Times details proposed UK defence cut options
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The terrible serviceability rates of the E-3D Sentry, coupled to the low availability and flying rates they attain, mean that 2-3 can go. Get rid of Sentinel, which came in as a UOR only, - has that requirement ended? Lose 2 Shadow and put RJ at Mildenhall. Close Waddington (with the exception of the Creech/Drone interlink).
Sentinel was a core programme and not a UOR. Also, the Allies love its product - currently seen as the best out there. Current OSD is 2021.
Mildenhall is due to close and the RJ det to move to Germany.
We’re tied into NATO for AWACS so we either carry on, upgrade it so that a lot of the issues go away, pay lots to join in the NATO AEW&C deal or replace it with something better.
Shadow is growing due to customer demand.
More likely to leave Creech than Waddo. However, keeping footprints on either side of the globe means that 24/7 ops can do extended day shifts each.
Sorry me old, closing Waddo? That would be a bad idea.
The B Word
Would also need to find a home for the AWC?
Sentinel was a core programme and not a UOR. Also, the Allies love its product - currently seen as the best out there. Current OSD is 2021.
Mildenhall is due to close and the RJ det to move to Germany.
We’re tied into NATO for AWACS so we either carry on, upgrade it so that a lot of the issues go away, pay lots to join in the NATO AEW&C deal or replace it with something better.
Shadow is growing due to customer demand.
More likely to leave Creech than Waddo. However, keeping footprints on either side of the globe means that 24/7 ops can do extended day shifts each.
Sorry me old, closing Waddo? That would be a bad idea.
The B Word
Sentinel was a core programme and not a UOR. Also, the Allies love its product - currently seen as the best out there. Current OSD is 2021.
Mildenhall is due to close and the RJ det to move to Germany.
We’re tied into NATO for AWACS so we either carry on, upgrade it so that a lot of the issues go away, pay lots to join in the NATO AEW&C deal or replace it with something better.
Shadow is growing due to customer demand.
More likely to leave Creech than Waddo. However, keeping footprints on either side of the globe means that 24/7 ops can do extended day shifts each.
Sorry me old, closing Waddo? That would be a bad idea.
The B Word
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/us-u...t-rc-135-base/
Can’t exactly fit Rivet Joints onto say Ramstein or Spang without a helluva lot of work to be done in terms of supporting infrastructure ( hence some work has. Or is or will be started at Fairford)
You are thinking of the Bloody Hundreth relocating to Ramstein with their tankers. Bearing in mind that the ‘Halls stay of execution keeps getting pushed back and also the Germans are not overly happy about increase in movements from USAfE bases and they limitations on Flying out of hours compared to here.
Cheers
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The terrible serviceability rates of the E-3D Sentry, coupled to the low availability and flying rates they attain, mean that 2-3 can go. Get rid of Sentinel, which came in as a UOR only, - has that requirement ended? Lose 2 Shadow and put RJ at Mildenhall. Close Waddington (with the exception of the Creech/Drone interlink).
I think your ISTAR knowledge is, at best, dated.
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The smart money here is obviously on a RW fleet cull. Merlin 4 and Puma 2 seem most at risk, with Chinook (and to a lesser extent) Wildcat picking up the slack. Binning Puma 2 helps free up a nice load of real estate within commuting distance of the capital, which wont be going unnoticed by the lunatics running the asylum.
Obviously, in this case, everything is tied to the proposed Army cuts. If they do happen at that scale then the argument for culling RW becomes so much easier...
Obviously, in this case, everything is tied to the proposed Army cuts. If they do happen at that scale then the argument for culling RW becomes so much easier...
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So I'm pretty sure the Army Wildcat is tasked with moving equipment and boots around the battlefield, much the same as Puma - but don't disagree with you that it's capabilities in this space are somewhat limited. On the plus side we've still got 60 Chinook's to play with!
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Now what was the question?
So I'm pretty sure the Army Wildcat is tasked with moving equipment and boots around the battlefield, much the same as Puma
Oh and it has very limited endurance.
