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Tornado jets!

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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:08
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Tornado jets!

Government armed forces minister answering urgent question in the HoC on Ukraine just stated at the dispatch box that British Tornadoes yesterday conducted operations from their base at RAF Akrotiri….

I hate to break the news to him…..
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:15
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Originally Posted by ORAC
Government armed forces minister answering urgent question in the HoC on Ukraine just stated at the dispatch box that British Tornadoes yesterday conducted operations from their base at RAF Akrotiri….
I hate to break the news to him…..
I surely do hope this is not representative of his expertise in defence matters...
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:17
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Tornado jets!

I have just listened to the U.K. Armed Forces Minister giving an update on British military manoeuvres with regard to the Ukraine invasion. Mr James Heappey then rather astonishingly announced that ‘Tornado jets’ were patrolling out of Cyprus. I find it incredible that a British minister should make such an error bearing in mind that Tornados were scrapped some years ago! I presume that he meant Typhoons. However it does not give me any confidence that our government has any credibility when it comes to military matters being apparently more concerned with lgbt rights etc. Even more surprising that Mr Heappey as a former British army officer should make such a schoolboy error. In fact most schoolboys of my generation would know the detail of every military aircraft in the U.K. inventory.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:18
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James Heappey

Armed Forces Minster has just stated in the commons that 'Tornado jets are being used'.
Er am I missing something?
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:31
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Originally Posted by olster
I have just listened to the U.K. Armed Forces Minister giving an update on British military manoeuvres with regard to the Ukraine invasion. Mr James Heappey then rather astonishingly announced that ‘Tornado jets’ were patrolling out of Cyprus. I find it incredible that a British minister should make such an error bearing in mind that Tornados were scrapped some years ago! I presume that he meant Typhoons. However it does not give me any confidence that our government has any credibility when it comes to military matters being apparently more concerned with lgbt rights etc. Even more surprising that Mr Heappey as a former British army officer should make such a schoolboy error. In fact most schoolboys of my generation would know the detail of every military aircraft in the U.K. inventory.
What a foolish post. The man is certainly extremely busy during a crisis and you try to create an issue from an inconsequential mistake.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:38
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Originally Posted by chevvron
Armed Forces Minster has just stated in the commons that 'Tornado jets are being used'.
Er am I missing something?
Er there's a war on - careless talk costs lives and all that - which in my book means confirming or debunking anything like this is no help to Ukraine
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:43
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It is not an inconsequential mistake if the armed forces minister cannot even get the correct names of current British fast jets and quotes a redundant type. It demonstrates a mindset towards the military of the United Kingdom.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:47
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At least he wasn't referring to EE Lightnings.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:50
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I heard Malcolm Rifkind on the BBC referring to Sea King Harriers during the Falklands Invasion.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:53
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Originally Posted by olster
It is not an inconsequential mistake if the armed forces minister cannot even get the correct names of current British fast jets and quotes a redundant type. It demonstrates a mindset towards the military of the United Kingdom.
It demonstrates nothing of the sort. It was a minor mistake - nothing more. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who do nothing.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 10:58
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It is not a minor mistake at all. It should be expected that ministers demonstrate ministerial competence and get the facts right.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 11:05
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Originally Posted by Beamr
At least he wasn't referring to EE Lightnings.
Yes I think everyone knows those and the Hunters were usually kept back for more specialised operations elsewhere..


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Old 25th Feb 2022, 11:21
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My little model of a Lightning never flew very well.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 12:10
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This is absolutely not pointless. A government minister should be on top of his brief; the devil is in the detail. Our front line fast jet squadrons comprise typhoons and F35s. If you are armed forces minister and you either don’t know that or you allow your spad / civil servant write your speech, uncorrected for crucial detail you are not on top of your job. Sure, it may have been an error written in the heat of the moment. However the RAF / RN crews who are front line, highly trained personnel can only feel undermined by this lack of technical understanding. Maybe it’s just me.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 12:18
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Originally Posted by olster
This is absolutely not pointless. A government minister should be on top of his brief; the devil is in the detail. Our front line fast jet squadrons comprise typhoons and F35s. If you are armed forces minister and you either don’t know that or you allow your spad / civil servant write your speech, uncorrected for crucial detail you are not on top of your job. Sure, it may have been an error written in the heat of the moment. However the RAF / RN crews who are front line, highly trained personnel can only feel undermined by this lack of technical understanding. Maybe it’s just me.
Pompous rubbish. The people who matter (not you - obviously) know what was meant.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 12:25
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You are very quick with the insults Mixdown. I am a U.K. taxpayer and voter so I am entitled to an opinion which is all that it is. The people that matter here are the citizens of the U.K. and should expect accuracy from elected officials. But rather than let this turn into the usual pprune ego fest I will let others contribute. You probably wouldn’t get the irony of calling others pompous on line.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 12:58
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Like another minister recently, who confused the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 13:04
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Originally Posted by olster
It is not an inconsequential mistake if the armed forces minister cannot even get the correct names of current British fast jets and quotes a redundant type. It demonstrates a mindset towards the military of the United Kingdom.
It is completely inconsequential. The man misspoke, end of story.
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 13:06
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Originally Posted by NAROBS
Obviously a symptom of COVID . . . . mis-spoke, mis-pronounce, mis -identify and, wait-for-it, miss the target . . and its catching.

Main object of HMG in these circumstances is to keep the collective assemblage of Brexitting-chest wallopers, Glastonberry rubber band wearers, Harry potter and Ariane Grande afficionados, shamrock air hells-bells tourist types, footballing delusionals nice and warm in their comfort bubble with lots of syrupy words that confirm their limited life experience.

Oh boy, are they in for a shock when Mr P and "Friends" pitch-up at Calais !

I think you need help...
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Old 25th Feb 2022, 13:23
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Originally Posted by Martin the Martian
Like another minister recently, who confused the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea.
Or an ex POTUS that confused Russian and American amphibious forces, also on the Black Sea?
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