Just noticed earlier comments on Rapier from last year.
In a post Falklands briefing the reason for 'failure' of Rapier at San Carlos bay - the fire units were situated on the surrounding high ridges for best field of fire, unfortunately the design/spec for maximum angle of depression in sighting system was too limited and so unable to follow Argie aircraft as they flew in so low on the deck and system lost track.
MBDA (UK)
Re: MBDA (UK)
If this was true they would have just relocated the units. Not hard.NickC wrote:Just noticed earlier comments on Rapier from last year.
In a post Falklands briefing the reason for 'failure' of Rapier at San Carlos bay - the fire units were situated on the surrounding high ridges for best field of fire, unfortunately the design/spec for maximum angle of depression in sighting system was too limited and so unable to follow Argie aircraft as they flew in so low on the deck and system lost track.
Re: MBDA (UK)
Really, because the rotary air assets were always there to move the fire units? The slant engagement envelope was seconds if that and the weather so shit that often the fire units had no clear line of sight. Unfortunately it took until 23rd May to get them set up and even then the sea journey had played hell with the launch units. By the time they realised all of the above the units were competing with 3Cdo for rotary support much of was moving logs and guns forward in support of the marines and also 2 Para moving forward.
Sadly, it was a good plan but not an appropriate one. The concept was hatched on a ferry heading south by people who had never been there and used the system due to its recent adoption to orbat.
Sadly, it was a good plan but not an appropriate one. The concept was hatched on a ferry heading south by people who had never been there and used the system due to its recent adoption to orbat.
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Aethulwulf
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Sea Ceptor looses to ESSM Block 2 in Spanish decision to equip new F110 frigates.
https://www.janes.com/article/83295/spa ... 0-frigates
https://www.janes.com/article/83295/spa ... 0-frigates
Re: MBDA (UK)
I think you'll find the units can be moved without helicopter. Note the wheels. In the absence of a tow vehicle, they can be man handled.jimthelad wrote:Really, because the rotary air assets were always there to move the fire units? The slant engagement envelope was seconds if that and the weather so shit that often the fire units had no clear line of sight. Unfortunately it took until 23rd May to get them set up and even then the sea journey had played hell with the launch units. By the time they realised all of the above the units were competing with 3Cdo for rotary support much of was moving logs and guns forward in support of the marines and also 2 Para moving forward.
Sadly, it was a good plan but not an appropriate one. The concept was hatched on a ferry heading south by people who had never been there and used the system due to its recent adoption to orbat.
Re: MBDA (UK)
Ron5 wrote:I think you'll find the units can be moved without helicopter. Note the wheels. In the absence of a tow vehicle, they can be man handled.jimthelad wrote:Really, because the rotary air assets were always there to move the fire units? The slant engagement envelope was seconds if that and the weather so shit that often the fire units had no clear line of sight. Unfortunately it took until 23rd May to get them set up and even then the sea journey had played hell with the launch units. By the time they realised all of the above the units were competing with 3Cdo for rotary support much of was moving logs and guns forward in support of the marines and also 2 Para moving forward.
Sadly, it was a good plan but not an appropriate one. The concept was hatched on a ferry heading south by people who had never been there and used the system due to its recent adoption to orbat.
Have you ever been to the Falklands ?!? A landy one tonner or man portable over the hellhole of bogs and scree around San Carlos and the Sussex mountains would be about as useful as a lace condom. FFS listen to those who have seen the terrain or been there. with that type of asshat thinking you should be a (armchair) general. Remf thinking like that gets people killed, sadly not the ones who should get slotted.
Re: MBDA (UK)
Then you will know what I mean. The only way to get them up to overhead was by helo's sadly. We did the 15 year anniversary march from Sussex to Goose Green. It was an absolute hellhole to operate in. The best tow vehicle was the Pinzgauer for FSC.Ron5 wrote:Yes I have been to the Falklands and visited San Carlos.
Re: MBDA (UK)
jimthelad wrote:Then you will know what I mean. The only way to get them up to overhead was by helo's sadly. We did the 15 year anniversary march from Sussex to Goose Green. It was an absolute hellhole to operate in. The best tow vehicle was the Pinzgauer for FSC.Ron5 wrote:Yes I have been to the Falklands and visited San Carlos.
To be fair I was there at the best time of year and the terrain didn't look much different than any moorland. But those guys were there near winter so probably a lot worse. I though the Falklands was pretty dreary, not enough money in the world to persuade me to live there. South Georgia was much more dramatic. V photogenic.
