MPA announced 2015?

[Wensleydale]

One route might be similar to the AWAC route where seamen man positions on a
couple of tours before reverting to their shipborne role.

There were three "exchange" slots allocated to dark blue on the Sentry mission crew back in the 90s. However, the RN decided to only take up one of them (the weapons controller slot). Apparantly, the RN wanted accelerated "promotion" straight into the Tactical Director seat (the chap in charge) rather than gain platform experience as a "worker" first, and so changed to an exchange with the Mission Support Wing briefing flight instead.

[HAS59]

The RN may have changed since my time on Invincible in '93 but...

Flying aeroplanes was seen by many 'career officers' as 'just' another specialist tour on the route on up to ship command. Maybe there are enough 'whole career' bods in the FAA who can afford to take a few years 'out' to help out the poor old airforce without risking their precious careers? Have things changed?

[pitotheat]

Alas these quaint ideas of saving MPA as a part of a multi platform asset disregard the fact that many of these roles are being fulfilled by UAVs with greater capability in the pipeline. The only reason to have aircrew in aircraft is where technology can't do the job. Some tactical roles fall into this category most strategic roles do not.
Anyway I will bow out of this now as I fear the subject has been pounded to death elsewhere and until UK plc recovers it is all rather irrelevant.

[HAS59]

no shortage of UAV dreamers around eh?
Look at all the countries around the world that have ditched their MPAs for UAVs

sigh

[FODPlod]

Blithe statements that UAVs are the panacea that will soon replace all manned aircraft remind me of the smug doom-mongerers of the last century who said that UUVs would soon replace all commercial divers. Several decades later, the demand for divers is as great as ever but people with the necessary saturation diving skills and experience are disappearing fast as they age off the plot. Sound familiar?

More Than 2,000 Commercial Divers Needed to Meet Demands for Offshore Wind Sector

[pitotheat]

HAS59.
The UAV comment was regarding having MMAs. Many of the roles that were formally thought to be within the ability of an MMA are now being done by UAVs. Therefore we are back to a platform which will predominantly be ASW/ASUW.
1. We ain't got no money
2. Politicians like UAVs cos they can't be held captive and paraded in front of a camera
3. Generals like them cos they are cheap so they can have more toys
FODPlod. WTF has UUVs/divers got to do with this? There are no parallels.

[HAS59]

Pitothead:

It's not about MMAs.

And many of the roles formerly carried out by MPAs can not be done by UAVs.

1. We have got money - we just spend it elsewhere.
2. Politicians know four fifths of fark hall about defence - they need guidance.
3. Generals are welcome to them - they can't seem to make them work anyway.

[Roland Pulfrew]

pitotheat

Many of the roles that were formally thought to be within the ability of an MMA are now being done by UAVs.

Really? I can think of only 1 role might have been taken on by a UAV, what's doing the rest?

[Flyga]

This "move on and get over it" nonesense is very narrow minded. Those that matter and have the power acknowledge the need, there is a budget to be spent therefore what is the harm in speculating about what might but should happen.

[keesje]

I see the MPA discussion is fired up again. The proud, rightfully frustrated MPA community dismissing anything / everybody who wasn't there. Last yr I fought a lonely battle in another thread More diverse opinions in this thread

IMO the ones in charge of RAF MPA's weren't willing to really adjust to a new world (1995-2010) and therefor got canned. Exactly the same way we did in the Netherlands; an old, proud, capable well equipped MPA force successfully defending their programs/ budgets / flying battleships, long after the cold war ended, until politics intervene and wipe it away completely.

I think the needs of the UK aren't that different then France's, Germany's, Spains and a few other naval countries. Earlier on I suggested setting up 3 main bases (Scotland, Portugal, Italy), create a powerful force and standardize on 2 or three aircraft types. A bigger one, medium one and small /cheap coastal one. Middle East Africa (overland), piracy, pinpoint attacks, network-centric operations and multirole are definitely on the table in any new requirement.

IMO such an organization could set out an RFP for a dedicated, just right long endurance MPA platform for the next 40 yrs (Germany, France, Italy and Spain need them too).

Last yr I made a few sketches of a general configuration, long range, multirole, medium sized concept (suggestions welcome)



http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...ceptkeesje.jpg

Medium / smaller platforms can be bought in Europe / elsewhere, quick, off the shelve.
The maritime patrol variant can be fitted with the FITS mission system, which integrates the data from the sensors. - Image - Airforce Technology