Search found 366 matches
- 10 Apr 2024, 18:35
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
- Replies: 5686
- Views: 1491200
Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Even with the substantial hike in defence spending, is the Royal Norwegian Navy realistically going to be able to afford 5 x T26? It seems to me that it might be worth them considering either a 2 + 3 or a 3 + 2 mix with T31. Alternatively, 5 x FREMM or similar.
- 25 Mar 2024, 20:05
- Forum: British Army
- Topic: Apache Attack Helicopter (British Army Air Corps)
- Replies: 615
- Views: 215324
Re: Apache Attack Helicopter (British Army Air Corps)
it was noted of the 16 Apache AH1s not being converted to AH-64E - 1 “too worn out”; 1 ‘fried’ after hitting power lines; 2 for UK-based maintainer training; 2 for Australia ground-based training ; 8 for DSEME at MoD Lyneham; 2 may be donated to museums. Thanks, I guess on that basis the real quest...
- 25 Mar 2024, 19:13
- Forum: British Army
- Topic: Apache Attack Helicopter (British Army Air Corps)
- Replies: 615
- Views: 215324
Re: Apache Attack Helicopter (British Army Air Corps)
Any possibility (or sense) in transferring our remaining (16 I think I have read) AH64D to Ukraine? Obviously there would need to be US permission, a training programme and it might be thought desirable to remove or downgrade the Longbow radar but ultimately Ukraine is currently operating their exis...
- 18 Feb 2024, 17:42
- Forum: Conflicts
- Topic: The war in Ukraine
- Replies: 1164
- Views: 96651
Re: The war in Ukraine
No idea how representative or otherwise the image is but is it just me or does it look like France have asked MBDA to dust-off some of their Spear concepts and turn them into a powered drone?
- 18 Feb 2024, 17:29
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
- Replies: 19401
- Views: 9733478
Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
The problem with using Cyprus as a naval base is that if Egypt wanted to prevent something we intended to do further east they could refuse warship transit of the Suez Canal.
- 10 Feb 2024, 13:16
- Forum: Royal Air Force
- Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
- Replies: 4067
- Views: 990186
Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Worth making the point that both Ukraine and NATO do consider it very important to get manned Western fast jets in the skies over Ukraine - even though that will be using old aircraft in a high threat environment. They could have gone a different route by deciding to instead spend the money and time...
- 15 Jan 2024, 18:49
- Forum: Conflicts
- Topic: The war in Ukraine
- Replies: 1164
- Views: 96651
Re: The war in Ukraine
Yes - North Korea downed a USN AEW aircraft in the late 60s. I can't think of any other instance though:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_EC-1 ... n_incident
- 12 Jan 2024, 19:49
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
- Replies: 5492
- Views: 1555555
Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)
If / when Mk 41 is added to T31, I'd be amazed if it is 32 cells. Probably 16, maybe 8 IMO.
- 11 Jan 2024, 13:14
- Forum: Deployments
- Topic: Caribbean
- Replies: 94
- Views: 10642
Re: Caribbean
Personally, I do not see much chance of Venezuela proceeding with an invasion because they will be conscious that it could easily end up with war against both the US and Brazil. If however we are thinking that there is a realistic possibility and it is something we should be seeking to deter ourselv...
- 10 Jan 2024, 19:34
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
- Replies: 19401
- Views: 9733478
Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
How close did the targets get before being engaged with the T45’s guns? 30mm and Phalanx? CAMM would definitely be preferable surely. Another validation of the 57mm/40mm fit on the T31. Probably but not necessarily. If 'guns' means the 4.5 inch it could be said to be a validation of having a longer...
- 08 Jan 2024, 00:21
- Forum: Royal Air Force
- Topic: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)
- Replies: 2837
- Views: 778545
Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)
The thing about Turkey is that objectively the rest of the major players in NATO have been a worse ally to them than they have been to NATO. The root cause of much of the World's current problems with a belligerent Russia, Iran, China etc can be traced back to the lack of stomach to oust the Assad r...
- 07 Jan 2024, 14:08
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
- Replies: 6170
- Views: 1867651
Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
If the government are scrabbling around for potential options should the Houthis just shrug-off airstrikes and continue attacking commercial shipping even after the Gaza fighting ends, then RM / SF commando raids on the Yemeni coast would come into consideration. May well be rejected as too dangero...
- 07 Jan 2024, 13:07
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
- Replies: 6170
- Views: 1867651
Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Yes, I am bias to believe what I want to be true, yet in all honesty I trust Gabriele more than Tabloids with some of the dumbest defence reporters touting up un-sourced rumors. https://twitter.com/Gabriel64869839/status/1743730050472493189 If the government are scrabbling around for potential opti...
