UK Defence Forum

Bloody hell lads, tissues at the ready!

downsizer wrote: ↑10 Dec 2021, 16:28 Bloody hell lads, tissues at the ready!

Kleenex man sized I assume. I guess we will have some US planes again which will be great to see.

I'm hoping for 1 with 20 UK F35b + 10 USMC & the other with Chinocks & Apache's ! probably be a short deployment but will be Amazing to see !!!!

maybe late summer ????

Escort could be 2 x T45 & 2 x T23 again ?

For goodness sake. UKDJ is well intentioned but it's absolutely not a reliable primary source. Its story is based purely on the last of a 10 Tweet thread. Underneath the bit about sausages.

And it doesn't use the word "TOGETHER".

If they do deploy together, I want them to come for Talisman Sabre and the a photo ex at Fleet Base East with the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge in the background

Come on I’m not asking much am I?

R686 wrote: ↑10 Dec 2021, 20:33 If they do deploy together, I want them to come for Talisman Sabre and the a photo ex at Fleet Base East with the Oprea house and Harbour Bridge in the background

Come on I’m not asking much am I?

This is what happens when you're flaky with your sources.

Our number of F-35B's are going to look a bit thinly spread between two carriers aren't they? Perhaps one of the carriers will act as a temporary helicopter carrier with the other taking the jets?

RichardIC wrote: ↑10 Dec 2021, 20:36

R686 wrote: ↑10 Dec 2021, 20:33 If they do deploy together, I want them to come for Talisman Sabre and the a photo ex at Fleet Base East with the Oprea house and Harbour Bridge in the background

Come on I’m not asking much am I?

This is what happens when you're flaky with your sources.

In our defence, Forces News and others seem to have interpreted it that way too. From what I'm able to gather with what I've been told off the record is that Albion will also be involved and one carrier will be primarily (not totally) deploying with helicopters rather than jets (after PWLS goes to the states in April).

PWLS needs to do sea trials with the F35B, and get the crew up to speed with handling jets. So I suspect it will visit the USA for that. Then maybe join in with a NATO exercise.

I can see a similar air wing on PWLS as CSG21, namely 8 UK a/c plus a USMC squadron.

Given the increase in numbers a 8 UK a/c squadron plus Merlins and Apaches on QE should also be possible.

bobp wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 08:36 PWLS needs to do sea trials with the F35B, and get the crew up to speed with handling jets. So I suspect it will visit the USA for that. Then maybe join in with a NATO exercise.

But PWLS has already operated jets this year just before Joint Warrior the US trip is a good way of her stretching her legs with a couple of escorts and and a tanker plus fall filling some good work up before coming back

As for both carrier being at sea together we have been working up to this nicely starting with QE going to the US then QE working up her CG then QE deploying on CSG21 and when she was on the other side of the world PWLS starting to work up with F-35 and taking part in JW with SNMG1 as her escort

what I would like to see this year is both carries together one in the strike carrier role and the other in LHA role with 8 F-35 , 10 x Merlin , 6 x Apache , 6 x Chinook

I'm hoping soon we might get to hear the USMC take on the QE and how the trials went with the 18 f35 , which is one of their USMC unknowns to see how it went and report back ,also the documentary which will happen early next year hopefully ,well done all thumbs up ,RN/RAF ,USMC ,Dutch and all participants involved

As stated above, PWLS has already done sea trials with F35B's. US in April is not what I've heard, somewhere colder first and states later in the year.

PhillyJ wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 18:52 As stated above, PWLS has already done sea trials with F35B's. US in April is not what I've heard, somewhere colder first and states later in the year.

The place is Alaska see this article..............


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-59614405


Bottom line

bobp wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 19:16

PhillyJ wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 18:52 As stated above, PWLS has already done sea trials with F35B's. US in April is not what I've heard, somewhere colder first and states later in the year.

The place is Alaska see this article..............


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-59614405


Bottom line

Perhaps I misread the article, no mention of PWLS being in the US next April.

The station commander said F35B planes will be in Alaska next year and in the USA. As it was mentioned PWLS going somewhere cold I put the two facts together. I said nothing about April.

I think there's a flag type exercise in alaska every year, not done it but i think it's still on. Harriers used to go donkeys years ago.

The only real question is what does an artic cam wrap look like on a f35?

Did we ever do anything like CSG21 with the Invincible's?

Jdam wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 21:36 Did we ever do anything like CSG21 with the Invincible's?

If memory serves correct you did in the 90’s I think, as one of the ships were denied entry into Sydney harbour when you would not confirm if nuclear weapons were on board or not


According to wiki page

In December 1983, Invincible was refused the use of dry dock facilities in Sydney when the Royal Navy declined to divulge to the Australian authorities whether or not the ship was carrying nuclear weapons

Not sure if this was because the need to dearm the ships as we could not store the weapons or other

https://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/wopapub/ ... 2_pdf.ashx

Jdam wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 21:36 Did we ever do anything like CSG21 with the Invincible's?

Orient 92, ocean wave 97

Meanwhile in the real world :-

https://www.rand.org/blog/2021/12/ready ... itime.html

PWLS going for a half pirouette at 0930 this morning if anyone out and about Gosport side today. Nipper home on Christmas leave now so will miss out on the fun.

He has been on dishwasher duty for the last few weeks as the representative from the Warfare dept rota, seems a nice job to have as you can finish up once they've all been cleaned up after breakfast!

Zero W.O.D. !