Search found 1370 matches

by RichardIC
15 Aug 2022, 13:42
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (RN)
Replies: 45
Views: 24112
United Kingdom

Re: HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (RN)

Christ, this is our disaster relief contingency in the Caribbean now. A quad bike delivered by a RIB from a tiny icebreaker! Complete embarrassment. You DO like to over exaggerate don't you..... It was an exercise carried out by Protector during Antarctic Winter / our summer, i.e. her off-season fr...
by RichardIC
14 Aug 2022, 19:14
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (RN)
Replies: 45
Views: 24112
United Kingdom

Re: HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (RN)

Christ, this is our disaster relief contingency in the Caribbean now. A quad bike delivered by a RIB from a tiny icebreaker!

Complete embarrassment.
by RichardIC
04 Aug 2022, 15:35
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Future Solid Support Ship
Replies: 1972
Views: 547520
United Kingdom

Re: Future Solid Support Ship

by RichardIC
04 Aug 2022, 15:32
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1465047
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

The only source for the increased beam thing is a single Tweet from an unofficial source. And while I find Navy Lookout a reliable and informative source I’m still highly suss about this. We always been told that the T26 has an exquisitely designed hull form that’s as close to acoustic perfection as...
by RichardIC
02 Aug 2022, 15:58
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1465047
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/1553282253098205184 "Hunter class weight issues have now be largely resolved by small increase in beam" Interesting. Can the RN Batch2 T26 be also the "broad beam version"? It will significantly contribute to increase the "margin"...
by RichardIC
29 Jul 2022, 12:52
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8470
Views: 2142986
United Kingdom

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

It looks, to me at least, like Babcock have refreshed their Arrowhead website.

https://www.arrowhead140.com/

I've certainly not seen the video before that shows some fleeting detail of the Type 31 interior layout.

Image
by RichardIC
29 Jul 2022, 10:33
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057690
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Could be an opportunity to remove 4.5 inch from RN use on T45, get it on T32 and add Mk.41 to T45, T31 and T32 (and perhaps the last 5 T26) for a comparatively low price, even if we don't have the munitions right now it means we're future proofed. Thoughts? 4.5 inch Mk 8 is totally obsolete and nee...
by RichardIC
22 Jul 2022, 16:10
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 83 Destroyer (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 324
Views: 123464
United Kingdom

Re: Type 83 Destroyer (RN) [News Only]

The Type 45s are never going to up to speed. They're always going to be compromised by having WR21s as prime movers, partially because of the intercooler-recuperator thingumy which the PIP won't fix but will only help mitigate. And partially because they're the only vessels worldwide powered by them...
by RichardIC
13 Jul 2022, 11:25
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 23 Frigate (Duke Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 1011
Views: 397841
United Kingdom

Re: Type 23 Frigate (Duke Class) (RN) [News Only]

So we are going to use our obsolete weapons in this exercise :eh: Wouldn't it be better to wait for NSM to build up some real world use with the missile? Hmm, shall we use old weapons that are about to go out of service, have little value, and would otherwise have to be expensively dismantled and d...
by RichardIC
12 Jul 2022, 12:48
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Lockheed C-130 Hercules (RAF)
Replies: 179
Views: 97011
United Kingdom

Re: Lockheed C-130 Hercules (RAF)

Francois's a prat https://qnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net/qnadailyreportxml/Written-Questions-Answers-Statements-Daily-Report-Commons-2022-07-11.pdf Hercules Aircraft Mr Tobias Ellwood: [29942] To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential m...
by RichardIC
12 Jul 2022, 12:36
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1465047
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

The gearbox issues were unrelated to BAE. They're manufactured by David Brown Santasalo in Huddersfield.
by RichardIC
12 Jul 2022, 09:42
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 5461
Views: 1465047
United Kingdom

Re: Type 26 Frigate (City Class) (RN) [News Only]

They’re behind schedule by 12 months on Glasgow. Combination of COVID and issues with the gearbox.
by RichardIC
07 Jul 2022, 13:59
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: National Flagship for Britain
Replies: 148
Views: 16314
United Kingdom

Re: National Flagship for Britain

If Boris wants it (and he has announced it, and he will be there in 12 months, and many years beyond), it will happen. And, it will be HMS or RFA, not HMY... HMS Shitshow. You've clearly realised that it is nothing more than a one-man vanity project. Will he be here in 12 months? Let's see. And doe...
by RichardIC
05 Jul 2022, 18:52
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 32 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]
Replies: 553
Views: 112716
United Kingdom

Re: Type 32 General Purpose Frigate [News Only]

Ben Wallace was asked this afternoon if there was a plan to increase the size of the Royal Navy. This was what the Type 32 was speficially intended to do. His response was that: “If it turns out to be more vessels it’s more vessels but it may not be.” Which pretty much says that Type 32 is at best a...
by RichardIC
05 Jul 2022, 18:41
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 242248
United Kingdom

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

“I don’t know if it’s been contracted…. The navy have decided on an interim weapon… we’re in negotiation now”.

