to inst...

If they are saying the largest airgroup since Hermes this would imply it is more than a CVS every carried. What was the peak load of Invincible during the Falklands?

Just a thought in the discussion of the DS30. When it was first introduced it was to replace 20mm as the "anti-skiff" manual aimed system. Then it gained the EO director whch made the fire control infinitly better and now (in very quick move) the LMM giving a range of 5nm against any incom...

Can some one help explain to me the logic of Sea Venom (100kg weapon, 30kg warhead, 25+km range) when the UK is about to bring into service SPEAR3 (100kg weapon, 30kg warhead, 140km range) which is also network enabled?

I hope this discussion does not go off the thread but recent comments on U.A.V,s for the carriers suggested some with a twenty metre wingspan some nine metres greater than the f35b and not how a aircraft that size would impact deck operations nor was there any mention if such a sized uav would be a...

When they are doing the engine "fix" to the T45s, why do they not put a CAMM mushroom farm in the Mk42 space? It could increase the overall load out of SAM to (say) 48+24 = 72?

My number of F35Bs that the is needed (ideally) is 72. 24 on the deployed CVF and 12 assigned to the CVF in the training cycle with 36 remaining consisting of two squadrons (24) assigned to OCU and training. The balance (12) being in development and deep maintenance. With 72 total it would allow the...

Hey, c'on. That's why Little confused here. Something mistyped? In general, I'm not posting that to lambast them. Bit of banter, but primarily to demonstrate how much the gap between STOVL and CATOBAR has narrowed these days. I would argue that the payload/range performance off the F35B is actually...

SKB wrote:


Should've used Christmas wrapping paper...

The Reactor Pressure Vessel (two loop?)

"..... or the Wildcat force sold or scraped...."

Is it ot more likely (useful?) that the Army Wildcats be transfered to the FAA?

The Vulcano round has now been declared ready for deployment by Germany and Italy and it gives a 5"/127mm naval gun a range of 90km against stationary and moving targets is this going to be bought for the Type 26?

One option that could be "out of the box" would be a surface launched Sea Venom with extended range?

Digger22 wrote:Is that the 3rd Phalanx position under the Tarp, or is it the one further outboard and slightly aft? Is the 3rd mount about to make an early appearance?

Could it be the 30mm mount?

If the Russian corvettes are the River Class equivilants then why does Forth not have a 100mm main gun, 3 x CIWS, 8 x 300km cruise missiles and 21" torpedo tubes?

Also, what weapons are integrated on F-35 now? Just ASRAAMs and AMRAAMS? And Paveway IV. They've been flying over Syria with them. Not a bad combination.One of the joys of the F35 program is that all the planes are the same so in emergency the UK could buy any currently qualified weapons and deploy...

What about equiping the B2 with two CB90s on the waist working areas? While the crane might need to be uprated (the CB90 is less than 16t standard displacement, but more than 20t full load). The CB90 beam appears OK and the length would protrude into the flight deck by 2-3 meters. Such a B2, if also...

One of the things that could be done would be to transfer some (12?) of the AAC Wildcats to the FAA and convert to the naval standard (which Iundrstand is not that complex). There could then be a meaningful support by Martlet armed Wildcats in the Gulf?

I suspect that the real technical challenge is the separation of EO system and the launcher, with the difficulty being the "gathering" of the missile into the laser beam for missile guidance. This is why I doubt the Starstreak HVM with its rapid (and I think unguided) boost to separation o...

If push comes to shove, would the QE be ready for some action against Iran? At least with a few F-35B, Merlina and Apaches? There are 15 F35Bs at Marham, so assuming you could get 12 deployed in emergency that would be a pretty effective force. One of the key issues, given Iranian tactics, would be...

Did the fit on HMS Sutherland use the existing, fitted, EO system that the 30mm normally uses or was it an extra EO installation?

abc123 wrote:Turkey kicked out of the F-35 programme:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49023115

I do not think the founding documents allow for the expulsion of a member - minor legal issue!

But this mounting/guidance also takes the Starstreak HVM which could be a usefull SAM for them, given they have little else! Firing at what? Starstreak is a manual operation SACLOS. It doesn't shoot down missiles. In what possible world will there be something in the air that is not a missile withi...