FlubbaDefence spending to stimulate manufacturing is extremely inefficient from what I understand you put far more effort in than what you could ever hope to get back. For stimulating manufacturing I would rather instigate a massive rebuilding of the nations decrepit infrastructure from the National Grid to the rail network from water to gas. As an example to expand things like renewable energy the main barrier is the fact that the national grid was not designed with distributed generation as a driving factor, the investment would be worth it. Renewing the national grid would advance the progress of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and therefore increase energy security and depending on your view lessen our contribution to Global Warming. It should create manufacturing jobs from producing all the equipment needed as well as supporting jobs in the construction industry, steel making and various other primary and secondary industries. Results would also reach into the future with a lasting legacy compared to short term welfare spending.
The problem with things like government departments is that the more money something gets from Government the more inefficient it becomes that’s my view based on what I see around me in the world. Small organisations and businesses are dynamic, flexible entities that usually have to operate with a high efficiency and adapt or they die. Whereas large organisations and businesses tend to be large lumbering entities that survive due to their mass and ability to influence other people such as politicians by the fact that they employ people who vote. Education the NHS or social protection cannot ever have enough money or resources and there is a point where it takes down a nation as people try to make the impossible happen. Teachers and educators can be dangerous people as they can sow lies and influence those who are impressionable; the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. The poster that suggests that Armies should have jumble sales to fund their wars was possibly written by an idiot, Armies don’t start wars politicians do, armies and service personnel are merely tools used by politicians. I’m not having a go at you merely the suggestion of the poster
FlubbaI completely agree nothing should be ring fenced least of all the NHS and Social Protection. I would like to see a slash in Government spending and a deep one at that ideally around 15% of the planned 2010/2011 spending plans or around £100 Billion pounds per year. Even taking such drastic action we would still need to borrow a projected £70+ Billion in the coming year. It would also still take a decade or more to pay down the deficit with massive cuts coupled with any growth that could be hoped for. Of course things are easy to say I’m just some idiot sitting on a computer somewhere in the UK but something drastic really has to be done or this nation will sink. In my opinion many people have a titanic mentality, we will never sink we will survive and things will be OK but sticking with the status quo we will sink.
Sorry for the trollish comment I know many people will think I’m utter bonkers but I can only write what I think, I would be interested so hear what others think.
FlubbaThat is a very good point Grim I’ve no idea where he is so I suppose it needs to be taken in context.
Personally if I had to allocate £5 Billion GBP my main priority would be to get out of Afghanistan and maybe use that money to help take a chip out of the projected budget overspend. However this nation (UK) is in such huge amounts of debt and borrows so much each year I would rather money was saved across the board rather than spent. I accept that this goes against the idea of any money being a gift but I would rather the Nation was sound financially before I started giving additional funds to departments. Don’t give if you cannot give, I wouldn’t want a gift from someone if I knew they could not afford. Sorry if I spoiled the mood a bit.
FlubbaHello, In my opinion I would rather the United Kingdom was not part of the European Union although I favour strong relations and cooperation much like Norway.
Merry Christmas everyone hope you all have a lovely time but spare a thought for those stuck in a hot and sandy place far from home or those deployed elsewhere.
FlubbaHello, In my opinion I would rather the United Kingdom was not part of the European Union although I favour strong relations and cooperation much like Norway.
Merry Christmas everyone hope you all have a lovely time but spare a thought for those stuck in a hot and sandy place far from home or those deployed elsewhere.
FlubbaArthur Sarcasm or honesty? I don’t know you but I hope it would be sarcasm.
FlubbaHot Charlie I didn’t know that now I feel like a bit of an idiot 😛 I thought 1 or 2 of them were still flying. I’m guessing the Shadow R1’s fill a tiny part of the gap and the Nimrod does have some capability in this area especially given the updates over the last few years and should see greater capability on the MRA.4.
FlubbaI noticed the same thing on the AW website but “Blade Folding” could cover quite a range of options and is quite vague. It could mean powered folding blades, manual folding blades to the ability to fold the blades once in a hangar to save space. Looking at the ships the Japanese plan to operate them from they have space to handle Super Pumas or Bell 212’s. At a complete guess I would imagine there would maybe be a manual folding capability to allow for true shipboard based operation.
Thank you for your time and I hope one of us finds out some more detail as it would be interesting to know.
FlubbaSwerve any idea if the AW-139’s delivered to the Japanese Coastguard include folding rotors? and if so any idea if they are powered or manual?
FlubbaThe MoD should have stepped in and bought the 13 Dutch Navy P-3C Orions when they were up for sale. Problem solved at minimum cost but minimum and cost are two words not known within the MoD.
These aircraft would have needed a massive refurbishment bringing them up to a decent standard and even then would have been far below the capability the MR.2 provides never mind what the MRA.4 will provide if it now ever appears. Furthermore the crews would all need more re-training as it will have nothing in common with what we fly currently whereas the MRA.4 is similar but massively updated So problem not solved and not solved for anywhere near the minimum cost while providing less capability than the MR.2 fleet.
The decision on the R.1 fleet has not been made yet although the options are being explored as UAV technology could allow for a pairing of a smaller aircraft such as a modified bombardier global express with a UAV. The remaining development aircraft look like they will be wasted but the next government will have the decision on that so they could follow one of a few paths. Furthermore the next government will also have the opportunity of getting the MRA.4 fleet into the air ASAP as some of the aircraft should be ready to do training with some SAR missions if needed during training. However I doubt the next Government will care much unless the SNP win seats in Westminster and put pressure on the Government to get the fleet flying and Kinloss open again.
