UK Defence Forum

I wonder if these wold come form the active fleet to speed things up or be taken for the "Charter" fleet and reconfigured?

https://news.sky.com/story/babcock-and- ... r-12359730

Two of Britain's biggest manufacturers are hoisting a 'for sale' sign over their stakes in AirTanker, the company behind the RAF's Voyager refuelling fleet.

Sky News has learnt that Babcock International Group and Rolls-Royce Holdings have appointed investment bankers to market their combined shareholding in AirTanker.

City sources said that Babcock and Rolls-Royce had asked Jefferies to kick off a sale process.

SW1 wrote:https://news.sky.com/story/babcock-and- ... r-12359730

Two of Britain's biggest manufacturers are hoisting a 'for sale' sign over their stakes in AirTanker, the company behind the RAF's Voyager refuelling fleet.

Sky News has learnt that Babcock International Group and Rolls-Royce Holdings have appointed investment bankers to market their combined shareholding in AirTanker.

City sources said that Babcock and Rolls-Royce had asked Jefferies to kick off a sale process.

I'd have thought the UK govt buying out their stake would be a nobrainer here.

Even if the Government does not buy the 50% on offer it should closely scrutinise all of the possible buyer who come forward on the grounds of National Security. Hopefully they have taken on board the criticism created by the sale of GKN, and be willing to veto any sale to buyers which raise any red flags upon being investigated.

But ideally the Government should buy the stake, to give it a greater say in how Air Tanker operate and open the door for a possible purchase of teh remaining holding held by private industry. I would not expect any sale to cost anywhere the total value of the PFI if it ran it course though, so this would be a case of looking at the longer term savings rather then the immediate cast.

A first in RAF service:





For those with Twitter plug-in issues:

Today was a great day at work. First UK A400M AAR Sortie, crewed and flown by personnel from 206sqn. The culmination of years of work and a fantastic capability for the front line. https://t.co/Ve7O8MYVoj

Both companies need cash in the worst way.

What are the chances our UK gov will buy the shares ??? ....

serge750 wrote:What are the chances our UK gov will buy the shares ??? ....

A sterling idea old boy...

Brasil wrote:About KC-330 for Brazil:

"The RN Officer, in a very relaxed way, started his answer with a question: "Do you have spies everywhere?" and continued saying yes, that he hopes so, that the FAB intends to acquire two aircraft and that they are in negotiations, but there is nothing certain. "The parties are in contact and we hope that the aircraft will be sold to Brazil""

https://www.defesaaereanaval.com.br/art ... a-o-brasil

"The authorities also dealt with the intention of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to acquire in-flight refueling aircraft, the MRTT, which stands for Multi Role Tanker Transport, an undertaking by the Brazilian government that has priority given by the Air Force Command, due to operational gaps of a strategic nature to be filled with this new capacity to be incorporated by the FAB. In this process, which is being handled by the Air Staff of the Air Force (EMAER), the negotiation may advance towards evaluating opportunities for possible equipment that may be offered by the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom and which already have a high degree of compatibility with the operational capabilities already implemented at the FAB."

https://www.defesaaereanaval.com.br/avi ... t-pela-fab


Sorry about the translation

Another disgrace.

Would these be coming from the in use fleet or those contracted out for charter by industry?

Shows the difference in size between a KC-135, Voyager and KC-10

All A330 from RAF and AirTanker are MRTT? Or some are only transporters?

Thanks!

UK Ministry of Defence signed a deal to lease 14 aircraft under a private finance initiative arrangement from EADS-led consortium AirTanker, with the first aircraft to enter service in 2011. There are two versions, designated Voyager KC2 and Voyager KC3; the former will be fitted with two Cobham 905E under-wing refuelling pods, the latter with a Cobham 805E Fuselage Refuelling Unit (FRU) in addition to the under-wing pods. None of the RAF aircraft are fitted with the Aerial Refuelling Boom System (ARBS). Both versions of Voyager are powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60 engines.

ZZ336 "Vespina" & Eurofighter Typhoons Landing & Taking-off from Bermuda

(The Kindley Spotter) 13th March 2022

Royal Air Force A330 MRTT Tanker ZZ336 aka "Vespina" visits Bermuda along side two Eurofighter Typhoons!

It's a good airfield in Bermuda. One side of the airfield was a US Naval Air station (still open in the mid-80s when I was there, but closed not that long after) and is reputed to still have nuclear rated weapons storage facilities in place.

I would like Bermuda to be a hub for RAF in similar way for Gibraltar / Ascension Island / Falklands. Its position in the western North Atlantic would certainly help patrolling and intelligence flights. Especially if we acquired a few more P8 Poseidon MPA for ASW Patrols.

What would we patrol for that close to the US? Its their back yard, they don't need any help and we've got bigger problems.

topman wrote: ↑23 Mar 2022, 21:05 What would we patrol for that close to the US? Its their back yard, they don't need any help and we've got bigger problems.

Well for one that it is a BRITISH overseas territory, and two, that Bermuda is further out into the Atlantic than US eastern seaboard so British plans could get further out / spend more time on station than US planes.

And the whole point of US pivot to Pacific to face China as the main US opposition leaves UK and other NATO countries needing to pick up more of the slack in Atlantic.

I don't think the US are likely to ignore their own coasts.

We've got far better things to worry about. And more important things to spend our money on.

There are a number of US Navy P-8 Squadrons based on the US East Coast as well as detachments in Iceland for example. Our limited number of P-8s will most likely be teamed up with those of the Norwegian Air Force and cover the Norwegian coast out to Iceland, starting as far north as is relatively safe from hostile aircraft. Just my thought on the matter.

ZZ336 "Vespina" and two RAF Typhoons flew over Downing Street today....


(Aviation Highlights) 5th May 2022

This morning, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, welcomed the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida.

Five minutes or so after his arrival, a mixed formation of two Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft accompanied an Airbus A330 Voyager flew over Downing Street to mark Kishida’s first visit to London as PM.

This tweet claims the RAF now has 10 AAR-capable Voyagers: