@AutoStick
I doubt they are that bothered about France buying some British drones. They aren’t really that expensive, and they are just drones! They’ve got bigger issues.

@TooCool_12f
The UK is cutting public services, but it’s borrowing is going up. It’s not a fair comparison really as the Europeans are sucking the money from us faster than we can make it available by cutting our public services. That’s not our fault, it’s theirs. Even so, the UK retains a AAA rating. The UK needs to:
1. Get an EU in/out referendum, then abolish as many regulations as possible
2. Axe as many “non-jobs” from the public sector as possible, focus on papar shuffling desk jockeys first
3. Encourage growth by lowering taxes and creating an environment for investment

France becomes another greece around december. Mark my words.

Nic

That early? France seemed reasonably stable relative to Greece.

Its interesting that Greece hasnt really cut its military back despite its disappointing economy, while on the flip side, Germany is doing quite well and has cut its forces substantialy.

Maybe they plan to bomb the protesters on the orders of the three Amigos? 😉

@mrtotty

Firstly, there is no such thing as “free” healthcare. Tax funded healthcare however… I’m sure you’re aware of this, but it’s important to remember the difference 🙂

Personally I agree with an NHS type system, simply because it could be argued that life should come before profit, and that no private company should have that sort of power without a state alternative. This makes sense when compared to our position on similar issues such as the military and police.

Any comments?
By seemingly turning their back on austerity measures will France become the new Greece?

It’s their choice. We should get a choice too, particularly through an in/out referendum on the EU. Since the EU is such a great thing according to Europhiles, they should be enthusiastic about such a proposition, knowing that the majority of the British people will make the right choice. Of course if the EU were perhaps not so great, then it would make sense for them to oppose a referendum 😉

So yea, the joys of pushing people with expensive camera equipment off ladders at major airshows… 😀

Not very catchy is it? This sports needs a new name 😎

Naw, JSP are useless. Hardly any expansion at all.

Some I had sold were used in an incident involving an armed robbery and a tip-off. One of the perps took two or three rounds and was still running, one of the rounds went through him, out the other side and on to collect a bystander’s ankle.

But proper expanding ammo isn’t thought to be ‘fair’ or somesuch. IMHO, to protect the citizenry from stray rounds they should be compulsory

Moggy

I think they do actually use expanding rounds now. I remember reading something in a paper about “bullets that bounce around inside the “terrorist”” being carried by police.

Anybody on here work with ‘Blindfire’ know the difference?

Baz

Blindfire is a radar.

Would they really put missiles on roofs, in a built up area ?
Especially as reliability would be an issue, more likely temporary radar.

What could the Typhoons do, that the Apache’s couldn’t ?
There’s been quite a lot of low flying Apache night time activity recently.
ZJ209 flying over tonight.

No space for a temporary radar. We’re talking a couple guys with shoulder fired rockets.

The Apache couldn’t even catch an airliner, it’s a helicopter! The Apache is limited to relatively low level operation, Typhoon can fly upto ~60k feet. Apache’s radar is meant for tracking tanks and so has high resolution but about 20km range. Typhoon’s radar can track targets at ~180km, and airliners at probably 300km++. Apache is capable of being fitted with anti-helicopter missiles, like MANPAD type missiles, not good for most fixed wing aircraft. Typhoon has large, fast missile like AMRAAM for chasing down targets like other fighter jets. If an airliner is to be attacked the RAF first need to chase after it then warn it to turn off, failing that they attack. This means they need to get to it a decent distance out, and need to travel at high speeds, which Typhoon can do, and Apache cannot.

Is the plane in the centre escorting the three others to keep them safe from attack?

@John Green

It’s not much of a problem in most wars as they tend to happen for a reason, and that reason also provides a motivation to disperse targets etc.