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Looks like CAMM-ER has been saved from the axe. Italians look like they're continuing to fund.
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
From the MBDA Twitter feed.
Smartglider Light seems to be pitched at the French Air Force and Navy for integration with Rafale. Hopefully the UK will get involved at some point as we could do with a cheap SDB1 type weapon that would have the same form factor as Spear. The Smartglider Heavy would be a useful addition to RAF capabilities as well, with a gliding 2,000lb weapon being a capability we're lacking, and as a possible replacement for PWII and EPWIII.
I should add, the messaging around it is a little confusing. Initially it appeared to be a simple GPS/INS glide weapon, now there is talk of Optronics and RF seeker heads which is confusing as thats pretty much a Spear....only with less capability and only marginally cheaper from the same company..which makes no sense. Unless its production is designed to be carried out in France only, which would be stupid but not beyond belief in European defence procurement.
Smartglider Light seems to be pitched at the French Air Force and Navy for integration with Rafale. Hopefully the UK will get involved at some point as we could do with a cheap SDB1 type weapon that would have the same form factor as Spear. The Smartglider Heavy would be a useful addition to RAF capabilities as well, with a gliding 2,000lb weapon being a capability we're lacking, and as a possible replacement for PWII and EPWIII.
I should add, the messaging around it is a little confusing. Initially it appeared to be a simple GPS/INS glide weapon, now there is talk of Optronics and RF seeker heads which is confusing as thats pretty much a Spear....only with less capability and only marginally cheaper from the same company..which makes no sense. Unless its production is designed to be carried out in France only, which would be stupid but not beyond belief in European defence procurement.
Re: MBDA (UK)
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-rele ... ey-review/
Two years into the FC/ASW (Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon) Concept Phase, MBDA is proud to announce the successful achievement of its “Key Review”, jointly conducted with Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), the British and French armament procurement agencies.
The conclusion of this Key Review makes it possible to select the most promising missile concepts in order to meet the requirements expressed by both nations’ armed forces. More in-depth studies will now be conducted on these concepts with the aim of identifying the solutions that will be selected at the end of the concept phase in 2020 in order to answer both nations’ requirements for long range anti-ship missions, suppression of enemy air defences and deep strike.
The conclusions of this study will also make it possible to establish the road maps for maturing the technologies required, and to launch any follow on assessment phase. This new phase will demonstrate the necessary maturity of the weapon system and its key components, to be followed by the development and production phase in the 2024 timeframe, so that current weapons systems can be replaced in accordance with required timescales.
Two years into the FC/ASW (Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon) Concept Phase, MBDA is proud to announce the successful achievement of its “Key Review”, jointly conducted with Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), the British and French armament procurement agencies.
The conclusion of this Key Review makes it possible to select the most promising missile concepts in order to meet the requirements expressed by both nations’ armed forces. More in-depth studies will now be conducted on these concepts with the aim of identifying the solutions that will be selected at the end of the concept phase in 2020 in order to answer both nations’ requirements for long range anti-ship missions, suppression of enemy air defences and deep strike.
The conclusions of this study will also make it possible to establish the road maps for maturing the technologies required, and to launch any follow on assessment phase. This new phase will demonstrate the necessary maturity of the weapon system and its key components, to be followed by the development and production phase in the 2024 timeframe, so that current weapons systems can be replaced in accordance with required timescales.
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Timmymagic
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Timmymagic
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Timmymagic
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Timmymagic
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Short film from the Armee De l'Air showing Meteor trials on Rafale. Includes camera on the targeted drone...
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Spear gets more and more interesting...
Would have loved to get to this lecture, but couldn't get down to London.
Spear will have anti-ship modes.
An EW/Decoy version is coming....no more talk of MALD's necessary...
A glide version is being developed, which sounds exactly like SmartGlider Light..
Would have loved to get to this lecture, but couldn't get down to London.
Spear will have anti-ship modes.
An EW/Decoy version is coming....no more talk of MALD's necessary...
A glide version is being developed, which sounds exactly like SmartGlider Light..
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Think this has been missed as well.
FCASW has passed its 'Key Review'. This should enable the selection of the concept from a range of options in 2020, before moving on to the production/development phase in 2024. Looks like its on track for 2030. On another note MBDA recently opened a computing centre for work on the next French nuclear missile, the ASMP replacement for 2035, the centre will work on the hypersonic side of the development. It will be interesting if any of that work leaks into the FCASW world....it would make some sense.
