Search found 363 matches

by Phil Sayers
23 Jul 2023, 13:10
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: MBDA Brimstone Missile (RAF)
Replies: 175
Views: 82674

Re: MBDA Brimstone Missile (RAF)

More relevant to the army but not sure where to put it given the Brimstone thread is here - not sure what sort of range these will have given the ground launch but I'm guessing they could wreak havoc if paired with UAVs that have laser designators or else are just fired in a salvo against advancing ...
by Phil Sayers
29 Jun 2023, 16:05
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19146
Views: 7053061

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

I have indeed and if budgets / personnel availability allowed it then having a frigate T-32 along with a specialist amphibious vessel as MRSS would allow a tailored solution. The reality here is that T-32 will likely be cancelled and my suggestion is a way to retain some of the capability it would h...
by Phil Sayers
29 Jun 2023, 15:51
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19146
Views: 7053061

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Is there any real reason, aside from it not being traditional, why we shouldn't just roll T-32 and MRSS into one self-escorting, NGFS providing vessel that houses and supports Royal Marines? Stick a 127mm gun on the front, 24 CAMM and (ideally if budget allows) some other kind of weapon that can pro...
by Phil Sayers
27 Jun 2023, 17:45
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

Detailed article on the pros and cons of Australia transferring their recently retired fleet of A/B model Hornets to Ukraine. Personally, I think they would be a good fit and in many respects superior to early model Falcons: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a44226958/should-austral...
by Phil Sayers
27 Jun 2023, 14:37
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 241795

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

Plus-2. UK must pay for "Mk.41 integration/certification" effort, which may take 2 years or so. Can you believe it will be "at the same time" as for Sylver 70 VLS? I do not think so. Lockheed might do this for free. Just like they qualified CAMM. It's not that much of an effort....
by Phil Sayers
26 Jun 2023, 15:01
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 241795

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

While I was aware of a debate about whether to go high supersonic / hypersonic or subsonic and stealthy, I was not aware that there would be two separate variants for land attack and anti-shipping. Possibly something of a retrograde step given that these days most equivalent missiles can accomplish ...
by Phil Sayers
23 Jun 2023, 16:57
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4029
Views: 947330

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

The F-35 is of course one example but there are other examples; most notably the one that started this discussion being how the F-15, originally designed only with the air superiority role in mind, was later developed into a fine strike aircraft. The bottom line is that the UK needs to be able to co...
by Phil Sayers
23 Jun 2023, 16:53
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)
Replies: 78
Views: 26173

Re: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)

We seem to be dolling out Storm Shadows at a rate that is roughly sufficient to allow Ukraine to carry out a strike with three or four missiles every 48 hrs or so. That is more than I had expected and is doing some serious damage. Here's yesterday's strike on one (actually two as the adjacent railwa...
by Phil Sayers
21 Jun 2023, 18:06
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)
Replies: 2803
Views: 762638

Re: Eurofighter Typhoon (RAF)

by Phil Sayers
20 Jun 2023, 15:40
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4029
Views: 947330

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

No, I meant Tempest but split into two variants; one with a similar (but broader) role to the F-15C and one with a F-15E role. Given that Typhoon runs as a swing-role aircraft, wouldn’t we expect and prefer, that Tempest is the same? If we could have 160 fast jets that are world-beaters in both air...
by Phil Sayers
20 Jun 2023, 14:29
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4029
Views: 947330

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

Spitfire9 wrote: 20 Jun 2023, 14:22
Mmmm... F-15 a 5G/6G jet?
No, I meant Tempest but split into two variants; one with a similar (but broader) role to the F-15C and one with a F-15E role.
by Phil Sayers
20 Jun 2023, 13:19
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)
Replies: 4029
Views: 947330

Re: Future UK Combat Aircraft (Project Tempest)

Perhaps they will go down the F15 route & call it "Strike Tempest" :mrgreen: seriously though, not sure 2 distinct versions would viable on a smallish production run...but still looks good :thumbup: 8-) My fantasy air-fleet would be 80 F-15C equivalents (but with a decent non-speciali...
by Phil Sayers
18 Jun 2023, 14:30
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Future Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Replies: 194
Views: 227445