- 04 Jan 2024, 18:19
- Forum: Defence Elsewhere
- Topic: USA Armed Forces
- Replies: 2091
- Views: 112089
Re: USA Armed Forces
I think there is no doubt whatsoever that if we had Sentinel still in service it would be massively tasked at the moment conducting sorties over Eastern Europe and latterly also in the Eastern Med. As we would be extensively using it right now it clearly did have real value notwithstanding that othe...
- 03 Jan 2024, 19:00
- Forum: Deployments
- Topic: Middle East
- Replies: 81
- Views: 5883
Re: Middle East
For my money there is no chance of the Houthis heeding this warning (in fact they might escalate their attacks as a show of defiance) and therefore strikes by the US, UK and possibly France (although they are a puzzling absence from the signatories) are likely imminent: https://twitter.com/NationalI...
- 01 Jan 2024, 13:22
- Forum: Conflicts
- Topic: The war in Ukraine
- Replies: 1164
- Views: 96651
Re: The war in Ukraine
Ukraine's naval drones are now coming equipped with their own MLRS. Just firing from range at the naval base as per the video is likely going to be little more than nuisance fire (which does have value mind) unless they get lucky but if they were to approach a vessel at sea they could get close enou...
- 30 Dec 2023, 15:39
- Forum: Defence Elsewhere
- Topic: Indian Armed Forces
- Replies: 342
- Views: 23106
Re: Indian Armed Forces
It was about 1000 km's from the nearest part of Iran that is well outside line of sight control systems and to hit a moving target would need to be controlled from another platform like a P-3 MPA or a ship within 150 km's Ah - my mistake as I thought the incident was less than half that distance fr...
- 30 Dec 2023, 15:07
- Forum: Defence Elsewhere
- Topic: Indian Armed Forces
- Replies: 342
- Views: 23106
Re: Indian Armed Forces
If the drone came from Iran what was controlling it as at that range it would be out of line of sight They currently have a spy ship sailing in the Red Sea which is presumably co-ordinating the Houthi attacks (and what a terrible shame it would be if that ship sunk following explosions that look re...
- 30 Dec 2023, 14:33
- Forum: Joint Service
- Topic: AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (RN & AAC)
- Replies: 490
- Views: 214592
Re: AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (RN & AAC)
If this means that the AAC Wildcats will now be receiving sufficient information to locate and target enemy vehicles from a variety of sources dotted around the battlefield, it makes it even more of a no-brainer to acquire the RN's pylons and Martlet / APKWS.
- 30 Dec 2023, 14:26
- Forum: Defence Elsewhere
- Topic: Indian Armed Forces
- Replies: 342
- Views: 23106
Re: Indian Armed Forces
The daft thing is that the Houthis have been 'loud and proud' in claiming responsibility for their acts of piracy.
- 29 Dec 2023, 12:41
- Forum: Conflicts
- Topic: The war in Ukraine
- Replies: 1164
- Views: 96651
Re: The war in Ukraine
Likewise, has anyone seen any information / informed speculation regarding which weapons will be provided with the F-16s? Presumably, older-model AMRAAMs for air-to-air stuff but what about ground attack? Obviously, hundreds of JASSMs would be a huge-game changer whereas limiting supplies to things ...
- 27 Dec 2023, 14:09
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
- Replies: 19401
- Views: 9733478
Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
This sort of thing gets me thinking that there would probably be a huge market for an extremely basic SAM; perhaps a development of Martlet if ship sensors are sufficient to provide terminal guidance at say ten miles range against simple drones without the missile needing its own radar.
- 27 Dec 2023, 13:31
- Forum: Conflicts
- Topic: The war in Ukraine
- Replies: 1164
- Views: 96651
Re: The war in Ukraine
Interesting that Ukraine seems to have adopted a strategy of prioritising landing ships as targets over e.g frigates firing cruise missiles. Makes perfect sense I suppose as chipping away at Russia's ability to logistically support its troops at the front will have more of a direct impact at the fro...
- 17 Dec 2023, 13:48
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
- Replies: 19401
- Views: 9733478
Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Apparently this is in the works: https://twitter.com/haltman/status/1736085909789946147 I'd guess our contribution will be something like keeping an escort in the Red Sea for the next three months or until the danger passes (whichever is sooner) in addition to the Kipion deployment. I also wonder wh...
- 12 Dec 2023, 19:19
- Forum: Royal Navy
- Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
- Replies: 8490
- Views: 2198083
Re: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Conventional NGFS is dead. Multiple cheap drones (surface and aerial) are the new threat. This is oft-stated but I am far from convinced. Israel is using naval gunnery (albeit small-calibre) right now and the last times any RN vessel fired their weapons in anger (Libya in 2011 and Iraq in 2003) it ...