The Puma, in its new guise and when it is serviceable, is a far better support helicopter.
The AAC didn't want the Wildcat but if it goes, along with some AH, it doesn't leave a very big 'Corps'
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
hahahahahahaha - they reduced the room available in the cabin from what the Lynx had so the Army Wildcat's lift capability is minimal. I think you are lucky to get 5 troops in fighting order but it might even be less.
Oh and it has very limited endurance.
The Puma, in its new guise and when it is serviceable, is a far better support helicopter.
The AAC didn't want the Wildcat but if it goes, along with some AH, it doesn't leave a very big 'Corps'
Oh and it has very limited endurance.
The Puma, in its new guise and when it is serviceable, is a far better support helicopter.
The AAC didn't want the Wildcat but if it goes, along with some AH, it doesn't leave a very big 'Corps'
Every time we cut our armed forces I'm left with a feeling of relief that we can't possibly cut any more, but then a few years later we seem to find ways to make more cuts. Ocean is going which leaves Albion and Bulwark as the only way to make maritime landings so if they go we lose an important part of our military flexibility. Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales are both touted as flexible platforms but they can't perform the same role as Albion and Bulwark, particularly if they have to provide air support as well as a helicopter platform. The loss of more frigates also seems foolhardy if we want a decent amount of protection around either of the carriers. Lastly at risk of mentioning the B word, these proposed cuts will make it harder for us to maintain a high profile on a world stage of the sort that the Tories envisage post Brexit.
The smart money here is obviously on a RW fleet cull. Merlin 4 and Puma 2 seem most at risk, with Chinook (and to a lesser extent) Wildcat picking up the slack. Binning Puma 2 helps free up a nice load of real estate within commuting distance of the capital, which wont be going unnoticed by the lunatics running the asylum.
Obviously, in this case, everything is tied to the proposed Army cuts. If they do happen at that scale then the argument for culling RW becomes so much easier...
Obviously, in this case, everything is tied to the proposed Army cuts. If they do happen at that scale then the argument for culling RW becomes so much easier...
Plus, with all the other bits at Benson you’d have to find a home for, I wouldn’t be too sure selling Benson is the easiest answer. And the humanitarian use for RW means they will always be around, even if we’re not doing war fighting.
No Sir, no there wasn't a reasonably balanced budget pre 2015 based on a rate of exchange at a certain level.
No there wasn't a significant and sustained collapse in the pounds exchange rate which has had an enormous impact on the ability to buy stuff, due to a sudden and large variance between planned exchange rates and actual exchange rates.
I must have imagined this financial car crash, such was my elation at the prospect that a bunch of my countrymen have decided to take this country back decades, after being sold a bunch of lies by the tabloid press and extremist political parties and then creating the conditions which is seeing this country hurtle headfirst into a strategic crisis the likes of which will take decades to recover from.
Thank god I imagined all of that, otherwise we'd be in a bit of trouble now wouldnt we...
No there wasn't a significant and sustained collapse in the pounds exchange rate which has had an enormous impact on the ability to buy stuff, due to a sudden and large variance between planned exchange rates and actual exchange rates.
I must have imagined this financial car crash, such was my elation at the prospect that a bunch of my countrymen have decided to take this country back decades, after being sold a bunch of lies by the tabloid press and extremist political parties and then creating the conditions which is seeing this country hurtle headfirst into a strategic crisis the likes of which will take decades to recover from.
Thank god I imagined all of that, otherwise we'd be in a bit of trouble now wouldnt we...
Last edited by m0nkfish; 15th Jan 2018 at 05:02.
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So I'm pretty sure the Army Wildcat is tasked with moving equipment and boots around the battlefield, much the same as Puma - but don't disagree with you that it's capabilities in this space are somewhat limited. On the plus side we've still got 60 Chinook's to play with!
Whilst not a great source, the report is broadly accurate http://www.eliteukforces.info/uk-mil...corps-uksf.php