To give further emphasis as to why it is important that we do not forget our relationships with countries in Africa (and even central and South America). We can't let China (and Russia) have a free hand in the region.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-65062976

Any likely budget or future budget doesn’t even get you half that lot. I must admit that adding another T31 and T26 was aspirational rather than realistic. Having said that, the rest is achievable. - 2 Ice Patrol ships £200mn - buy both second hand, one similar to Protector and the other converted ...

What offensive weapons is on a type 31? We maintained a frigate and a tanker in the area up until about 2015. There is zero escalation placing a frigate in the region. You are correct that as currently configured the T31 paper frigate could do little offensive operations. However, it doesn’t really...

Repulse wrote: ↑25 Mar 2023, 07:58 Missed that HMS Mersey has been working as part of the JEF.

Along with RAF P8:
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british ... in-baltic/

No matter how hard someone wishes it, an OPV will never come close to covering the loss of Frigate hulls. It really depends what RN want the vessel to do. If it is general maritime security patrols, Defence engagement and HADR then a properly appointed OPV is a better choice than a Frigate. OPV des...

I don't think the Apaches day is up by a long shot. The Apache is significantly more advanced than the KA50 in terms of sensor fusion and networking and their pilots and military planners are significantly more experienced and better trained. The latest Apaches can network with multiple UAVs via th...

Can we keep the politics out of Tempest thread, and in, well, the politics threads.

Thanks

I found an earlier article suggesting that Harpoon would be replaced with the N.S.M in 2023 as the Harpoon can no longer meet demands of modern naval warfare? https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2022/november/22/20221122-royal-navy-warships-to-receive-harpoon-replacement-from...

"@HMSDuncan sails from Portsmouth this afternoon. Has been re-equipped with Harpoon missiles - the first Type 45 to carry SSM for several years." https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/1636756705089409024 Am most interested in the 2nd sentance - glad to see RN escorts getting some teeth ag...

Apologies if I had quoted the wrong person, but I thought it was you who suggested using some of the MRSS funds to afford 3 of what you has described as 140m Support Vessel? Absolutley. If the combined T32 and MRSS budgets actually materialise and amount to around £5bn then that’s enough IMO to fix...

Three thousand folks from Somerset on line 2. Tell them to use the prefex 0039 Ron and speak to their employers. Are we looking for a proper medium helicopter solution, or running an employment agency? Don't worry, Leonardo will win, of that I have absolutely no doubt as the tail once again wags th...

Without going too far into the amphibs, by my rough reckoning, Argus is approx 35 years old, 2*Albions are approx 20 years old and 3*Bays are approx 17 years old. So we are left with the question - what ships were the supposedly 6*MRSS due to replace and/or augment?? Firstly, I don’t think a clean ...

If the £3 bn is new investment rather than overspends, good. £1.9 bn for backfilling - Well, how much is the value of munitions, hardware, consumables etc that we've donated? Genuine question. Don't get me wrong, I want to provide everything we reasonably can to Ukraine, but HMG then needs to fund ...

So extra funds merely to cover overspends of the nuclear programme and to replace stocks given to Ukraine....pathetic From BBC news article "Downing Street said £3bn from the extra spending would be earmarked to support the pact, along with boosting industrial infrastructure and servicing UK s...

For me if we could get to a place where we had 4 T-31's and 4 RB2's each side of Suez and have both classes 1.5 Manned and push type 31 for 240 days at sea and the RB2's to 300 days this could mean we could be looking at have a type 31 at sea for just short of 300 days a year in the Gulf , Indian O...

Once Rolls Royce switched to building PWR3 reactors and VAE Barrow started building the Dreadnought SSBN, then with only one remaining Trafalgar Class in active RN service, it meant that any interim SSN would HAVE to be American. The first step of RAN staff serving aboard RN and USN boats was a grea...

Impressive is the two ISO containers. Super Photo! Interesting how flexible the design appears to be and how capable an extended Batch3 version could ultimately become. I know when we discused could T26 possibly be stretched, as the potential basis for T83, apparently the T26 were already at their ...

So the threat from China in the Asia pacific is lower than the threat in the Arabian Sea? The threat of Chinese or Russian irregular forces in the west of Africa is low? Yes, the threat of open aggression is much lower. The Chinese are not stupid, nor desperate like Russia, the will continue to pro...

Not sure. If killing USVs by shock is aimed, how powerful your depths charges will needed to be? "Shock tolerant" drones are technically feasible (because it is small and area exposed to shock is not large). If 500 kg of powder is needed, how can you deliver it? If we want to physically d...

Now that 3*FSS have been ordered, from memory the following ships were included in the UK's 30 Year Shipbuilding Plan, but are not yet ordered, and as far as we know publicly, have yet to be budgeted for: River B1 replacement OPV's 5*T32 Frigates 6*MRSS We don't yet know what design any of these wil...

The UK needs more Navy F-35's a damn sight more than extra Typhoons. The fact they are also cheaper and superior is just icing on the cake. How many F-35's can the navy use for the carriers? 36 each, surging to 40. Plus OCU etc. I would be happy with 24 each, surging to 36 each. When I say surging,...

Had you lookd up Vard 7 313?? Yes they are too small and have no welll deck/dock for XLUUV, USV or LCU. Updated enforcer with hanger, NS110 or Artisan, CAMM and 40mmMk4 is a better option. Albions are already fitted with CMS, Artisan and CIWS so only CAMM is an additional equipment. My proposal was...

I do understand UK need to think much of tier-1 level conflict. But, it does NOT mean RN must invest on all aspects of assets; SSBN, CVTF, LRG, etc. First of all, UK need to define the "primary enemy" or "primary theater". And then, RN must "shift" its resource to bett...