Search found 1701 matches

by Scimitar54
04 Sep 2023, 00:32
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: General UK Defence Discussion
Replies: 1842
Views: 183967
United Kingdom

Re: General UK Defence Discussion

Originally posted in Current and Future Escorts - General Discussion Poluytrewq wrote:- Without a fixed strategy savings can be made whenever it is politically expedient to do so. This statement is something that is so fundamental to our ability as a country to raise and maintain adequate defences, ...
by Scimitar54
31 Aug 2023, 19:28
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: General UK Defence Discussion
Replies: 1842
Views: 183967
United Kingdom

Re: General UK Defence Discussion

More than (3%) of GDP (which should not include the indirects either) would be more like it! AND
Stop destroying the economy and allow the GDP to increase.
by Scimitar54
26 Aug 2023, 02:37
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (RN & AAC)
Replies: 488
Views: 211192
United Kingdom

Re: AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (RN & AAC)

Warton (BAE) just resumed production of the AW159 Wildcat !!!!!

Wrong part of the Country (Not Lancashire)
Wrong Company (Not BAE)

Try Yeovil, Somerset and Leonardo (Augusta Westland) and you just might be correct ! :lol:
by Scimitar54
26 Aug 2023, 00:14
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15442
Views: 4408737
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

JFH most certainly did not work ok! ……. It lost the nation its only Naval Fighter (the Sea Harrier FA2). The RAF then dumped the entire Harrier Force to keep their Tonka toys for a few more years! …………. Result, a Carrier “Gap” AND the QEC Carriers entered service with “No Aircraft”. Complete and utt...
by Scimitar54
25 Aug 2023, 23:16
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15442
Views: 4408737
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

topman wrote:- Transferring' the aircraft solves nothing. I tend to agree (as things stand right now). There are overall (Air) issues that the RAF need to urgently bring to resolution. eg The Pilot Training pipeline. Engineering Training and the standing-up of the next Squadron(s). Whichever servic...
by Scimitar54
25 Aug 2023, 20:04
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5975
Views: 1500010
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

SW1 Wrote:- We have been engaged in the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War for the past 18 months and your much vaunted and vital carrier strike group hasn’t put to sea for 1 day as a fully worked up group that doesn’t scream vital to me in anyway. Firstly, WE have NOT been invol...
by Scimitar54
24 Aug 2023, 22:45
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5975
Views: 1500010
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Repulse Wrote:-
My personal view - LHDs are for navies that can’t afford aviation platforms and LPDs
Did you mistakenly intend to imply that your view was applicable to the USN then! It is clearly NOT correct in that case is it ?
by Scimitar54
24 Aug 2023, 05:31
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5975
Views: 1500010
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Poluytrewq Wrote:-
That would provide the hanger space for:

- 2x Chinook
- 2x Apache
- 3x Merlin
- 4x Wildcat
I am curious as to how you have arrived at this “Rotary Air Wing” across the Modified Bay, Wave Class & was it 2 x T31s! It would be most useful if you could elucidate?
by Scimitar54
19 Aug 2023, 19:29
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Future Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Replies: 194
Views: 227561
United Kingdom

Re: Future Royal Fleet Auxiliary

If you don’t have enough people, you will be leaning on those that you have to an even greater extent. giving an additional reason for people to leave the service. Dedicated people will put up with poor treatment (in a good cause) for a while, but there are limits and HMG have pushed “the services” ...
by Scimitar54
19 Aug 2023, 18:54
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

All this talk of preferring smaller ships (escort vessels) for the same price as those we have already got is complete bunkum. Who, in their right mind would suggest that we go back to a Trafalgar sized SSN for the Astute replacement, or a T42 batch 1 sized T83. Just to cap it all who would try to j...
by Scimitar54
18 Aug 2023, 16:11
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15442
Views: 4408737
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

I think that we will have to agree to disagree. Firstly, “Port” can also be a Military term. a) The QEC Class Aircraft Carriers are both “Home Ported” at HMNB Portsmouth and receive all of their maintenance & victualling (short of dry-docking and loading of ammunition) there. b) As you well know...
by Scimitar54
17 Aug 2023, 19:59
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15442
Views: 4408737
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

