REME, Enfield / Nottingham... Everyone did what they could to correct the glaring oversight didn't they? :lol: I recall speaking to a mate of a mate in the mid 80's, who took some of the first issued L85A1's to test in Norway on one of the regular Mountain and Arctic Warfare selection courses..... ...

first boat starting 2028 So unless Barrow speed up the drumbeat SSN numbers will not increase before the mid to late 2040’s unless Astute extends the OSD beyond 2035. Otherwise it will be decades before AUKUS starts making a material difference for RN. If you wanted to increase the submarine fleet ...

They have been ordering lots of 5,000 bodies for a few years now for the ongoing A3 rebuild programme. Only the original TMH's now remain, so it's a bit of a triggers broom! It still represents the bulk (85%) of the issued individual small arms and the ongoing A2 rebuild could theoretically keep th...

The L85A3 has plenty of life in it, the new HK bodies (5,000 ordered at a time), plus the ongoing manufacturing of replacement bolt groups, barrel and gas parts will keep the A3 viable for many years to come. There is no way ordering 5,000 L85A3 bodies, barrels and bolts from HK makes any kind of e...

I find it amazing the KA claim their AR platform is capable of sub moa out of the box, that's really impressive, you simply can't do that with most AR's due to the bloody heavy standard mil spec trigger! Would not be surprised if the claim for sub MOA true as impression is that production knowhow i...

I find it amazing the KA claim their AR platform is capable of sub moa out of the box, that's really impressive, you simply can't do that with most AR's due to the bloody heavy standard mil spec trigger! Trigger weight isn't really relevant to the mechanical accuracy of a rifle though. It most cert...

7.62 x 51 was designed to be 30 06 in a shorter case with better propellent giving it the performance of 30 06. Because thats what the US board of ordnance wanted. We wanted .280 as the theoretical Ideal projectile is around 7mm. The Americans switched to 5.56 and NATO followed now they have gone t...

Really good and informative clip. What I didn't realise is how close this is - aiming for production, in some form, to start in 2031, 2035 for IOC. It seems there has been much pre work underneath the radar on both Tempest and F-X It's certainly interesting, if they manage to kick off in 2025, with...

I love Binkov- who produces these? What do you make of the video? Plausible? Implausible? Certainly plausible, many of us have discussed the programme and come to the conclusion that £40 billion is a realistic programme budget, Airframe size, allowing the radius of action and internal weapons loado...

Happy for someone to point out the substantial ballistic improvements of 6.5 over 7.62 at realistic ranges on a two way range in the hands of DM..... The problem with the 7.62/.308 is basically its a weak short 30-06 without the powder capacity and the resultant power needed to drive the heavier lo...

Little J wrote: ↑27 Sep 2023, 09:51 Real SUIT or repro?

Real, I've a collection of L2A1 and A2 Suits,some shoot better than others....

Has the PM suddenly grown a pair? But the Civil service are still pathetic though "risk poisoning Anglo German relations" sheesh that's a great negotiating position I daresay nothing will piss the Germans off as much as Brexit. You've also got to consider just how effective "privatel...

Little J wrote: ↑26 Sep 2023, 23:54 If 6.5 is not better than 7.62 and neither is 6.8, then we can all rest easy knowing that we don't have to change anything. We can just break out the SLR's and crack on

Ok, here's two I prepared earlier, yes indeed 7.62x51mm is god's own calibre.....

The US trials the 6.5CM vs 7.62 showed it doubling the hit probability at 1000 metres, 33% increase in effective range, 30% increase in energy on target, 40% decrease in wind effect on bullet and decreased recoil, you might not call that a real advantage but i would call that a major advance over t...

I am not sure that Japan's constitution prevents it exporting defence equipment - IIRC it has offered the C2 airlifter for export. If the constitution bans export of kit with lethal capabilities (eg a fighter aircraft) then GCAP faces a big problem. The Japanese have already given assurances around...

The issue is that Creedmoor was trialed and found not to offer a real advantage over 7.62 x 51mm, as in it can be defeated by modern body armour. The US trials the 6.5CM vs 7.62 showed it doubling the hit probability at 1000 metres, 33% increase in effective range, 30% increase in energy on target,...

Like I've said before, there needs to be a full, open and unbiased NATO trial for a new calibre. The last 2 have been US biased and haven't really been successful, lets try and avoid the hat-trick. If penetration is the primary concern then long thin projectiles driven at high velocity is the way t...

The 6.8x51 at those pressures is a complete dead end. It will cause no end of trouble. And yet it's being adopted quite widely by the USA... it's being adopted quite widely by the USA..." Can you quote examples as have seen none other than the US Army. The Sig Sauer XM7 and XM250 with the 6.8m...

When the Tempest program starts showing its full potential late this decade or early 2030, perhaps the raf will offer up lightnings to the RN in exchange for the funds for the potential xtra f35b to be transfered to tempest product airframes.....but if the FAA get the 48 f35b that will a huge drain...

Totally agree with the above as an end state. Predicting there are going to be some delicate trade offs around timing. In terms of the last 27 I think we have already missed lot 18 and 19 which are in the 2026-28 delivery space. That window is gone. Lot 20 seems to be a different ball game as it is...

Guesstimate of hope : . Joint RN-RAF loyal wingman programme, for what protector is for an uncontested environment, this is for contested. Focus on numbers and affordability. . 74 Bravo lightnings, split RN-RAF ops pre-tempest, all transferred to RN post tempest. . Tempest in volume replacing both ...

Yes I was, sorry I should have been more clear... In a previous post you said 2030, that's a little over 6 years away. You implied that we should just go with the 6.8, an unproven, experimental round. Could you expand on your second point, as I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Morning L...

Little J wrote: ↑22 Sep 2023, 19:00 lol... You want to change to 6.8 but not 6.5???

Sorry, are you referring to me??

I'm not advocating a change of calibre yet, not for another 10 or so years

Secondly, there is a huge difference in energy between 6.5 and 6.8x51mm.

It's a drain on logistics is the obvious reason why. He wasn't criticising the round itself. If the LMG's are equipped with 7.62 what is going to happen when the designated marksman needs resupplied with 6.5 and all he can find is crates of 7.62? Now I didn't see that one coming, a curious decision...

I totally agree, however, we all know F35A is waiting in the wings as the runner up prize if GCAP gets cancelled.... The nonsense about integrating UK technology is just that, nonsense! Stray too far from the path and the development costs to the UK of a hypothetical 'F35UK would rapidly get out of...