UK Maritime Patrol Aircraft - An Urgent Requirement
Another blow to the MPA community.. Bredbury Hall has gone into administration.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
UK Team To Train on Triton as Government Ponders Purchase
LONDON — Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is dispatching a team to train on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton UAV in the run-up to a possible decision next year on whether to re-establish a maritime patrol capability. Responding to a parliamentary question April 3, the government said that four personnel are “scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June and August, 2014.”
The Triton is a maritime version of the Global Hawk remotely piloted surveillance vehicle. The high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft is in its flight-test phase ahead of deliveries to the US Navy. The British government said the team will be trained at the US Navy’s Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said on a number of occasions that unmanned aircraft could meet at least part of the requirement for a future maritime patrol aircraft capability if the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) resurrects the requirements........
Triton has already been ordered by the US Navy to operate alongside Boeing P-8 Poseidon MPAs. Australia has also said it intends to buy the machine to work with the P-8s it has on order............
The British parliamentary answer also revealed that 20 personnel have been embedded with US Navy P-8 operations as part of a program to retain crew skills until a decision is made on whether to recreate a maritime patrol capability. The program, known as Seedcorn, has also seen smaller numbers of personnel embedded with Australian, Canadian and New Zealand maritime patrol forces.
An MoD spokeswoman declined to elaborate on why the British personnel were being trained on Triton, but said it is part of a wider effort to develop capabilities.
“The Seedcorn program provides a valuable opportunity to UK personnel for training, specialization and exposure within the maritime environment while working with our allies to develop our capabilities. Triton forms only one element of this program and only a small, select number of UK personnel are involved in work, which operates from Patuxent River,” the spokeswoman said.
Representatives from Northrop declined to comment.
LONDON — Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) is dispatching a team to train on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton UAV in the run-up to a possible decision next year on whether to re-establish a maritime patrol capability. Responding to a parliamentary question April 3, the government said that four personnel are “scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June and August, 2014.”
The Triton is a maritime version of the Global Hawk remotely piloted surveillance vehicle. The high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft is in its flight-test phase ahead of deliveries to the US Navy. The British government said the team will be trained at the US Navy’s Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said on a number of occasions that unmanned aircraft could meet at least part of the requirement for a future maritime patrol aircraft capability if the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) resurrects the requirements........
Triton has already been ordered by the US Navy to operate alongside Boeing P-8 Poseidon MPAs. Australia has also said it intends to buy the machine to work with the P-8s it has on order............
The British parliamentary answer also revealed that 20 personnel have been embedded with US Navy P-8 operations as part of a program to retain crew skills until a decision is made on whether to recreate a maritime patrol capability. The program, known as Seedcorn, has also seen smaller numbers of personnel embedded with Australian, Canadian and New Zealand maritime patrol forces.
An MoD spokeswoman declined to elaborate on why the British personnel were being trained on Triton, but said it is part of a wider effort to develop capabilities.
“The Seedcorn program provides a valuable opportunity to UK personnel for training, specialization and exposure within the maritime environment while working with our allies to develop our capabilities. Triton forms only one element of this program and only a small, select number of UK personnel are involved in work, which operates from Patuxent River,” the spokeswoman said.
Representatives from Northrop declined to comment.
PT,
You will probably need a more enlightened response from our SEEDCORN mafia in Pax. However, there are a couple of clues in the comments:
1. The training is happening at Pax.
2. long-endurance aircraft is in its flight-test phase.
So, more like T&E rather than R&D. The article is slightly unclear as to whether our team already at Pax is going to take this on or we are sending extra people out there? Certainly, if it's ex MPA SEEDCORNERs, everything hinges on SDSR 15 before the future is certain post SDSR.
Therefore, I suspect that after training our guys will continue with T&E until the future of SEEDCORN is determined. But that is just my unqalified guess.
ORAC - thank you for that pick up. Interesting how silent the UK MOD and RAF News appears to be on the subject of SEEDCORN. Out of sight, out of mind and less awkward questions to be asked by ministers.
You will probably need a more enlightened response from our SEEDCORN mafia in Pax. However, there are a couple of clues in the comments:
1. The training is happening at Pax.
2. long-endurance aircraft is in its flight-test phase.
So, more like T&E rather than R&D. The article is slightly unclear as to whether our team already at Pax is going to take this on or we are sending extra people out there? Certainly, if it's ex MPA SEEDCORNERs, everything hinges on SDSR 15 before the future is certain post SDSR.
