We’ll swap Gary McKinnon for it.:diablo:

btw: if this is genuine the UK will just bend over and take it, IIRC £5bn has been spent already, we cannot afford to look somewhere else now.

I think theres 20 K model Hercs(C.1/3), and 24 J models(C.4/5).

The 20 Mk.1&3 Hercs are to be replaced by the 25 A400ms (which begs the question when is RAFs last A400m scheduled to enter service? and how old will the oldest Mk4/5 aircract to be at this point? – you all know what I’m getting at; politicians are slimy cnuts). First deliveries of A400m have been delayed until 2012, we will not see it operational until the later half of the next decade

As to the VC10/Tristar I was under the impression there are 16 VC10s(although I’m working on old info and IIRC they’ve begun to retire the fleet before replacements arrive so Charlie’s 14 is probably right) and 9 Tristars (3 of which are not tankers). Either way a considerable amount more than there will be in replacements

the 14 quoted above for MRRT rings a bell and prompts my own question; is there any chance of the RAF opting for another 4 or so more? 14 isn’t enough by about half, the alternative being to buy refueling kits for the some of the A400s (or a non-linear, non-sensical alternative being to retire 30% of the fleet so there are enough tankers to go around, surely the Call-me-Dave’s wont be as bad as labour?)

A330 MRRT was a mistake, a little bit more cash and thought would have gone a long way, RAF could host a fleet of 767s with various different missions, 4-5 JSTARS type(ignoring the fact ASTOR was a couple of years before FSTA), 18-20 tankers, 3 ELINT and later perhaps 6 767 Wedgetail derrived AEW and if you’re that way inclined theres always Blair Force One. Would not work with A330 due to increased costs, theres no way of fitting it into any dreamable budget (it’d take a fair chunk more to stretch this far) with lower chances of any international collaberation.

Another question on the subject of airlift: the Globemasters; a couple of years ago there were plans to bring total numbers upto 8, did that plan die and if not is it now too late?

Thanks in advance

A British JCA order will not drop to 50 as previously speculated, 80-90 is probably closer to the mark although I have been expecting the RAF to say we don’t want JCA and looking to equip No.1 and No.4 Squadrons with Tiffies for some time now.

The problem is not solely any minority(but you could argue that Islamic ideals conflict with the secular western culture we have grown up in ergo Islam gets the most flak) but when large numbers of the same group of peoples are chucked together in the same street or village or whatever then from their perspective they’re got a little part of their home in ours; where there is a street with 70% Poles most of which have only been in the country a couple of years at the most then you’re going to expect some Polish writing in the Polish food shop at the end of the street why should they intergrate when in their area they’re not the minority? It’s the traditional working British man/woman that is; i’m not for a second saying it’s right or that I agree but it’s the way it is!

This is not a new problem, It’s been around for at least 30 years, Greeks and Cypriots in and North London in the 70s to name but one example

The problem is not high levels of immigration but a lack of intergration (although the former is directly linked to the latter)

PS: seeing as I’ve just attacked mutliculturalism should I prepare for incoming?

PPS: I do appreciate that I have sidestepped the issue by ignoring Islam but Islam is not at the root of the problem

I still can’t see why everyone has a problem with CVF, ignoring the sod arounds with budgets, delays etc CVF would have proved to be the most economically efficient solution to procure, a truly flexible design only disadvantage in my eyes is that the RN will be down to 3 Aviation cabable ships(Ignoring RFA Argus)

They can sell T22B3’s and possibly a couple of the early T23’s still. :dev2:

paying them off early wouldn’t be looked at too fondly by those that print tomorrows chip wrappers.

the need for the perpetual production of vessels is something that has been forgotten (although originally T42 replacements were due as soon as T23 finished falling off the slips.) and applies to submarines too (Decade between Vengeance and Astute, 16 years between Triumph and Astute.)

Talk of building more T23s isn’t helping me rid myself of the fixation with a new GP T23 mk.2 with WR-21s, leccy motors, Artisan, CAMM, A modern looking superstructure with a bridge dominated by HUGE windows(everyone knows the better it looks the better it performs, hence Nimrod mk.3), Merlin and Camcopters totting LMM…

Im personally one of those nutter conservative members who wants a United States of Europe.

But I only want the following nations in it.

UK / France / Germany / Spain / Italy / Poland/ Denmark / Holland / Belgium

If I could just have all of those in one group I would be happy. I would create

1 Army – Standing force of 300,000 troops
1 Navy – 9 Aircraft Carriers based on the CVF
1 Airforce – Mix of Eurofighters/F-35/ Rafeals

Begin work on a new 5 Generation fighter

Just imagine that. For me it would be perfect, but only if we were determined in our use of force. A little like the yanks.

What can I saw im a nut. Its mainly about building a Navy that is capable of being considered a true tier 1 navy.

Personally I also want a European Federal State and the EUSSR will consist of the following nations:

France, Spain, Italy, Portgual, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium

I propose the RN use QE class for towing the UK further out into the Atlantic

What annoys me more than the fact he wasn’t allowed in is that it is only the far right that are treated in this way, the equally far left don’t get the same and it highlights the fear of the far right at the moment, not very good PR by HMGOV.