End of F3...ney...end of GR4

[philip.snow]

Having deleted Harrier I understand that we are about to delete large portions of our only other capable fleet of fast jets - the GR4. Are we really happy to rely on unproven aeroplanes to take on the role.

[soddim]

There is nothing in these cuts to be happy about. Having spent the best part of my life ready to defend this country I am appalled that in my retirement my government cannot afford to adequately defend me. However, it also appears that they cannot afford to look after me either, so maybe I'll die of natural causes before I get bombed or shot.

The huge misconception in all these defence cuts is that it is possible to build up our forces again in the way we have done before. They need to understand that timescales are different with modern technology and the training to use it. Unless their early warning radar can see at least 10 years ahead we are all doomed in the face of a new threat.

[draken55]

Philip

Typhoon may soon be our principal FJ asset but after all the funds that have been spent on the aircraft, I would like to think it will have ceased to be unproven (short of war) by then. Is it not at least worthy of a mention:ooh:

Soddim, our Government's radar failed to pick up the potential for change the Middle East which shows just how quickly things can change. Once again the Foreign Office was taken by surprise about a turn of events and one taking place three months after SDSR.

HMG's longer term plans already look more scary than they did last October:uhoh:

[Geehovah]

Sadly we seem to have dropped into the comfortable rut of taking a capability gap "at risk" and relying on our friends and allies to help us out of the subsequent "gap". Somehow the world doesn't seem like a safer place to me than it did in the 70s and 80s.

I guess we should all live within our means but why do successive "Strategic Defence Reviews" never remove commitments; only capabilities. We are rapidly becoming an Air Force that can only deploy in squadron level strength.

[Wander00]

Does this mean the wheel has gone full circle, and Typhoon is the MRCA - just getting my coat

[Black 'n Yellar]

At least it looks that David Cameron is right - with so much stability in the Middle East we can always guarantee overfly rights of every country there. An Aircraft Carrier was a complete waste of money!!

[whowhenwhy]

Complete thread drift. Is it just me or does what is happening all along the southern Mediterranean starting to look like the precursor to the Doomsday scenario that many have fortold for decades???

[maxburner]

We've been doing business with some very unpleasant characters in the middle east for years - Egypt is a case in point; who knows what Saudi will do when the revolution hits. Will the crazy fundamentalists step into the void? Has the Foreign Office screwed up once again?

We are now threadbare and hanging by a shoestring (sorry about the cliches) as far as deployable airpower is concerned. We have a 10 year gap until the carrier comes along. Are we up **** creek looking for a paddle? Can we rely on France once we are in a scramble for oil? Has the last Labour government spent the family silver on welfare? Is the Typhoon capable of filling in for the GR4? Does the current government have a scooby?

I think we are about to face a serious, no-**** crisis without the ghost of a capability to respond. I'm glad I'm no longer in uniform, but seriously worried about the boys and girls who are.

[Lyneham Lad]

Complete thread drift. Is it just me or does what is happening all along the southern Mediterranean starting to look like the precursor to the Doomsday scenario that many have fortold for decades???

Been brushing up on Nostrodamus's scribblings? :eek:

[TEEEJ]

Philip,

The Pilots seem to like Typhoon? Note the weapons load that is it carrying while displaying?

9Z5610IS5cU

TJ

[frodo_monkey]

Pauly G... Hope you got a nice big backhander from BAE for that ;)

[Rigga]

"Note the weapons load that is it carrying while displaying?"


...didn't see it drop anything though!


And who says the UK has to do anything about this North African stuff?

Surely we are bound to take up arms jointly - as all Europeans now?


..or do we let let Uncle Sam take the future arms/oil/advisory contracts...

[rab-k]

Off topic (ish) but the sooner Typhoon gets thrust vectoring nozzles the better. Downside is £ of course...

[philip.snow]

You're right really off topic and very irrelevant.