Therefore, I suspect that after training our guys will continue with T&E until the future of SEEDCORN is determined. But that is just my unqalified guess.
ORAC - thank you for that pick up. Interesting how silent the UK MOD and RAF News appears to be on the subject of SEEDCORN. Out of sight, out of mind and less awkward questions to be asked by ministers.
Originally Posted by Party Animal
ORAC - thank you for that pick up. Interesting how silent the UK MOD and RAF News appears to be on the subject of SEEDCORN. Out of sight, out of mind and less awkward questions to be asked by ministers.
Air Force: Training
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are taking part in the Seedcorn initiative; what the location is of each such person; and with what equipment such personnel are training.
Anna Soubry: As announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review the UK retains Seedcorn Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) capability with personnel embedded in MPA capabilities of our closest allies. The number and location of personnel and equipment are as follows:
Location / Number of Seedcorn personnel / Aircraft
Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force Greenwood / 6 / CP-140 Aurora
New Zealand
Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Whenuapai / 4 / P-3K Orion/P-3K2 Orion
Australia
Royal Australian Air Force base Edinburgh / 2 / AP-3C Orion
United States
Naval Air Station Patuxent River / 9 / P-8 Poseidon, 1 qualified on RQ-21A Blackjack UAV, 4 are scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June-August 2014
Naval Air Station Jacksonville / 11 / P-8 Poseidon
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are taking part in the Seedcorn initiative; what the location is of each such person; and with what equipment such personnel are training.
Anna Soubry: As announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review the UK retains Seedcorn Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) capability with personnel embedded in MPA capabilities of our closest allies. The number and location of personnel and equipment are as follows:
Location / Number of Seedcorn personnel / Aircraft
Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force Greenwood / 6 / CP-140 Aurora
New Zealand
Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Whenuapai / 4 / P-3K Orion/P-3K2 Orion
Australia
Royal Australian Air Force base Edinburgh / 2 / AP-3C Orion
United States
Naval Air Station Patuxent River / 9 / P-8 Poseidon, 1 qualified on RQ-21A Blackjack UAV, 4 are scheduled to train on the MQ-4C Triton during June-August 2014
Naval Air Station Jacksonville / 11 / P-8 Poseidon
USN fleet wide ASW competition...
.....just received notice that VP30 the USN P8 traing squadron entered an extra crew in the competion made up of a scratch crew of the seedcorners at Jacksonville.
And They Won!!
Well done the lads.
The Ancient Mariner
And They Won!!
Well done the lads.
The Ancient Mariner
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Seedcorn withering on the Vine ? Me thinks not.
Well done lads.
Am looking forward to The RAF News and MOD website giving a full report on their huge achievement . I wont be holding my breath though.
Well done lads.
Am looking forward to The RAF News and MOD website giving a full report on their huge achievement . I wont be holding my breath though.
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Really good news with the perfect timing for events happening back home. Bob Stewart (Andys brother of 201 fame) recently raised the point in the HoC, that the UK needs an MPA. Is there anyone out there who can find the link?
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House of Commons Hansard Debates for 10 Apr 2014 (pt 0003)
Column 491
Flew with his brother during the Falklands...he is top, top guy.
Column 491
Flew with his brother during the Falklands...he is top, top guy.
Bob Stewart MP: At the moment in the southern Indian ocean, Poseidons operated by the United States and Orions from New Zealand or Australia are combing the waters to try to find the remains of an aircraft that, frankly, has just disappeared. Australia, New Zealand and the United States can do that, but what would happen if one of our aircraft or an aircraft flying over British territory disappeared 900 miles out into the Atlantic? We do not have anything that could get there quickly or could search like a maritime patrol aircraft, which is something we desperately need. We should seriously consider restoring a maritime patrol aircraft capability to our country as soon as possible.
LJ
Yes, I agree an expensive MPA for this task is a waste of money. Satellites and hydraphones on ships have provided the real positive leads. All that the MPAs have done is add to global warming! What's really staggering is that these high tech aircraft touted as LRSAR assets have been unable to detect an active acoustic signal that would appear to have been pinging for some time.
If they truly are for long range search then one of the lessons from this is that they must get a capability to detect one of the primary location aids on an airliner following a crash over water. Otherwise, they may as well go back in the hangar after 24hrs following the accident as their capability doesn't warrant their expense.
The B Word
If they truly are for long range search then one of the lessons from this is that they must get a capability to detect one of the primary location aids on an airliner following a crash over water. Otherwise, they may as well go back in the hangar after 24hrs following the accident as their capability doesn't warrant their expense.
The B Word