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Chaffers

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December 21, 2016 at 9:22 am in reply to: USAF T-X #2131750

Chaffers
Participant

Anyone know the aircraft weights, dimensions etc for the Boeing / Saab offering?

July 24, 2016 at 4:55 am in reply to: Japan Self-Defense Forces – News & Discussion – Season 1 #2191447

Chaffers
Participant

ATD ( X-2 ) flew in April didn’t it?

July 3, 2016 at 1:24 am in reply to: Brexit – Naval implications #2013728

Chaffers
Participant

” Needless to say fiercely beweaponed hulls dont really appear on the scope for that kind of regulatory duty…”

Quite, was rather alarmed at a post above which advocated upgunning them to 6lbers! The odd illegal fishing episode by foreign trawler men may require some loss of teeth but not that sort of firepower. 🙂

Not the sharp end but the everyday mundane duties which still constitute the primary aims of a Navy, but which appear to be almost completely lacking at present. I am assuming this will be an RN function rather than another civilian agency being set up from scratch.

Might be a bad excuse to tinker around with with drones at the high end, more likely small and unarmed OPVs backed up by civvy contracted MPAs.

What are we thinking in terms of numbers and budget though?

July 2, 2016 at 9:29 pm in reply to: Brexit – Naval implications #2013745

Chaffers
Participant

I was thinking more along the lines of what assets are needed to patrol our EEZ than ill informed speculation about the SAS capturing Sturgeon…. :sleeping:

June 25, 2016 at 11:08 pm in reply to: Brexit – Naval implications #2013929

Chaffers
Participant

They can’t.

Couldn’t afford it even if they did.

June 5, 2015 at 10:10 pm in reply to: Meteor based SAM #1787905

Chaffers
Participant

Sea Dart, after its update which allowed a ballistic profile, had a remarkably similar range to the SM ER and was about a third the weight. Weight isn’t much advantage on a ship though so I assume complexity, maintenance, cost or service life killed off the general idea. Rocket motors are cheap.

June 4, 2015 at 1:45 am in reply to: Low Level…… #2175289

Chaffers
Participant

[ATTACH=CONFIG]237999[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]238000[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]238001[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]238002[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]238003[/ATTACH]

Omani Jags…

Last one is a car hit by a Jag, and the previous one is a signpost embedded in the wing!

May 31, 2015 at 10:33 pm in reply to: F-32? #2176115

Chaffers
Participant

“Its M0,8 to M1,2 time is 34,95 seconds.”

Nice model and spreadsheet, shame it’s wrong by a factor of two. 🙂

January 31, 2015 at 8:51 pm in reply to: SDSR 2015 Place your bets…. #2227374

Chaffers
Participant

I wonder how much the RAF paid the ruskies to joyride through the channel? Lack of hoods is the Army’s biggest gripe so far, they will only be provided, “if funding can be assured”. Meanwhile the Navy is so starved of cash one of their chaps had to sell the wrong sort of fish to Iceland, where the clientelle could be confused for a RN hoccifer in the new cool and modern uniform. Whether funding can be assured for single diamante earings or blacked out Nova GTE’s remains to be seen

January 21, 2015 at 3:54 pm in reply to: F-35 News, Multimedia & Discussion thread (2015) #2232037

Chaffers
Participant

“Considering that the F-35 is still in testing and evaluation with training starting to step up, that number should only rise.”

There was an entire section of the report detailing how the numbers are not rising fast enough…

I find the training spots not being taken up by customer’s to be rather earth shattering. For those who are already signed up to the program not to bother taking up 14% of the pilot training slots and over 30% of the ground crew training slots gives one little confidence that these customers will actually receive aircraft.

“The “A” model has shown negative weight growth (which is excellent news),”

16 pounds weight loss this year, and 123 pounds over the last 38 months. Your excellent news could have been accomplished by sending the pilots to weightwatchers. 🙂

I do note however that several recommendations are made at the end of the report which will inevitably add weight, not to mention the failure and fatigue of several bulkheads whose weight impact has yet to be assessed.

