MoD to buy 5 x P8 from USA - maybe

[Phoney Tony]

P 8 is going to be at Waddo with UK crew and BOEING salesmen.

Looks like they are positioning themselves for a sale if the price is right as there are no serious contenders.

[Wander00]

Rumour in the press last year that in the event of independence, Salmond was going to buy P3s

[Phoney Tony]

At least Scotland will be able to fulfil its EEZ and SAR requirements.

I am not sure what their military aspirations are.

[betty swallox]

...and who exactly would crew these P-3s??!!

[Willard Whyte]

People living darn sarf with a dodgy accent.

[NutLoose]

Why on earth would you want to be able to take the mission kit out of a LRMPA so it could be used for something els

Well if it's palletised as it appears to be, you wouldn't need as many airframes allocated to dedicated MPA, as you do not need to allow for an airframe down such as on majors, you could simply transfer the kit to another frame, while the original is on its major.

[Party Animal]

Rumour in the press last year that in the event of independence, Salmond was going to buy P3s

I was chatting with one of the defence advisors for the SNP last week who suggested C295's would be immediately ordered for the RSAF.

...and who exactly would crew these P-3s??!!

All those old boys fed up with the Oil n Gas commute to Aberdeen and the rigs!

Why on earth would you want to be able to take the mission kit out of a LRMPA so it could be used for something els

Because on the days when you need a truck more than an MPA - you can have a truck (in the case of Sea Herc or C295). At least on paper anyway.

[Roland Pulfrew]

Because on the days when you need a truck more than an MPA - you can have a truck (in the case of Sea Herc or C295). At least on paper anyway.

Yeah right! I'm glad you added the 'on paper' bit. All fudge's like this mean is: you don't have enough MPA or enough transport aircraft to meet your real requirement!!

[Heathrow Harry]

yeah but it means you have SOME capability to do both -

right now asking for the Full Spec = no planes at all

[Roland Pulfrew]

yeah but it means you have SOME capability to do both

But if the some capability does not meet your requirement, then it is wasted money. What is the point of paying to develop a fleet, based on some second-hand aircraft (even if they maybe ones you already own), that does not meet the full requirement, and that maybe unique in the global market and so small in size that you have to pick up the ongoing development ocsts then you are effectively throwing good money after bad.

[Heathrow Harry]

Roland

you assume that the requirement has to be met 100% otherwise it's not useful

I disagree

e.g an MRA that can fly for 8 hours on patrol may not fit your desired spec of 12 hours but its still better than nothing - it's not wasted money at all

The real issue is that we have no capability AT ALL - and that is truly scarey

Trying to get the politicians to go back to Cold War standards & capabilities is, I'm afraid, a real loser