SDSR 2015 General News & Discussion

[ArmChairCivvy]

Vanguard - 2028
Victorious - 2030
Vigilant - 2032
Vengeance - 2034

Not much margin there, you will also need to know which one is the most knackered (not to refuel that one... it is not necessarily the time order even though to assume so would be logical).

So? Do the middle two, prior to 2028, let Vanguard drop off in natural sequence and swap Vengeance one for one with the first Successor?

The DID story from April this year (includes promises that the new Mk.2 reactor won't need refuelling, but what was the time horizon being looked at then as opposed to now?) sets a precedent of 42 months per boat:
"Britain has announced a GBP 350 million (about $560M), 42 month contract for a 4th “complex overhaul” of its 15,000t SSBN Vanguard Class external link nuclear missile submarines. HMS Vengeance will require about 2.5 million man-hours of work, including installation of a new Mk.2 nuclear reactor core. As of March 2/12, the submarine was at Devonport ready to dock down, and will remain in dry dock until flood-up in late 2014.

HMS Vengeance is the last of the UK’s 4 SSBNs submarines to undergo the Long Overhaul Period and Refuel (LOP-R)."

[The Armchair Soldier]

For those interested, here's a transcript of the debate in the HoC yesterday:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 1232000002

[rec]

The Lords debate on SDSR gives more details and further clarity especiall about the two carriers. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 3-0002.htm

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[bobp]

From defence aerospace the SDSR sums don't add up, and raises the point that some of the figures are meaningless as the parliament could change in 2020. So to say 48 F35bs by 2023 are more smoke and mirrors, also points out that most of the money for the extra 12 bn comes from savings/cuts elsewhere in the budget.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... eview.html

[WhitestElephant]

Personally, I will wait for the NAOs annual report next year. Each has shown a consistent improvements in MoD competence since the dire situation back in 2010. Given the governments track record, and that they know they are likely to win another majority in 2020, I don't think they have now just decided to play irresponsibly.

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[seaspear]

If the T26 is to be now further 'matured" is this likely to impact its presentation for SEA 5000 the R.A.N future frigate program

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[downsizer]

Not that there are many serving on here but I like the little sting at the removal of RnR for 6 month tours and the removal of commitment bonuses.

[marktigger]

Not that there are many serving on here but I like the little sting at the removal of RnR for 6 month tours and the removal of commitment bonuses.

well the Americans want you doing 12 month tours as its to complicated for them UK forces rotating every 6 months

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[marktigger]

They also have greater intervals between tours.

they also have a much bigger pool to pick units from

[617]

Hi all, im another one from Think Defence.

Any news recently on the "mothballed" shielder mine laying system. I know the fleet was mothballed in 2009 however it is interesting to know if its still mothballed or if it has now been scrapped. I know in 2013 it was removed from the British army website.

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[617]

Might be mistaken but I thought that treaty only banned anti personnel mines. I think that treaty went into effect 10 years before Shielder was mothballed. Not an expert on this so I might be wrong.

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[RetroSicotte]

Not in current service, but they're sitting around mothballed, last I did some digging into it. Had to really chatter down some sources on AFV things but the answer is as bog standard as anything you could expect. The hulls are alongside the older CVRTs in the reserve yards.

The real question is less about the vehicles. CVRT is CVRT after all, but what happened to the munitions is the real question, and whether they are still around.

[Wrekin762]

CVRT is CVRT after all

The Stormer-based vehicles (like Shielder) had a Perkins 6L turbo-diesel engine from before the "Scorpion-type" CVR(t)s were being diesel-ised with the Cummins 6BTA 5.9L engine.

I'm pretty sure the Stormers weren't retroactively converted to the Cummins, since the CVR(t)s that were modified for Afghanistan (including the Mk.2s) were uprated from 190hp to 235hp and used the final drive from the Stormer because the Stormer's Perkins engine was already rated higher (at 250hp IIRC).

So there is some variance within the CVR(t) fleet beyond hull-shape and mission-fit.

[RetroSicotte]

Not quite what I meant, I'm aware of that. What I mean is CVRT is as we know it, a metal vehicle you can dump around.

The real question is where the mines are that it was supposed to launch and what status they are in. Shielder will still operate with a few hours work, the mines however are irreplaceable and it's useless without them.

[The Armchair Soldier]

UK Invites Bids for Laser Weapon Demonstrator

UK plans to build and test a tactical laser weapon prototype have taken a step forward with the release of an invitation to tender (ITT) to industry.

Confirming the move to IHS Jane's on 9 December, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) said the ITT for the Laser Directed Energy Weapon Capability Demonstrator (LDEW CD) was issued on 3 November. Responses are due for submission no later than 28 January 2016.

According to Dstl, the aim of the capability demonstrator "is to enhance the United Kingdom's understanding of the capability of laser-based weapon systems while demonstrating the ability of a high-power [LDEW] system to engage airborne and surface targets at operationally relevant ranges".

It added that the project "will consist of system studies and hardware trials, culminating in a number of practical demonstrations". IHS Jane's understands that a land-based hardware demonstration will be followed by sea-based testing to demonstrate the ability to engage targets. The demonstrations and related studies will provide evidence to inform Navy Command and Air Command capability-planning decisions.

Read More: http://www.janes.com/article/56622/uk-i ... monstrator

[arfah]

-<>-<>-<>-

[The Armchair Soldier]

The UK was the biggest defence spender in 2015, after the USA and China, according to Janes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... nding.html

[ArmChairCivvy]

The Ruskies seem to be getting a lot for their money then?
- heh-he; the rouble has crashed through the floor, true