Typhoon - Have I Missed Something?!

[Wrathmonk]

Just catching up on the headlines on Teletext and p311 caught my eye (my bold):

PM to meet pilots in Gulf

Gordon Brown will meet British pilots who have been flying in dangerous missions in the Gulf as his tour of the region nears its end.

The PM is to visit a base in Abu Dhabi where cutting-edge Typhoon fighter planes have been deployed with the RAF.

Mr Brown has spent most of his four-day stint in the Gulf exhorting leaders to engage with moves to rescue and reform the global economy

I've been out of circulation for a few weeks so don't take this as a Typhoon knocking thread - is this poor journalism again or have we really deployed Typhoon? If we haven't and if this is a bit of RAF pro-Typhoon PR anyone else think we may have, once again, shot ourselves in the foot?

[Archimedes]

Teletext being rubbish, I think - getting their Typhoons and their Tornados muddled...

[Wader2]

Maybe a storm in a tea cup? Stirring things up.:p

[In Support of Ops]

Not sure where thw PM has been but Typhoons were in the UAE on exercise, the Tornado GR4s are in the Gulf on Ops.

[TiffyFGR4]

I believe it's true, I read somewhere, (Air Forces Monthly I think it was? Or one of those magazines. And heard from a couple of other sources) a few months ago that RAF Typhoon's are going to be deployed on training excercises in the UAE.

I go to Dubai on an, quite regular basis & I think I saw something in an local paper about it too, Gulfnews? I didn't really pay much attention to it though...

If I find an article, which I'm sure I have one laying around somewhere about it, I'll post what it says.

Toodle-pip.

[I'm Off!]

More dirty tricks and propaganda by the nervous crabs who see a massive cut in their white elephant just around the corner........







Throw in hand grenade and retire to watch the fun.....

[Archimedes]

From the MoD website -

Gordon, 'somewhere in the Gulf'

Mod Photo (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Templates/LargeImageTemplate.aspx?img=/NR/rdonlyres/AB522BDB-9014-4612-9249-83A6427D7994/0/pmgulf.jpg&alt=Prime%20Minister%20Gordon%20Brown%20visits%20troops)

Teletext making a horlicks - unless the PM's been to two different 'somewheres' in the Gulf?

[Wader2]

Even in issue DPM they can still manage to get different uniforms. Just where did that tech get epaulettes from?

[Bob Viking]

Partaking in ATLC at Al Dhafra Airbase I would wager. You bet your ass they're dangerous missions. You should see who else takes part!
BV:E

[pigsinspace]

That my friend is an SAC(T) or in old money a JT

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Army type TRFs and Squadron Bars. Is the secret, be more Army than the Army?

On Thread; it's probable that the journos aren't too good on their strong wind recognition.

[glad rag]

That my friend is an SAC(T) or in old money a JT

Not in a million years :ugh:

[StopStart]

Typhoon? Is there an airshow on?

[Cpl Plod]

Just where did that tech get epaulettes

Guys, the question was not about the rank or the rank slide , but the cloth it is on.

The Techie is wearing one of the old DDPM shirts.

[spheroid]

He probaly can't afford a new shirt.......

[TAC Queen]

That’s the new camping badge (available after 4 months in the Deed.)
Also available,
Needle work, 50m swimming and BX shopping badges.
Soon to be available for Blues so that we will really look like a bunch of over aged scouts.
Can someone please explain why the RAF needs combat flashes? I can understand the RAF Regiment and trades that may go forward with them wearing them. But how many RAF trades come face to face with the enemy?
Also while we are on the subject why do we need ROYAL Air Force on our CS95? Is the fact that we wear RAF rank tabs enough?:confused::confused:

BLAGH BLAGH BLAGH :mad::\

P.S T.H for Dept Flt Cdr Ops vote now:D:p:D

[Stitchbitch]

By 'combat flash' I take it you're refering to the DZ patch? Most RAF trades can now come face to face with the enemy, not just the guys and girls in pointy things. Things have changed in the last few years, do try and keep up dear.:ok:

[serf]

Trf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (1o Characters)

[Truckkie]

By 'combat flash' I take it you're refering to the DZ patch? Most RAF trades can now come face to face with the enemy, not just the guys and girls in pointy things. Things have changed in the last few years, do try and keep up dear.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


I always thought that a DZ flash was there to enable troops to quickly identify their unit and muster on the DZ post para drop.

Unless I'm mistaken only II Sqn and some elements of TSW still have a para capabilty within the RAF.

I really don't count sitting behind a desk in the J1 pod for 4 months as coming face to face with the enemy - unless you count irate JPA users!:ok:

[The Helpful Stacker]

Its not a DZ flash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DZ_Flash), they are larger squares, worn on the right arm below para wings usually. Its is a TRF (Tactical Recognition Flash). What the yellow and green checkerboard thing is in anyones guess. Is it in dress regs or has the sqn adjutant pulled that one from his posterior?