I think we have differing definitions of excellent news as the A model is also within 1.2% of must not exceed weight and well over design weight. I seem to remember Raymer’s original design study called for little more than 25,500 lbs empty weight…

January 21, 2015 at 4:38 am in reply to: F-35 News, Multimedia & Discussion thread (2015) #2232253

Chaffers
Participant

Interesting that the training spots, both pilot and groundcrew, are not being taken up by supposed customers.

All of the other numbers in that report are shocking. The idea that software with more than 100 P1 bugs in it is going to be operational later this year is fantasy unless they move the goal posts. 3g limit, 30% max engine thrust, serious structural issues, roman candle ballistic tests, mtbf figures which make you wonder how anything gets done at all…. The list is too long to even contemplate.

January 15, 2015 at 4:19 am in reply to: Little bit of fun if your up for it. #2025155

Chaffers
Participant

Yeah, I more than considered some boats,

Several problems though. Minitaya already has a capable and diverse military. Her strategic location in key shipping lanes makes subs a bit too aggressive to my mind. Very useful in fishing disputes to gather evidence and whatnot but I suspect China and Japan might become a little concerned if modern AIPs appeared in the middle of their trade routes. Also the rather extreme costs of likely supplier nation systems ( there aren’t any) turned my head.

No real threats listed in the description, unless India decides to land a ‘peacekeeping’ force. By parachute. At night.

More likely is the regional power. Whilst it isn’t explicitly listed I’m guessing the government would be at least democratic, though probably lead by someone whose monthly copy of Janes gets more attention than his wife. Focussing on SAR and quasi-civilian torpor whilst adding a unique capability which would be attractive to alliances ( and likely commonality to the north) would add more to Minitaya’s security and standing than a small flat top and posh junket air.

I have no idea why they have F-18s in the first place. More than likely 30 years old so either paperweights, hangar queens or Minitaya has an airshow every month.

January 14, 2015 at 2:23 am in reply to: Little bit of fun if your up for it. #2025223

Chaffers
Participant

Hmmm…

First thought is that they are already armed to the teeth!

A second hand ro-ro would suit the marines and their needs nicely as there is no need for amphibious capability, Wouldn’t cost a bomb.

Not exactly lacking in fisheries protection and whatnot, though the frigates are long in the tooth. Look to replace through the second hand market, Consider Type 26 if nothing stands out though preference for something heavy hulled.

Those F18s must cost a fortune in maintenance so have a word with Saab about leasing Gripen Cs. Similar with the P3s, very heavy shipping traffic so focus on SAR rather than ASW and consider replacing with US2s. Look through diplomatic channels to join the 5 powers and consider a seaplane tender / oiler such that airforce and navy could participate in exercises and disaster relief. Nothing too grand, smallish converted merchant vessel would suffice.

The oil field is rather a long distance away. Purchase a few extended AW609s, get rid / lease to Russian oligarch the presidential jet and charge the oil firms for rotating personel on the rigs. If someone else pays for the integration then upgrade with a lowish end radar.

Extend puma and herc life dependant upon hours and give about $2 billion back to the exchequer ( dependant upon frigate buy) to hold a big party with!

January 10, 2015 at 5:35 pm in reply to: SDSR 2015 Place your bets…. #2235825

Chaffers
Participant

As I said, very vague and the story is total bunk.

January 10, 2015 at 1:41 am in reply to: SDSR 2015 Place your bets…. #2236103

Chaffers
Participant

Not particularly vague.

Unless you are a nutter of course in which case it was very vague and the story is total bunk.

“One thing we haven’t talked about (because it clearly doesn’t fit the mood music here) is the F35. Can we expect a commitment for all 138 in SDSR 2015?”

I thought the order was for 14, plus the previous 3 prototypes. If I’m right in that would leave 121 aircraft… Latest price is $251 or £166 million unit procurement so that would be a £20 billion commitment even spun. Please note that I make no comment or description on this purchase.
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