If that does happen they’ll be wasting 3 almost ready Nimrod airframes.
We are talking about a government here? especially a Labour one? I’m a little confused.
Flubba+1
FlubbaAll Nimrod MR.2 aircraft will cease flying by March 31st and RAF Kinloss will basically be closed for all intents and purposes as there will be no Nimrods to fly. In the longer term the base is unlikely to re-open as it would only have a miniscule fleet of 9 aircraft based there. Essentially the United Kingdom will be left without any maritime patrol aircraft for almost 2 years as the MRA4’s will not enter service and will essentially go and sit somewhere quietly in other words mothballed. The people that work on the base will essentially be without jobs and the civilians especially are in a hard place, some of the service personnel will find new posts but others will not. The difficult thing for them is this was forced upon the RAF by the politicians, no consultation or consideration was given to the RAF and especially the people affected. Furthermore over the last year there has been a great deal of money invested in fixing the Nimrod fleet so scrapping them now is just pure stupidity.
All this for what? To save a few pennies? Leaving the United Kingdom without any kind of maritime patrol capability is above and beyond reckless incompetence. We are an Island for god’s sake why can’t people in power and elsewhere wake up and realise it’s a fact not just some rubbish that nutters like me keep saying.
FlubbaEd personally I think the Artisan is similar to the Thales SMART-S although I don’t think it is as capable as that radar as I get the impression Artisan is a pretty basic 3D radar designed to be a cheap replacement to existing systems. So I don’t think it would compare easily with the Herakles or anything above the SMART-S. That’s just my opinion and I have nothing on paper to back it up so feel free to disagree, maybe somebody knows of better information about the Artisan radar?
As for the C1, C2 and C3 options I’ll stick to my original choices. A derivative of the Type 45 for C1 reusing the hull, propulsion and other systems where possible if within cost parameters. C2 Absalon class derivative swapping out the Thales SMART-S for ARTISAN for commonality reasons and swapping out weapons with UK equivalents for the same reason. I think however that the UK should adopt the Millennium gun system to replace Phalanx and Goalkeeper as it is purported to be an excellent system and could be used on land as well as at sea. The C3 role would be best filled I feel by the purpose designed BMT Venator however the VT C3 proposal would also suffice and is lower risk. The problem is I doubt we will get enough of any of any of the 3 ‘flavours’ of
FlubbaI’ll start off with something pointed out in the last comment
MoD mulling over purchase of additional 8 Wildcats for AAC
Personally I think this is bloody daft as the AW159 is a rubbish aircraft for the AAC as it’s too small to do anything useful, for instance it can no longer lift a section of men with equipment thanks to the nice new crash resistant seating. Furthermore the ‘broom cupboard’ has also been deleted in the aircraft this was the space at the back of the aircraft where random things lying around the cabin used to be placed. Even the new supposed role for the AW159 which is supposed to be as a scout helicopter is somewhat dodgy as UAV’s can now easily fill that role but with more persistence. Furthermore Boeing in the Apache block 3 updates has managed to control UAV’s from the Apache something the British Army should take a look at, although I presume our avionics are different.
What is really needed is something bigger such as the AW-149 that is in advanced development stages and would arrive if ordered about the same time as more AW-159’s. Also the AW149 would be an ideal battlefield taxi replacing the lynx in that role while doing a better job and filling the gap between the Merlin/Chinook and tiny Lynx. Although I think the entire Future Lynx order should be going to the RN as they would be of more use to them as maritime helicopters and nations seem to agree with this notion hence why the Lynx is used only at sea abroad and not on land.
In regards to the Nimrod even the planned 9 aircraft fleet is too small to realistically do anything more than wander around the North Atlantic with the odd jaunt into the Mediterranean to say hello. There will not be enough aircraft to go flying about in the Gulf or flying over Afghanistan doing a job that can now be done by a UAV and an ASTOR aircraft or most can be done by the UAV alone. I’m not current with the latest news about the Nimrod being withdrawn but I will go and do some more reading and decide what I think the facts are. If they really are going I think they should be stripped of important equipment and the airframes stored so that if needed they could be converted if someone next year see’s the light.
FlubbaThe Mark 8 Mod 1 gun mounting will be the standard until the 155mm gun and double action loader is fully proven and as of yet it is not been tested. I’m not even sure if they have solved the issues with the loading system and munitions handling below decks. Furthermore even after the 155mm gun has proven its worth it will still need funding to equip the ships with the weapon as well as investment in training and shore infrastructure. Funding will no doubt be the main barrier as there are plenty of 114mm rounds and it’s cheaper to stick with what you have for the time being.
The deck structures I would at a guess say are torpedo launchers due to the cylindrical shape although it seems a bit odd having them placed in the open on the bow like in the image. Doing so increases the amount of maintenance they will need and will make reloads more difficult so I’m unsure as it makes little sense.
You’re not the only person that would like to see a large double hangar ideally something the size of the hangar on the Danish Absalon class would be more my cup of tea. Enough room for 2 Merlin helicopters or various combinations of Merlin, FLynx and future UAV’s would be the ideal size as it offers maximum flexibility.
As for dimensions I would have a guess that it’s about the same size as a Type 45 destroyer but I’ve not put a great deal of thought into measuring the length. Maybe Stan might be able to have an educated guess due to his drawing talents?
Sign In
