PR9 Retired, the Predator Acquired!

[A2QFI]

I am not really comparing like with like but I wonder how long the £30 million being spent on buying 2 Predators could have kept some PR9 capability going? (Report in today's DT). The Predator can do a lot more but when will we have it in service? In the meantime there is a serious and admitted capability gap.

[FL575]

capability [I]holiday[I], please.

[A2QFI]

Capability Holiday = MOD weasel words! DT, Monday page 8 "The problems of finding and monitoring the Taliban have forced the MOD to admit that it has a gap in its surveillance and strike capability". The DT also says that there will not be a British developed aircraft of similar capabilty for about 4 years. What is that called, who is developing it and when shall we see it?!

[FormerFlake]

The MOD has funded development of a UAV of it's own. Sadly, funding has been put on hold owing to the MOD being broke. I assume this will be restarted one day.

[Grimweasel]

I don't get it??

Why should the MoD find the savings for Operations sanctioned by the Cabinet??? I see that Land Cmd needs to save £40M to fund Afghanistan etc. The MoD should not go broke because Tony'n'Cronies send us on World policing ops. Today the Tory reports that the 3rd Apache unit may not be stood up, diverting funds / weapons etc to the 'Ghan??

The troops sent to war (effectively what it's turning into) should be provided the kit / equipment / ammo etc as they need it. Other HMG budgets should be expected to cover the costs. Chop the crap the government wastes money on, like consultants to find ways to save money (!) Immigration centres etc (send them packing): yuk:

Go Figure?

[Bunker Mentality]

A2QFI
AFAIK the only UAV currently under (serious) development in the UK is Watchkeeper - an OTH spotter for the arty to replace that useless piece of catw@nk, Phoenix.
If we want Predator B capabilities, best we buy Predator B - and the satellite time and comms infrastructure that goes with it!
Regards
BM

[A2QFI]

It is exactly as you say. However, can our beleagured ground troops wait 4 years, for a home grown device, or 6 months for a Predator? Tomorrow would be useful!

[Bunker Mentality]

Indeed....

[mcidiot]

From the Price of Aircraft thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=241146) a whole system for, what I understand, is US$144 million.

More then the 30 mill quoted above

[A2QFI]

The figure I quoted floated out of a weekend copy of the DT. £30M for 2 aircraft and their support equipment, I suppose. I have no reason to suppose it is accurate or final!

[mcidiot]

Sorry for that, just wondered which price is right is all

[Lazer-Hound]

It's possible the USAF prevailed upon the UK to purchase two additional Predator airframes as the price for continuing to use USAF's Predator C2 facilities and that any UK-owned Predators would continbue to be controlled from/via US facilities.

[siddar]

144 million price is Globalhawk price not Predator price.
Globalhawk is a much larger UAV.

[Boudreaux Bob]

The PR9 is gone. Predator is here and now.

The Predator is far more useful in the sort of operations being conducted.

Maybe the argument about PR-9's should go along the line of why not buy U-2 type aircraft as they seem to be modded up and in much use and demand.

Perhaps looking forward would be more effective than looking rearwards. Times change...missions change. Unless you folks piss the Frogs off....the worst threat you face re: invasion is by illegal immigrants....as if the legal ones are not going to be your down fall.

Granted the Canberra is a very pretty airplane and the G-Hawk and Predator are not.

[JHC Wilton]

I think I've found a suitable replacement for the PR9:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1005116/M/
A pretty radical solution I know but it is COTS.
And I'm sure you could get a PFI deal on it.

[A2QFI]

I agree the PR9 is out of service and won't be back. Predator here and now depends on who you are and where you are! British military need the capability in Afghanistan yesterday! When will they get it? Not this year would be optimistic!