Capable? Like when 'they' said it’d carry eight troops with kit.
Q asked by a good friend of mine "have you increased the size of the cabin then?"
A. Err...no! But we looked into it.
Call me Mr Picky but that has always been a prob with the cab, space not power.
1975 Westlands press release: Lynx can carry nine fully equipped troops or eight TOW plus eight reloads and have an endurance of three hours. Prove me wrong, Yeovil! I can with over 2000 hours on type.
Sorry to shatter the illusion, that has never happened. (Well maybe but an endurance of 15 mins is ****** all use to anyone)
If 'they' had been honest by telling us that there is no wonger in the kitty for a new cab and they are just going to 'cut and shut' the existing version it might have been an easier pill to swallow. But they expected us to believe their total twoddle that they will be all new frames (using 30-year-old jigs and technology).
Don't get me wrong, the Lynx is a top PILOTS aircraft but shag all use in the designated role, utility heli. Describe what that means? An aircraft that will split 'S' on demand? Or an aircraft that will fully integrate and support the AH for it's proposed life span?
Can of worms now; I hate to admit it but that spams have been doing very well thank you very much with the Blackhawk/Apache team. Or is the word 'Blackhawk' a dirty word in Yeovil (whatever happened to their venture with Sikorsky on that one?) OK the Blackhawk isn’t exactly light but it would seem to be able to perform all our requirements now and in the future when our role changes yet again. Looking ahead isn’t a dirty word. C17 is in the inventory now don't you know. That's an answer to another Q by the brainwashed answer I was given that it had to fit in a C130. Total arse!
I heard alot of 'The existing Lynx was designed for Cold War scenario's, we need an aircraft that will fit into the current and future British Army role of utility across many theatres'. Sorry, unless you want an aircraft that taxi's the General and his merry men around and nothing else, then the current GTI version is all you need. But if you want an aircraft that is capable of REALLY carrying 8 troops with kit/has range and performance to complete a useful mission and is able to be upgraded at half life then the current resprayed model is not the one to go for. I'd rather slam my knob in a door!
Lynx 3, the Westlands private venture some years ago is half way to the answer. If the govn't really still wants to bail out the flagging company then they should invest in this kind of thing.
My belief though is that the majority of Westlands work is with export Navy Lynx not an Army platform, never has been. I'll not even mention the CMRB saga! We know where we stand then.
I shall repeat, does the British Army want an aircraft that can complement and support the AH and the Army in general or an aircraft that isn’t right even after 24 years of service?
Imagine a battle group consisting of Challenger II's and FV432's (resprayed) supporting each other, laughable isn’t it! The Gens would f*%k that off at the high port! This is what Westlands/Govn't is expecting us to take on board with WAH/BLUH.
Let’s take the faults of the current Lynx in today’s climate.
Battleworthiness: *****, a ******* farmer with a shotgun could take it out with all the vital systems in one nice convenient area (hyd x2, alt x2, gearbox, oh nearly forgot, control runs an all, all placed conviniently in an area the size of a 1/4 mil map, '57 will vouch for how safe that is). Engines and TRDS no 1, same as the last comment.
Crashworthiness: (Westlands answer, stick big springs in the armoured seat for f*%k sake!!). As crashworhty as a wet tea bag. CW HAS to be built into the design from day one, week one.
Serviceability: Dirty word in our world, even after 24 years it's worse than a Wessex! (Analogy; F1 car's are awesome but if after a year or two you don't bother to invest in its servicing, it will become a museum piece. Complex bit of kit with high performance requires lots and lots of time/effort to keep it at its peak).
Design: Nice.....For 1970...whatever. I don't care how many black boxes you stick in it, it's still crap for its role!
Gems even after 20 odd years, I still get fire sections trying to put me out on shut down when visiting aways. I've been banned from several German airfields due to 'enviromental issues'.
Role: LUH/Recce, The TI! Those who know, know where I'm coming from! I can fit me, pilot and a NAAFI break in the cab but fly for 2.5 though! Stick anyone useful in the back and it turns into me taking anyone to work more than two a shambles. Those who know me will know wher I'm coming from!
I could go on endlessly. But I won't.
Now I know that all of the above will be totally ignored, no matter what WE want or need because the company in question gets it's own way regardless. It sells us what they want to sell us not what we want or need. Politics.
To summarise. The Brit Army/Forces need an aircraft that can fulfil the role between WAH and Merlin, operated by the Army. The 'sold as told' version is so far short of those requirements, it's unbelievable (believable if you know the Westlands/Govnt relationship). Look in the short term and you will pay later. The cheapest option is not always the cheapest option in the long run. On the reverse side, we didn't need ALL Longbow, if we'd gone for 50%, we could have bought into an aviation package.......AH/LUH. But what the f*&k, I'm not on commission, so what do I know! Lynx...top cab for exercise 98 and 99 on auth but shag all use in the role we have today. But we've been told that’s what we're getting all be it with a body kit and ICE.
ol_ben, expect your views on this and I know I still have your smock, it's in the post! Call me on the usual.
Alfie...just another cat 5 for you!
CBR.....What do you care now! IR/Multi/Proc rated!
Murph....212's are an option!
Any probs, speak to my lawyer.
I know, I know, defence spending ain't what it was but if anything comes out of the current situation, a few more pounds (euros, what the f*%k is that all about!?) would be most useful.
Sorry for the long post but it needed to be said, you all thought it. (Probably!)