Not definitive but taken together it sounds like they’ve selected the successful bidder.
by RichardIC
24 Jun 2022, 12:38
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: AW101 Merlin Helicopter (RN)
Replies: 513
Views: 273156
United Kingdom

Re: AW101 Merlin Helicopter (RN)

Fitting forward firing gun pods and unguided rockets on Merlin would be monumental act of stupidity. That’s the way the Americans lost many hundreds of helicopters over Vietnam 50 years ago. And they could afford to.
by RichardIC
21 Jun 2022, 17:29
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057690
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

With respect Donald it's not a design. It's some marketing material. As you've intimated you'll need a couple of years and many millions in investment if you want to turn it into something you could use to build a ship. But they eventually moved to Danish design, Arrowhead 140. It was a good decisi...
by RichardIC
21 Jun 2022, 15:21
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057690
United Kingdom

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Interesting "OPV", Vard 7 125 Next Gen OPV. So, if Babcock buys this design, they will do all the detailed design, and hence will be able to propose it to the world market. Many of the world's smallish navy cannot afford an expensive ship with full-level of naval design rules. https://www...
by RichardIC
14 Jun 2022, 18:30
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8470
Views: 2142986
United Kingdom

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



Picture of a paper Build Strategy Model of RN T31 taken at Rosyth showing block build.

Next to a very crude model of Ukrainian FAC
by RichardIC
26 May 2022, 08:16
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: Starstreak Missile (Man-Portable Air-Defence System) (British Army & RN (RM))
Replies: 65
Views: 7177
United Kingdom

Re: Starstreak Missile (Man-Portable Air-Defence System) (British Army & RN (RM))

[quote=Caribbean post_id=140213 time=1653411092 user_id=772 is Rarden out of poduction? [/quote] Pretty much: Answered on 7 September 2021 Ammunition for the L21A1 RARDEN 30mm cannon was last purchased as follows: Type of 30mm ammunition Year of last Purchase Practice 2019 Reduced Range Practice 20...
by RichardIC
23 Apr 2022, 18:47
Forum: Joint Service
Topic: Martlet/Lightweight multirole missile
Replies: 156
Views: 54718
United Kingdom

Re: Martlet/Lightweight multirole missile

I’ve wondered for a while whether the RN has seriously studied possible use of Martlet in a air-to-air mode from Wildcat. at least against drones and other helicopters.

I’ve a vague recollection of a CGI promotional video where it was used against another heli.
by RichardIC
17 Apr 2022, 11:28
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: River Class (OPV) (RN)
Replies: 5411
Views: 1420715
United Kingdom

Re: River Class (OPV) (RN)

The fact they haven’t done SHOL for Wildcat yet shows how seriously the aviation capability is taken.
by RichardIC
06 Apr 2022, 10:58
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: RN anti-ship missiles
Replies: 1030
Views: 242248
United Kingdom

Re: RN anti-ship missiles

The upgrade and maintenance of the Tomahawks will hopefully keep them relevant until FCASW enters the scene, It has range and is accurate, but is fairly vulnerable to modern air defences. The French Navy want a sub launched version of the FCASW to replace their current SM39 Exocets so it could be s...
by RichardIC
22 Mar 2022, 14:44
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 45 Destroyer (Daring Class) (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 1995
Views: 555166
United Kingdom

Re: Type 45 Destroyer (Daring Class) (RN) [News Only]

So if Dragon is now undergoing PIP that means it's not being done at Cammell Laird as she's in refit at Portsmouth.
by RichardIC
12 Mar 2022, 18:27
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic capability (MHC) (MHPC)
Replies: 957
Views: 311844
United Kingdom

Re: Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic capability (MHC) (MHPC)

"The vessel, a new ship of around 500 tonnes, will be procured through a £9m contract and will support trials for “autonomy development”." https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ministry-of-defence-looking-to-purchase-special-purpose-ship/ https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?p=25417 Looks like a ...