this bit surprised me... The RCH 155 will be produced and supported in the United Kingdom with Rheinmetall establishing UK barrel manufacturing. Very surprising. I doubt if it is correct or will remain so. Nicholas Drummond appears to have removed his claim that the barrels will be made in the UK.

I also wonder how well a Type 31 would have done in shooting down an incoming ballistic missile (see latest RN news).

But if the government hasn't got £500m that is the problem. Doesn't matter. At some point, the cost per year saturates. And, that is HMG's business, not related to BAESs. BAES can start hull-1 slowly (to compensate slow pay), but make it needing only 48 months in later hulls. This is exactly why BA...

I wonder how it changes direction. I see no evidence of little wings or other aerodynamic means.

I find odd we are putting our gun platform on wheels and our missile platform on tracks. You would think it should be either the other way round or all on wheels MLRS was acquired by the UK over 30 years ago. Are you suggesting that because the new SPG is on wheels, the UK should dispose of its MLR...

donald_of_tokyo wrote: ↑25 Apr 2024, 13:58 Why building slowly, say 60 months, is I do not know. Why?

Geo Osborne. The gift that keeps giving.

….it would impact deliveries for RN, and might cause some capability gap…. If two NATO members are combining to replace their ASW Frigates with a bleeding edge top level capability if any temporary gap occurs is it not NATO’s responsibility to fill it? WTF do you think the US has been doing since W...

The future is non specialised frigates and a large increase in what we would call the middle to conduct the every day operations of a navy. Fortunately no Navy in the world shares your opinion. High end warships are continued to be designed and manufactured despite what their local air forces think...

Little J wrote: ↑25 Apr 2024, 12:07 this bit surprised me...

The RCH 155 will be produced and supported in the United Kingdom with Rheinmetall establishing UK barrel manufacturing.

Very surprising. I doubt if it is correct or will remain so.

I find odd we are putting our gun platform on wheels and our missile platform on tracks. You would think it should be either the other way round or all on wheels MLRS was acquired by the UK over 30 years ago. Are you suggesting that because the new SPG is on wheels, the UK should dispose of its MLR...

Would I be incorrect in presuming the RCH turrets can be moved between boxer platforms? Apparently the Boxer platform for the RCH155 is a little bit different than the regular one used by APC, Ambulances etc. And I don't know if the turret is easily moved anyway. It's a different beastie than the t...

Ian Hall wrote: ↑23 Apr 2024, 09:10

Not impressed

Is this a phony celebration for PR purposes?

Also, you are completely ignoring the threat today, let alone the future. Even with some of the unfunded bells and whistles people want to add to the GP T31 it will not be enough. These ships have been designed to run away gracefully, nothing more. I believe the correct term is "bravely run aw...

Also, you are completely ignoring the threat today, let alone the future. Even with some of the unfunded bells and whistles people want to add to the GP T31 it will not be enough. These ships have been designed to run away gracefully, nothing more. I believe the correct term is "bravely run aw...

Despite your panicked introduction of a bunch of red herrings, the basic point was that the WR-21 was not adequately tested because of Hoon's decision to close Pyestock. That lack of testing lead directly to the failures of the ships when in service. I know you will respond with more nonsense as you...

SW1 wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 21:55

Interesting exchange in congress

Gaetz not-so-hidden agenda is pro-Putin. Anything to weaken the F-35 program is in his sights. Slimeball. From my State too

So by late September this year we could be in the rather odd position of having 1160 odd F-35 built in total....but c170 being parked up and undelivered. 15% of the total built...And all 990 delivered to date are in need of that same TR-3 upgrade so that they can start down the upgrade path to Bloc...

I´ve been reading this thread with interest since Norway is contemplating buying five or six Type 26 frigates. We do have four decent but underarmed Nansen-class frigates that aren´t that old, but due to serious underfunding of the Norwegian navy they´ve never lived up to their potential. At one po...

Let’s not forget the inflation. Significant it is, especially from late 2022. If comparing cost figures, we need to “correct” them. It's extremely hard to calculate the inflation in defense procurement. Using the governments inflation rate that's calculated by tracking the cost of a basket of domes...

I'd have thought an upgunned T31 would be very useful for dealing with Houthi drones at the moment. So a job well fitted for current Type 23's? Domestic license build of a T26 - never gonna happen. Though Lister has floated the possibility of "Putting the partnership with Cammel on a more form...

Also, you are completely ignoring the threat today, let alone the future. Even with some of the unfunded bells and whistles people want to add to the GP T31 it will not be enough. These ships have been designed to run away gracefully, nothing more. I believe the correct term is "bravely run aw...

Two or three T31 for the same £1bn depending on how they are configured would add a lot more. Such a cheap T31, 330 GBP a pop, cannot do any good AAW. I am half a way between you two. I agree there is a clear need for 5 cheap GP frigates. But do not think 10 will be needed. If such money is there f...

Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 20:55 Refusing to upgrade the T31’s with the vague hope of extra T26 is foolish IMO.

Good thing I didn't say that then