We could see FCAS being more Tomcat size in which case it’s not hugely off the F22 or what we expect GCAP to be, and this gets me thinking with how long the QEs are expected to be in service and how this could see changes to CATOBAR at some point could we see down the line a carrier variant of GCAP...

in fact no one has come back with good reason as why a flat top LPD would be a bad move nothing wrong with a flattop, it is literally a zero cost option vis-a-vis any other configuiration of amphib - provided all other core tasks are accomodated. that is not to say that you can anything useful with...

Tempest414 wrote: ↑18 Mar 2024, 12:40
It also has been said somewhere that the RM could go with 4 x LSU's of 500 instead of 8 x 250

can you point me to that, please? *curious*

ooh, yes, i missed that:
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=HMT+80 ... &ia=images

new guy wrote: ↑02 Feb 2024, 21:18 Supacat will unveil a closed cab version of its Jackal 3 High Mobility Transport (HMT) vehicle at Defence Vehicle Dynamics in mid-September 2024 and will also unveil a concept for an 8x8 vehicle using HMT technology.

these two changes i can't wait to see!

new suspension and a windscreen?

not complaining, i like the vehicle, just curious if that is what constitutes the difference this 3rd gen brings...

looks like a steel beach rather than a dock from the image.

Without the need for tanks or heavy logistical needs, the need for LCUs is also diminished - I’d argue the the point where do we even need them. ThinkDefence is good at documenting the options for small logistics and small boat / air mobility, have a read. I must admit I’m at the point where I ques...

donald_of_tokyo wrote: ↑27 Jan 2024, 07:28 It is a bit tricky, that LCUs and LCMs have a variety of size.

RN Mk10 LCU. 29.8x7.7m
Dutch LCU 36.5x6.85 m
Caiman 90 30x7.7 m
US MSV(L) 35.6x8.6 m
US LCAC 26.8x14.3
LCM 1-E 23.3x6.4 m

What type of LCM/LCU will RM need, and in what number?

12x Caiman 90 30x7.7 m
two for each future amphib.

2x LCU would do it.

….where does extra money for defence come from? Where did the funding go when the savage cuts were made in SDSR 2010? Start there. what if everyone took a similar hit? which is the conclusion i came to back in the day: https://jedibeeftrix.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/the-sdsr-2010-%e2%80%93-what-dare-...

….mass of what? Firstly the next SDSR needs to accept that the post Cold War peace dividend is over and a new settlement is required. "need" is a strong word to use when we consider likelyhood of an incoming labour gov't with an activist base that has fervently yearned for 14 years for mo...

MHPC is gone. The Navy considered the P satisfied through the River class B2. That leaves MHC that shall be slow, fat, and utilitarian. if the P has been dropped, does that make it more likely that the MHC capability will be delivered via modular payload from the back of a low-end specialist escort...

If you want to draw any conclusions from this conflict, scrap the T31 and buy more AAW tier platforms. i don't like the T31, and never have. i'd tend to agree with this statement, as part of a broader hi-lo fleet. by which i mean a greater delineation between high-end specialist escorts (more of pl...

or perhaps simply a Bofors 40mm with 3M and sufficient radar/cms to deal with RPG/boghammer/drone threats?

The whole thing leans heavy on air mobility so ultimately the Marines would spin-off from the Navy, and merge with the Paras under Joint Forces Command to become an elite air mobile force by Land, Sea and Air, but this is probably getting a bit ahead of thing. This seems at odds with the stated int...

i believe there is a USMC statistic on the number of Lane/metres of stores and equipment that need to be rolled over a beach per day to support a standard MEU that would strongly suggest the need for LCU's isn't at all about supporting 65tonne MBT's. As we don’t have a MEU then we need a lot less t...

The versatility of LCU sized craft are clear and have been for a long time. How do you transport vehicles OTH without LCU sized craft? I really don’t see how cutting LCU numbers by over 60% makes RM more modern and useable. It depends on what you need to move for the FCF with those LCUs - no longer...

An aviation platform (more likely a style Argus replacement ) and three smaller LPD replacements based on a joint design with the Dutch is by far the most likely outcome . When they announced the MRSS, it was for 4-6 platforms, 6 was always a dream IMO. Intetesting as IMO a Argus style ASS commerci...

Thinking of Option One:
6x “through deck” LPD’s with long range/endurance @£400m per unit. Total £2.4bn

is there a realistic prospect of it having sufficient beam that the superstructure on the side will still permit sufficient width to launch/recover MALE from the deck?

Completely agree but with such a capable MRSS/T31 combo where is the rationale for the T32? The T31 was envisaged as a temporary addition to the fleet. i.e. a short Service life followed by early sale, making way for new hulls. T31 performs poorly in this future of flexible roles (IMO) due to its p...

errr, no thanks.

they're a bloody hindrance!

ref - the stalled Saudi order for Typhoons because Germany doesn't 'baddies'.

tempest is a smoothly running machine right now, with great export potential, why would you ruin it?

Much like the FSS the hangar is too small, otherwise the design looks spot on for MRSS by being a simple and flexible design. It's basically the Bay Class with extra aviation capacity. Which is great, as long as the design/numbers bring us at least 6x LCU dock spaces. This is where I have a problem...

army artillery regt to go?

If the SSNR design is not ready to go by 2026 could they offer to build one last Astute for the Oz navy at cost for training to keep the workers busy until the design is finalised ? I don't think it's viable or possible as PWR2 is now out of production. and even if it were possible to squeeze out o...