I'd like to think given how effective the Merlin is that they would realise the benefit of keeping production going. Just look at how old the Chinook is for example. I’m afraid that’s the problem the RN like it in the asw role but no one else does. It’s generally regarded as large overly complex an...

I don’t think your wrong serge750 I think what your beginning to see is reasoning for why Merlin will be replaced by a smaller rotorcraft.

I’m actually a little surprised there is so much interest in the pusher prop configuration in battlefield helicopters. There has always been a design requirement in battlefield helicopters to ensure the tail rotor was as high off the ground as possible for tail strike/ uneven surface landings ect. ...

I’m actually a little surprised there is so much interest in the pusher prop configuration in battlefield helicopters. There has always been a design requirement in battlefield helicopters to ensure the tail rotor was as high off the ground as possible for tail strike/ uneven surface landings ect.

If your looking at deliveries in the early 2030s they would be expecting to see the early examples of the manned aircraft element out of the tempest program arriving in that time frame.

To a certain extent yes but then they’ve using lots of javelins which are expensive too. I think if your looking at lighter forces being used in more urban areas or areas were there is mixing with civilians the need for precision will increase also. It’s likely the light forces may operate over long...

Sure, but the payloads restrict the function more to a relay, whereas in this we come close(?) to flying Command Post on out tankers: existing datalink fusion capability is the Roll-On Beyond line-of-sight Enhancement system, or ROBE, which can be installed on some KC-135 tankers and enables an 'ac...

ArmChairCivvy wrote:[Moving on to the poor man's implemantation... that is us, btw]

Was thinking of Zephyr and potential roles when I read the article

Maybe we should send sentinel for a look.. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56616778 Russia has warned Nato against sending any troops to help Ukraine, amid reports of a large Russian military build-up on its borders. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would take "additional mea...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39882/how-the-rq-180-drone-will-emerge-from-the-shadows-as-the-centerpiece-of-a-warfighting-revolution When it comes to phantom aircraft that are the product of 'bleeding-edge' technologies and supposedly exist only in the shadows, the so-called RQ-180 is unriva...

With new mlrs and hopefully new 155 guns for the heavy units perhaps its worth asking is 105mm guns what the lighter forces require for the roles they going to be doing. As mentioned with acc on another thread is it perhaps time they looked to loitering munitions for the future.

the working assumption was that merlin asw and aew would be replaced with unmanned systems Ohh, well for the latter we can modify a weather balloon to be tethered and carry enough of payload ... but for the former :?: Perhaps along these lines https://www.naval-technology.com/features/fire-scout-asw/

going now to make way for AW-149 will help keep Yeovil going until Merlin replacement around 2035 That would look like a straigth, well arranged time line. BUT - can a medium helo do the Merlin ASW job - it is easier to do the AEW, roll on & off job, especially if there will be a rear ramp (hig...

https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-and-qatar-emiri-air-force-expand-defence-partnership/ The joint Hawk training squadron at RAF Leeming is expected to stand up in September this year. The squadron will deliver Advanced Jet Training (AJT) to QEAF and RAF pilots and will be home to ...

Merlin bows out in 2030 unless further funding and life extension is authorised.

https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2021/03/medium-helicopter-programme/ A broad range of recent advances in technology, production methods and operational concepts will be used in the design of the bespoke medium helicopter that will bring maximum capability and cost saving benefits to all...

Lord Jim wrote:But the capabilities of these four aircraft do differ quite significantly

Do they? The 4 helicopters mentioned for replacement are all used to deliver or extract small teams into confined or urban areas and provide a search and rescue response.

Maybe some of these

Most requested air assets we had

Offering a final assembly capability isn’t as inefficient as is sometimes made out. The process is to ensure that your major subs are as complete as possible prior to arriving at a FAL so traveled work is minimal and as such it gives you a workforce with a skill set to do integration, certification ...

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/nato-assets-to-cover-uks-aew-gap-until-2023/143132.article#.YGR00MmPnPM.twitter The UK will use its position within the multinational NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force to cover for the retirement of its remaining Boeing E-3D Sentry aircraft later this...

I do wonder if we will start to see loitering munitions such as the hero systems beginning to replace traditional artillery in the light forces given the roles they do.

That should have been areas that *don't* suffer from stress/flex. Perhaps start with bungs, blanks and covers using this process, if it's significantly cheaper. Some of the prices we pay for them are crazy money. Have u seen the picture doing the rounds of an airline using a paddling pool as an eng...

https://twitter.com/raestimr/status/1376963358629453829?s=21 Not sure exactly why none this couldn’t of been explained in the defence white paper Ok, somehow three different defence journalists (two on previous page) attended the same virtual conference and came away with three different ratios of ...