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-rele ... ey-review/
FCASW has passed its 'Key Review'. This should enable the selection of the concept from a range of options in 2020, before moving on to the production/development phase in 2024. Looks like its on track for 2030. On another note MBDA recently opened a computing centre for work on the next French nuclear missile, the ASMP replacement for 2035, the centre will work on the hypersonic side of the development. It will be interesting if any of that work leaks into the FCASW world....it would make some sense.
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-rele ... ey-review/
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Hopefully some more will come out from MBDA shortly...some very interesting concepts:
In the photo there appears to be:
- Smartglider Light - Already announced. Aimed at the French. Spear and Spear Glide will be for the UK (although Spear Glide and Smartglider Light appear to be exactly the same concept..surely not).
- SmartCruiser - Appears to be a larger powered version of SmartGlider at the left of the pic. This is new. Seems a duplication with Spear...
- Is this FCASW breaking cover? 2 missiles mentioned: a 'Supersonic Cruise/Anti-AWACS killer'. Bit of a departure if thats the case. But great news. Thats the one above the SmartGlider Light in the centre, seen in the NGF video. And a Long Range Stealth Cruise Missile. Presumably this is the nose on the left hand side. Perhaps FCASW is being split into 2 weapons?
- A hard kill miniature anti-missile missile - Similar to the US MDSM. Great news for all platforms.
- Mini Loyal Wingmen - Guessing these are the 2 on the right.
MBDA are on a roll at the moment, hopefully these all come to fruition. FCASW will (but which guise?), SmartGlider Light certainly will. The hard kill missile and anti-AWACS are very interesting...
In the photo there appears to be:
- Smartglider Light - Already announced. Aimed at the French. Spear and Spear Glide will be for the UK (although Spear Glide and Smartglider Light appear to be exactly the same concept..surely not).
- SmartCruiser - Appears to be a larger powered version of SmartGlider at the left of the pic. This is new. Seems a duplication with Spear...
- Is this FCASW breaking cover? 2 missiles mentioned: a 'Supersonic Cruise/Anti-AWACS killer'. Bit of a departure if thats the case. But great news. Thats the one above the SmartGlider Light in the centre, seen in the NGF video. And a Long Range Stealth Cruise Missile. Presumably this is the nose on the left hand side. Perhaps FCASW is being split into 2 weapons?
- A hard kill miniature anti-missile missile - Similar to the US MDSM. Great news for all platforms.
- Mini Loyal Wingmen - Guessing these are the 2 on the right.
MBDA are on a roll at the moment, hopefully these all come to fruition. FCASW will (but which guise?), SmartGlider Light certainly will. The hard kill missile and anti-AWACS are very interesting...
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Latest from MBDA...
They could do with a little less duplication at present, probably due to the France/UK split. Spear and Spear Glide, SmartGlider Light and SmartCruiser being the most obvious...
https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/mbda- ... r-systems/
They could do with a little less duplication at present, probably due to the France/UK split. Spear and Spear Glide, SmartGlider Light and SmartCruiser being the most obvious...
https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/mbda- ... r-systems/
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
Now revealed as Remote Carrier 100 and 200
From MBDA's press release:
"Enablers for the penetration of adversary defences thanks to the ‘Remote Carriers’ that deliver multiple effects, whether lethal or non-lethal, as well as new services for munitions such as intelligence, targeting, and deception of enemy sensors."
From MBDA's press release:
"Enablers for the penetration of adversary defences thanks to the ‘Remote Carriers’ that deliver multiple effects, whether lethal or non-lethal, as well as new services for munitions such as intelligence, targeting, and deception of enemy sensors."
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Timmymagic
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Aethulwulf
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Timmymagic
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Re: MBDA (UK)
A new one from MBDA...
Asraam CSP, the small defensive hard kill missiles (that have been seen before) and something new....what appears to be a half sized Asraam on a dual mounting..
Subsonic stealthy cruise (as seen at Le Bourget) under the port front of the Tempest, with what appears to be Meteor and 2 Spear variants on the starboard side (standard and EW?)
Asraam CSP, the small defensive hard kill missiles (that have been seen before) and something new....what appears to be a half sized Asraam on a dual mounting..
Subsonic stealthy cruise (as seen at Le Bourget) under the port front of the Tempest, with what appears to be Meteor and 2 Spear variants on the starboard side (standard and EW?)