The odd thing is I was always taught (both in my days as a Rifleman and later as a crab) that uniform is supposed to be sanitised of boy scout badges when there is a chance of closing with the enemy. Obviously Abu Dhabi is more of a holiday camp than 'closing with the enemy' type place so perhaps the rush to cover every spare square inch of uniform with a badge is forgivable.

Oh I echo the earlier comment on the 'Royal Air Force' flashes too. Surely the cap badge gives that away and in situations where berets give way to an S6 one would assume some form of body armour would cover any pointless distinguishing badges worn upon ones chest?

Of course the RAF isn't the only service to have rushed headlong into their local haberdashery and brought up it entire stock of pretty material. The RN have been placing bigger and bigger badges on their kit for a while now and even the Army seem to have forgotten all about the hinderance that bright coloured material can be in a situation where blending in with your background can be beneficial. :ugh:

[mr fish]

as for jibe about techies coming face to face with the enemy, why not ask the poor f:mad:ker who had his leg took off by shrapnel at basra a few days back!!!!!

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

The Helpful Stacker. As per Srl 11, I think you will find that the "yellow and green checkerboard thing" is probably the Squadron recognition bar you'd normally find either side of the fuselage roundel.

[4mastacker]

THS wrote:

What the yellow and green checkerboard thing is in anyones guess. I

Cosford Apprentices??;)

[Krueger Flap]

In answer to the checkerboard query...
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/81416269_A542_2AC9_FA9B854A8174BD5E.jpg31 Sqn

[Stitchbitch]

DZ patch or TRF... they all provide? Recognition. The green n yeller thing is a 31 spec item, most FJ sqns are now allowed to wear them. Does it make you hot under the collar that it's now allowed to be seen to belong to something? Perhaps you'd rather he wore nothing and was misidentified as a blunty? Hold on, he could be the Sqn J1 blunty (not the SACT). Helpful Stacker, you are right, the badges come with velcro to enable them to be removed, so that when the VIP has done one, the boys/ girls can return the badges allowing the unhelpful stacker to count them off on his F.668...:} As for the big gay RAF badges that extend across the R/H chest, I'm with you on that one. Individual unit badges :ok: Big gay pointless badges :=

Hurrah:D Finished.:eek:

[Jobza Guddun]

The yellow and green abomination(!) is the 31 :yuk: Sqn nose flash as explained above. All the 138 EAW :yuk: Sqns have them.

You don't get up to date CS95 shirts if your epauletted ones are fit for use. Hence the enforced different appearance. It isn't that he can't afford to buy one, it's our employer that can't! Some airconned-portakabin-dwelling to55er at AUD had a pop at me earlier this year for having an old-style shirt. Must have been a Saturday or Sunday as he was off duty...

[collbar]

So this Typhoon deployment... has this brought forward a date for any possible deployment?
Surely four months after being declared op ready for FGR ops they can help the lads on the ground out occasionally!

[Stitchbitch]

'So this Typhoon deployment... has this brought forward a date for any possible deployment?'

Yes, it bought forward the deployment date for the deployment if it were to deploy.Possibly.:}

Lets let the 'system' have a chance to mature and work out any bugs before it gets a baptism of fire. GR.4 is a mature 'platform' and able to do the close air support bit. I'm sure the lads on the ground would appreciate the help and would feel comfortable with Tornado. Would you feel comfortable with an untested newly qualified CAS jet just yet or would you rather people put it through it's paces first to ensure it's completely up to the task in hand? :ok:

[collbar]

ok hands up!! my typing and english needs work.

A detachment for a deployment....
But surely if the Sqns been declared operational, these bugs HAVE been worked out, and any qualified Typhoon guy is as good as a qualified Tornado guy. Besides its not as if the Typoons havnt practiced enough having done Tucson, Vegas and Abu Dhabi this year.(according to the RAF news)

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Yes, it bought forward the deployment date for the deployment if it were to deploy.Possibly.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/badteeth.gif


Why buy what we already own?

Then, Gospel of St John 8:7

[Stitchbitch]

'Commander-in-Chief of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader said: "The declaration of Typhoon being multi-role capable is a truly significant step in the development of this remarkable aircraft.'

BBC NEWS | UK | Eurofighter 'fully combat ready' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7481172.stm)

Notice Typhoon being declared multi-role capable and not the 3 sqns worth of pilots, ground crew and logs it would take to man such a det...

'From today a number RAF Typhoons will be at operational readiness to deploy overseas if deemed necessary. There are no plans at present to deploy Typhoon to Afghanistan or Iraq; the RAF's Tornado GR4 Force is due to deploy to Kandahar next spring to replace Harriers.'

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Equipment and Logistics | Typhoons declared ready for ground attack role (http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/defencenews/equipmentandlogistics/typhoonsdeclaredreadyforgroundattackrole.htm)

Will they? Won't they? One day!

[ricardian]

4mastacker wrote:
THS wrote:
Quote:
What the yellow and green checkerboard thing is in anyones guess. I
Cosford Apprentices??http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/wink2.gif

Or Cosford Boy Entrants