I suppose AW could fit the radome and ballest to demonstrate the concept.

Merlin AEW?

When did this happen?

That’s sensible. And i definitely hope that the SDR will reach that decision and safeguard the carriers. They truly are the cornerstone of the defence of the Uk, and it is the only one thing that Labour, in a way or another, had got right when it kept saying it. Shame for THE REST of what they did to the armed forces, but yes…

However, i keep fearing. The frequency with which the carriers are called in by the press as “expensive programs” and never as strategic assets worries me a lot for PoW.
This said, i have hopes… And i must admit that the CVFs fascinate me so much that i’m gonna come in the Uk from Italy the day that HMS Queen Elizabeth is launched, to see the biggest warship ever built in Europe take to the sea.
Not everyone realize it, but these carriers truly are awesome pieces of shipbuilding technology.

I must admit I am thinking of doing the same thing myself, probably have to organise an Aviation Forum trip to watch the big day! We can all drink a beer and such!!!

On that note can’t wait to see the next big superblock make its trip to Rosyth. Must be due one soon!

Reading the times today, it looks like General Sir David Richards will be the next Chief of the Defence staff.

Well the photo looks legit Deino, it doesn’t have a feel of PS! The J-15 is real but I can’t make out an arrestor hook.

Thanks !

But that’s IMO clearly a PSed one. If You look closely, You can clearly see the two regular greys … if that bird would be yellow it would most likely be only one yellow.

Deino

Certainly PSed buddy! But I must admit I rather like it:D

Or maybe they could fly over Iran instead.:D

I don’t understand. You admit that Russia already has equivalent systems to those found on the Mistral. In what way is the Mistral more ‘advanced’? Russian shipyards can already build a similarly equipped vessel, where’s the need for modernisation?

As for the systems, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll take the deal without them.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4696005

I’m not saying the Mistral is more or less advanced, I am talking about the situation with Russian shipyards.

They could certainly build a similarly equipped Mistral class without help from France but at great cost. Russian shipyards are behind the times when it comes to naval architecture and are barely able to meet current export and local orders. Just look at the near disaster with INS Vikramaditya.

Russia is very interested in transfering modern western shipbuilding techniques to Russian yards. The purchase involves local production and transfer of shipbuilding technology.

Thanks Fedaykin, I had already taken the threat from the Army into account, and like yourself had already seen the withdrawal from the Stan as putting an eventual end to their arguments. Only the press and some loony fringe elements appear to have taken them seriously anyway. That and Liam Fox’s apparent pro Navy and pro-Carrier stance gives me a degree of reassurance.

The RAF seems to suffer from a strange malady- whilst they are maintaining and flying aircraft (getting their hands dirty) they seem to be well adjusted and sensible with respect for the need for Naval Aviation and happy for it to remain primarily Dark Blue. Once they get promoted to flying a desk, all sorts of strange and unworkable ideas appear to fill their heads such as taking over ownership of ALL British Military aircraft be they FJ, AT or RW. This condition is known as ‘Hermann Goerring-itis’, also known as ‘Everything that flies belongs to me!’ Syndrome, and like it’s namesake can only end badly for all infected…

Hah you know there is another service that suffers ‘Hermann Goerring-itis’ as well internationally … the USAF!

So the US army decides that its Shorts Sherpa transport aircraft are a highly useful organic in theatre transport capability that needs to be improved upon. So it eventually decides to purchase the C27J along with the USAF, the lion share sensibly going to the Army. Then the USAF suffers an attack of ‘Hermann Goerring-itis’ starts putting pressure on all the friends it has in government and gets the entire purchase transferred to themselves.

On a side note I have always felt that the C27J is the perfect replacement for the legacy Hercules in the tactical transport role in the RAF, it shares commonality with the C130J already in RAF service and slots into the role perfectly. The buy and ramp up could even be added to the USAF role out in much the same way as was done for the C17. This would allow retirement of the legacy Hercules which are in short supply and over worked.