And the previous Cons that put Labour in the horrible position before that !!! Anyway I like the idea of the A319MPA a proven airframe. 1 billion is surely enough to get a couple of frames of these birds ?Originally Posted by SDL
A couple of units is a pretty bad return on £1bn!
India's getting 8 P-8I for $2.1bn, meaning we could probably get 6 or 7 for £1bn.
I'd much rather have a proven aircraft, than a paper-plane which would blatently end up as yet another european calamity.
I didnt realise they were getting that many for that much. I would expact the same from Airbus then.
I see where your coming from with the P-8 very proven airframe in the 737. At the end of the day its still boeing vs airbus and I maybe slightly more inclined with airbus but im slightly biased. Still I suppose any is better than none and the best deal that can be done should be taken.
I'd rather see us investing in an airframe from a company that delivers and offers commonality with a large ally, i.e. P-8 and the US. Buying the A319MPA would mean buying another unique and un-tried MPA (after Nimrod MRA4) from a company notorious for late delivery and ****-ups (A400M/FSTA). The only stumbling block in the short term could be Britain's most powerful anti-ally, i.e. the current incumbent of the White House.
A P-8/UAV maritime patrol force carrying RN/FAA markings makes a lot of sense - I predict recruiting of disgruntled personnel from the former RAF Nimrod-force, it makes a lot of sense. It would be ironic after the rats leaving the sinking ship in the other direction in the late seventies (Buccaneer/F-4K aircrew tx. RN-RAF).
Q. Just as a matter of interest, who can tell me who made the last cat-launch from a British Aircraft Carrier?
A. Flight Lieutentant (later Sqn. Ldr.0 Rick Phillips RAF
XT870/012, of 892 Naval Air Squadron, flown by an exchange pilot Flt Lt MacLeod, and observer Lt McCallum.
I hope we do go for a proven platform.
I note from the sunday telegraph note Fleet air arm pilots are in line for redundancy.
will the Fleet Air Arm be taking over the Maritime Patrol role?
The loss of the New chinooks will be a blessing in disguise as the current model in production is significantly different from the HC2/3 fleet soon to be HC4/HC5. following engine upgrade and cockpit standardisation
with the govts post Afghanistan there is going to be one huge car bootie of all the UOR kit
That's interesting, as I had it as another exchange pilot flying a Buccaneer - Flight Lieutentant (later Sqn. Ldr.) Rick Phillips RAFXT870/012, of 892 Naval Air Squadron, flown by an exchange pilot Flt Lt MacLeod, and observer Lt McCallum.
The last hook was by Gannet XL472 flown by Lt Slade, with observers Lt Cdr Rotherham and Lt Cass, 18th Nov 1978, south of Sardinia.
The last launch was at 1511 on 27th Nov 1978, by Flt Lt MacLeod, near Gibraltar.
(MacLeod later flew GR3's in the Falklands War, gaining the DFC for landing a battle-damaged jet on Hermes, and in the Gulf War).
The last Bucc launch was indeed by Flt Lt Phillips and Lt Cdr McKenzie, in XV863.
I know Rick Phillips, he has the record for highest number of flying hours in the Buccaneer, something in the region of 3,500. He also flew Tornados, Hunters and finally the Canberra PR9.
Whilst anything could be possible, don't believe what you read in The Guardian. It's notoriously anti-military and left wing in its views.
Love how they just cite 'Sources'...you can report ANYTHING you want if you just put 'Sources say' infront of it.... Either name the sources or STFU....
Though to be fair the £1bn shortfall needing to be filled isn't new news, its been floating around for about a month.
It might get to the stage where the culture of the armed forces to make do has to come to an end and the service chiefs simply say if you cut this then we can no longer do 'that'.
I don't think the RN can take many further hits to its surface fleet and keep up its commitments tbh, and there are only so many RFA vessels to fill the gaps.
Not ordering the 12 additional chinooks has to be a no brainer? We already have the 2nd largest Chinook fleet in the world. It was a political decision to procure them anyway with the Labour government being embarrased into getting more helicopters.
I wonder with the change in world circumstances in the last number of weeks will a suplementry chapter to SDSR have to be issued changing the direction of the UK armed forces. The world is a much more unstable place than it was in October last year.
It shows that no plan survives crossing the line of departure
Ordering new chinooks would make sense if it was part of a rolling program to replace the Chinook fleet with new model.
The Helicopter plan is now up in air as Sea King will need to be kept in service to fulfil SAR except merlin HC fleet diverted into this. is CHF going to be sacrificed? is it sensible to update puma?
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