jedibeeftrix wrote: ↑30 Mar 2024, 11:50 there is the fact that the T31's are not intended to have a long service life (in the RN).

A) is that a fact B) is that realistic ?

A good life plan would be 20 years with a mid life upgrade at 10 years

Both Archer and M270a2 can be moved by LCU or A400m so both could bring support….. Do the rapid reaction Brigades need 155mm and M270? Would HMT based 105mm Howitzer, GMLRS, Brimstone and Protector be enough? At least in the initial stages? The point is both can be airlifted in by A400m if needed. ...

If 16AAB and 3Cdo have a underslung Chinook capability without losing effectiveness then where is the negative? I never said there is a negative but why would they limited themself just to the weight which is transportable by Chinook, especially as both have other means to transport much heavier eq...

It is claimed that the 105mm shell filled with ROWANEX has a blast effect of a standard 155mm shell so could we design a 90mm sabot ( Like the Vulcano round ) with ROWANEX that gives the blast effect of a standard 127mm shell and the 40km range

Also what the army needs is a new light gun witch needs to come in both towed and light SP witch has a 40km range Using the same ordnance on towed and SP seems sensible, but is 40km from a light gun possible or desirable? Would it not compromise the "Light" part of the requirement? Greate...

The problem I see here is lets a HMT-600 has a Brimstone pack and a commander calls for a role change to a 120mm mortar or 105mm gun pack will the crew need to know how to use all three weapons Does the crew come with the module or the vehicle? ether way there could be a lot crews waiting for a veh...

As said before there goal is to fight across a wide area using small fast moving teams to engage and harass the enemy…. The only way it would work is with an incredible amount of support. Otherwise the risk of overmatch by the opponent is substantial. It’s currently not clear where that support is ...

They’ve got an option for snow for the MRZR Alpha Thanks. The tracks are great until you hit the first rock. The RZR have a role to play but as a universal vehicle for the FCF IMO they have major limitations. True - an array of air / LCVP transportable light vehicles are required - my view is that ...

This is clearly just ministers try to deflect from there part in this witch is delaying orders and upgrade programs to suit them

….so as far as Brimstone goes the UK built Wolfram for Ukraine witch is in service now It’s a great start. I was thinking more of a universal flatbed unit where modules could be rapidly changed depending on requirements. It would open the door to a whole host of possibilities. The problem I see her...

So if it is right that the RM are moving to LSU's with 2 x strike companies plus support with a total of between 400 and 500 troops then what they have done is moved from 2x infantry size battalions to 4 x Ranger size Battalions with 2 at high readiness and 2 at low readiness. As said before there g...

To my mind, one thing that is missing is a wheeled deep-fires capability to support 1 Division. Initially, keeping the 14 Archer and acquiring (say) 24 HIMARS equivalent (potentially based on a more compact platform, for air-portability) would go some way. Eventually replace the Archers with (say) ...

…what we need right now is deployable formations and there for the armoured brigades need to become Combined arms brigades with 4 x combined arms battalions…. Why not both? If 1st Division is fully mechanised with BOXER, Patria 6x6, Archer and Jackal/Coyote it becomes a highly deployable and versat...

For what? To support the rapid reaction expeditionary forces. With an uncrewed turret try and keep the transportable weight below 37t so than one can be transported by a A400M and 2x in a C17. Also much easier to get ashore in a LCM or a Mexefloate. If you really wanted / needed a light fire suppor...

Even better still take a Bay class from Cyprus with 2 x Mexeflote and a LCU drop thousands of tons right on the beech and make a real difference Agreed. But clearly there's issues with "boots on beaches" that US Military have been trying to address. Couldn't think what the issues could be...

SD67 wrote: ↑27 Mar 2024, 15:00 That must have been a wrenching painful decision for those chaps, having to start a new life in 1960s California.

Even harder for those left behind like my other halfs dad who was offered a job but could not take it he ended up a programer for British Nuclear Fuels

Even better still take a Bay class from Cyprus with 2 x Mexeflote and a LCU drop thousands of tons right on the beech and make a real difference

Ron5 wrote: ↑27 Mar 2024, 12:47 It's not like they are getting in the way of the hundreds of workers swarming all over the ship.

No Bob had to stop and show them around

…Something more in line with the M10 Booker or the Japanese Type 10 (i.e 40-50 tons)……The Ajax and Boxer both also are not on the light side. The CH3 is just a stopgap and recent events have clearly shown the continued versatility of the MBT. However that doesn’t necessarily require a CH4. IMO an u...

I can flip that why have you jumped to the conclusion that we don't . Frigates and fleet carriers have there own job to do we can't alway rely on them being able to undertake secondary roles or that we will have the second carrier fit for duty. I do agree some op's can be undertaken as you laid out...

With the Challenger 3 being reduced in number reportedly due to lack of operable Challenger 2s to upgrade I've not seen this, where have you? Thanks. As with all things Military it's hard to say for sure but it was reported we only had 157 workable Challenger 2 tanks currently, and the 148 number s...

In Fact all 3 are needed we are now getting an idea of what the FCF is looking to do which is dispersed battle group op's using 12 man team by air and sea this will require a aviation centred MRSS with a dock… I don’t know how you’ve jumped to the conclusion that we need a MRSS - helicopters from a...

Before dismissing such a group the consideration must be what can a modernised ARG actually achieve? We need to start with what is the requirement in a UK context, and then decide what it needs to do. Is it to launch brigade level amphibious operations? Is it to transport large formations or troops...

Before that, why does the U.K. require two active CVFs if only ~2.2% GDP is being spent on defence? … Sorry, but this is a completely incoherent argument - the requirement is the multitude of the requirements that we’ve discussed many many times already - they are extremely flexible floating power ...

The ultimate guarantor of nato is the nuclear umbrella and that will remain. The response to nibbles or testing along its border more interesting and why Baltic states in particular are extremely nervous. It’s the political leadership and command elements most missing without the US you saw that in...