Boeing P-8A Poseidon (MRA Mk.1) (RAF)

[Pongoglo]

There is definitely a galley in the P8 I walked through one at Farnborough...

[Aethulwulf]

Jane's is reporting that the United Kingdom is looking to use the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA) to replace the Raytheon Sentinel R1 Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft in the overland surveillance role, the government disclosed on 11 July.

Answering questions in the House of Commons, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Harriet Baldwin said that the possible use of the Poseidon in this role is one of a number of options currently being explored by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) ahead of the Sentinel's planned retirement date of 2021.

"Work is ongoing in the Ministry of Defence, led by Joint Forces Command, to determine the detailed requirements underpinning any future overland capability programme. A number of space-based, manned and unmanned aircraft solutions, including the development of a sensor for integration onto P-8A, are being explored as part of this work," Baldwin said.

[ArmChairCivvy]

Poseidon in this role is one of a number of options currently being explored by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) ahead of the Sentinel's planned retirement date of 2021.

The asumption underpinning that option [ presented by Harriet Baldwin, even though the quote is named to our own contributor]must be that by then we will be bathing in money; quite a turnaround from having to find a bn in savings in the yearly costs in order not to have to cut important equipment prgrms (the "less important" are being cut daily, or at least shunted to the slow train track)

[~UNiOnJaCk~]

We can't even adequately cover our MPA requirement with 9 aircraft. How are we meant to do MPA AND provide adequate overland support with just such a small fleet? I would have thought that you would need, at the very least, twice as many aircraft as we plan on purchasing to cover both roles sufficiently and without over stressing the platforms/personnel.

[RetroSicotte]

We can't, it's just purely so they can say "We have grown the ISTAR fleet with 9 new sensors for the P-8".

[dmereifield]

I read on twitter that 6 additional airframe serial numbers have been allocated to the UK (beyond those for the 9 we will purchase), perhaps, hopefully, this might infer that the fleet may grow to 15 in future to cover other ISTAR airframes as they retire???

[jimthelad]

That may be the missing serials I was trying to find 2 years ago!

[MRCA]

With the supposed 20b black hole in current 10 year equipment funding due to the MODs inability to live within its budget, I would love to know where this money tree is for more P8s extra sensors and I guess weapons for p8, awacs upgrades, more f35s, type 31s, and the like as most are currently not funded while competing with things like successor, type 26 and the like which are and due to be at the highest expenditure in the 2020s

[LordJim]

That is the Elephant in the room that nobody wants to discuss as it puts a downer on all defence related discussions.

[ArmChairCivvy]

I fully agree and you seem to be the eternal optimist:

and I guess weapons for p8

awacs upgrades

the rqrmnts and design process is run jointly for all users and in 2025 they can buy off the shelf (how many upgrades have we skipped in the meanwhile?)

[downsizer]

120 and 201 to operate these.

[Zealot]

I read on twitter that 6 additional airframe serial numbers have been allocated to the UK (beyond those for the 9 we will purchase), perhaps, hopefully, this might infer that the fleet may grow to 15 in future to cover other ISTAR airframes as they retire???

We also had 10 allocated for C-17, we still only received 8. Don't get your hopes up, guys.

[ArmChairCivvy]

We also had 10 allocated for C-17, we still only received 8.

So that was the batch up for leasing; who took the other two (initially, just like we did)? Qatar? Kuwait? Europool?

[Zealot]

We also had 10 allocated for C-17, we still only received 8.

So that was the batch up for leasing; who took the other two (initially, just like we did)? Qatar? Kuwait? Europool?

If I am not mistaken Australia received them. We were ready to buy at least one more in 2013 but that was cancelled for no apparent reason.

[ArmChairCivvy]

We were ready to buy at least one more in 2013 but that was cancelled for no apparent reason.

May be the gap in the fleet, by now filled by the J Hercs, was becoming apparent? Despite the announcement (14?) my bet is closer to a half dozen of those.

[CR4ZYHOR5E]

Don't know if photoshop or real, but saw this recently...

[Little J]

Photoshop, but it's a good start... Needs some tail art...

[shark bait]

It does look good though

[marktigger]

so how much is 2 squadrons worth of admin, command etc going to cost for 9 (possibly 15 airframes) ?

[ArmChairCivvy]

so how much is 2 squadrons worth of admin, command etc going to cost for 9 (possibly 15 airframes) ?

9 was always a ridiculous number; the joint basing, support, coordination (= command) agreement with US & Norway, in my books, changed all that

[downsizer]

so how much is 2 squadrons worth of admin, command etc going to cost for 9 (possibly 15 airframes) ?

What do you propose then?

[abc123]

so how much is 2 squadrons worth of admin, command etc going to cost for 9 (possibly 15 airframes) ?

Good question. One squadron should be enough.

[marktigger]

so how much is 2 squadrons worth of admin, command etc going to cost for 9 (possibly 15 airframes) ?

What do you propose then?

1 Squadron

[downsizer]

1 Squadron

Thought so. That simple eh? Have you run or worked on any sqns that size?

[marktigger]

yes that simple. keep the admin tail in proportion to the frontline teeth.
1:4.5 really is a bit extravagant in times of austerity given the manpower costs of running 2 squadrons having 1 might generate enough savings to make a 10th airframe viable