Re: Future Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Defence in general. Who are you expecting to fill the vacuum created by such a withdrawal? Frankly I don’t really care who fills the vacuum there. I don’t see it as our long term strategic priority. Even if we wished to ignore the Middle East, I do not see that we would be able to because the Middl...
by Phil Sayers
25 May 2023, 18:10
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

Its interesting, as we have seen from other videos they don't cause small explosion and that drone seemed to get right next to the hull. Now assuming it went off when the video went off and that the Ivan Khurs has modern armour (very little) it must have done damage to the ship. Has anyone seen the...
by Phil Sayers
25 May 2023, 15:27
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

Russians in 'caught fibbing' shock:



by Phil Sayers
23 May 2023, 13:37
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5409
Views: 1418385

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

Why the fascination with a VL, or canister, boosterised Spear? We've got Brimstone/Sea Spear ready to go....and we've also got a purpose designed brand new AShM called Sea Venom? Making a surface launched Sea Venom would be far easier and would also be an effective exports opportunity for MBDA. I c...
by Phil Sayers
22 May 2023, 15:23
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

February 2022 - Russia launches what was intended to be a three day invasion to conquer the whole of Ukraine. May 2023 - A decidedly unconquered Ukraine launches via proxy what will probably be a circa three day invasion of a Russian border region so as to tie down Russian troops with having to defe...
by Phil Sayers
17 May 2023, 13:13
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

Yep, unending wave after wave of such drones would likely make pretty short work of the Russians. As Ukraine winning is the overriding priority right now we should do exactly that. However, the near inevitable consequence would be the likes of Iran and North Korea aiming for 100k similar drones in t...
by Phil Sayers
17 May 2023, 13:07
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8467
Views: 2140267

Re: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]

Great news that Mk41 is to be fitted but I do not see anything in the Admiral's quote which states it will be 32 cells: “…we also need to advance our ability to deliver lethal long-range offensive fires against our adversaries. Hence the decision to ensure the Mark 41 Vertical Launch Silo is fitted ...
by Phil Sayers
16 May 2023, 16:56
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

If these really do have explosive power equivalent to an artillery shell then the Russians will have an enormous headache shortly, not least because we can keep on churning them out until the cows come home while evolving the design along the way: https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1658490835170...
by Phil Sayers
14 May 2023, 20:21
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)
Replies: 78
Views: 26173

Re: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)

Ben Wallace strongly inferred that by saying that it wasn't easy to integrate the missile with Soviet jets and paying tribute to scientists / engineers. I have seen it claimed that trials were conducted with a SU-24 in Poland a few months back.
by Phil Sayers
13 May 2023, 17:34
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)
Replies: 78
Views: 26173

Re: MBDA Storm Shadow Missile (RAF)

The reaction of the quick delivery and uses has shock the Russians so much they have been shooting down their own aircraft today :wtf: I don't think I've seen such a reaction to any other weapon like the Storm Shadow in the last few days, it really does seem to have stirred things up. IMO it's prob...
by Phil Sayers
13 May 2023, 13:59
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

So far today Russia has lost two fast jets and two helicopters which is on top of a helicopter yesterday. This is causing real panic in Russian military circles; not just because of the number downed but specifically where they have been downed - Crimea yesterday (although that was said to be due to...
by Phil Sayers
12 May 2023, 13:04
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5842
Views: 1495629

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

To be honest I am not sure the structure really makes much sense. The combined armies of Finland, Sweden and Norway would be very effective in stopping an invasion of Scandinavia just by themselves on land. Where we could assist would be enabling capabilities such as air support, intelligence gather...
by Phil Sayers
11 May 2023, 12:27
Forum: Conflicts
Topic: The war in Ukraine
Replies: 1156
Views: 84777

Re: The war in Ukraine

Apparently, already been sent. Just a dozen would have a decent chance of wrecking the Black Sea Fleet HQ, several warships in port and the remainder of the Kerch Bridge although I suspect Ukraine will pick less high profile targets: