US Navy debuts the P-8A Poseidon at the Dubai Air Show

[HAS59]

Chin up OFO

Dearest OFO,

You will be aware that modern AIP SSK’s cannot remain undetected all of the time and advances in several non-acoustic detection areas have kept pace with their development.

Modern ASW is not easy - and it will not be easy for the UK to do from a start-up position. But we have overcome difficult situations in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Because it is difficult should not be the end of it, it should be the starting point.

There still remains a sizable body of ‘Maritime Air’ knowledge within both the RAF and RN (or RN and RAF if you prefer). Add to this the recently ‘retired’ but prepared to ‘chip in’ again and it is not all a bleak picture, although of course the clock is ticking.

It will never again be what it was, the world is not as it was, and no-one should assume a Centre of solely ASW Excellence will be established. A true multi-mission aircraft can be used by crews of differing areas of expertise within the same unit. This must be recognised if we are to avoid being diluted too far from the outset.

It is my belief that we need to take the first steps back to assuming control of our coastal waters first and build upon that. A stepped approach building on experience will work far better in our situation than to go for full capability with the first course on the OCU.

What is currently lacking is a ‘Champion’ in the right place to pick up the cause and make it happen, there are several routes back to a robust capability. I hope it does happen, it would be a shame to think that the seed corn had been sown on ‘stoney ground’ and will not bear fruit. But who knows? The political situation in the UK will certainly be different in 2015, we shall just have to wait and see.

I enjoyed your paper in 2001 (was it really that long ago!) But not being of the ‘wet’ persuasion I will admit that some of it was ‘above my head’, it did point to some of the problems I seem to remember. Which is always the best place to start to solving them, or at least nullifying their advantage.

We would doubtless recognise each other but our Pprune names preserve our anonymity, which may befor the best. There are after all (ahem …) several Old Fat Ones around from those days …