Not “In Dock” of course, but “Alongside in their Home Port”. Excellent photo though! :mrgreen:
by Scimitar54
16 Aug 2023, 22:23
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

If you have a requirement to deploy an Escort (Frigate) to an Ocean (or a part of it) then you have a requirement to do so . The fact that you then (separately) suffer a reduction in the number of Escorts (Frigates) available (due to cuts in HMG defence funding) does not remove that requirement. . T...
by Scimitar54
16 Aug 2023, 11:30
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Poluytrewq Wrote:- A T31 is OTT for APT(N) IMO. The West Indies Guard-ship duties may not require a T31. For APT (N) however, a T31 on its own, would (as currently specified) almost certainly be insufficient (T26 required). In a similar way, The FI Guard-ship (RB2) is not APT (S), which (if it were ...
by Scimitar54
13 Aug 2023, 21:40
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)
Replies: 6067
Views: 1723771
United Kingdom

Re: F-35B Lightning (RAF & RN)

The Lightning Force and its Predecessor The Harrier Force, from its formation should always have been FAA (Navy) owned and led. :mrgreen:
by Scimitar54
12 Aug 2023, 18:38
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Donald_of_Tokyo wrote:-
T31 is NOT too lightly armed compared to its size. It just adopted too large hull for the required equipment
.

Just insert the word “Initial” between the words “the” and “required” and we can agree Donald-san. :mrgreen:
by Scimitar54
10 Aug 2023, 23:58
Forum: Deployments
Topic: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Replies: 239
Views: 27271
United Kingdom

Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)

Flexibility should perhaps be the key, with 6 (later) typhoons operating out of Mt. Pleasant and a further 6 (also with Tanker support) from Ascension. In the event of raised tension etc., the Ascension Aircraft could provide the necessary re-enforcement, with 6 additional aircraft moving out to Asc...
by Scimitar54
10 Aug 2023, 10:28
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

In a war time effort there would likely have been some “unserviceable” AND they would be needed for Maritime Patrol AND they would have to provide themselves with return trip (to Ascension) fuel ………. Remember, according to your scenario, you have lost the use of the runway at Mt. Pleasant. “Wartime ...
by Scimitar54
10 Aug 2023, 01:37
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Apologies all, as we seem to have inadvertently strayed off-topic here as a cross-over with escorts in the South Atlantic. Probably belongs in F35B, Falkland Islands, QEC Aircraft Carriers equally (as well).
by Scimitar54
10 Aug 2023, 00:05
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Tempest414 Wrote:- Plus they don't need to go by carrier they can go using Tankers Have a read to see how many tankers were needed to get 1 x Vulcan to Stanley from Ascension in 1982 ……… How many Tankers do you think we have got ? You really think that would be practical for a whole squadron. I do r...
by Scimitar54
08 Aug 2023, 22:50
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7055898
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Tempest414 Wrote:- to counter the F-16 threat if it comes we could deploy a Sqn of F-35 which would not need a full runway if things start to heat up Unfortunately, if you do this, you will not have enough F35’s to put on one carrier, let alone two. AND you will have to transport them there on a car...
by Scimitar54
08 Aug 2023, 22:42
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1420005
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

Exactly! 4 x Fleet Ready Escorts are better than 1. At least four FRE should be the minimum that the RN should have available. :mrgreen:
by Scimitar54
08 Aug 2023, 22:37
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15442
Views: 4408737
United Kingdom

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

HMS QE going on CSG21 ??? What on earth is this? :mrgreen:
by Scimitar54
01 Aug 2023, 21:48
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1420005
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN

Poiuytrewq Wrote:- Given the huge percentage increase in cost from RB2 to T31 what will the practical difference actually be when operating in the Indo Pacific? This is the wrong equation. More correct would have been “Given the huge percentage reduction in cost from T23 to T31 what will the practic...
by Scimitar54
01 Aug 2023, 21:40
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: New Medium Helicopter [NMH] - (RAF & AAC)
Replies: 479
Views: 49346
United Kingdom

Re: New Medium Helicopter [NMH] - (RAF & AAC)

Regarding the recent “Anti-Composite” comments:- So, in a similar vein, the Spitfire would have been rejected due to the specialist repairs required to rectify battle damage and we would then have relied on the more resilient Hurricane! ………. A good job that those who made that decision were not of s...