Rivet Joint busy - Daily Black Sea visits
Hardly - your assessment includes the necessity of you being able to read minds. No sale.
I am waiting for Rodney Dangerfield to glance over and ask you
"Did you get a free bowl of soup with that tin foil hat? Looks good on you, Judge!"
but I think he died a few years ago.
I am waiting for Rodney Dangerfield to glance over and ask you
"Did you get a free bowl of soup with that tin foil hat? Looks good on you, Judge!"
but I think he died a few years ago.
I suppose, if you knew it’s capabilities and how it used its sensors, it may have been very useful. In particular, it was excellent in the layered ISTAR role. In any case, we don’t have it so it’s a moot point and there are other assets that have similar capabilities.
Last edited by Toadstool; 30th Sep 2022 at 09:45.
Swedish Air Force 'GF5' labeled aircraft have been patroling the borders almost since the start. Might be business jets just winding the Russians up. Or maybe not.
mmitch.
mmitch.
Yes
Yes, the same one is up today. This variant has a large canoe on the underside pointing to a RW/JSTARS config. It's evident the Swedes are also spying on Kaliningrad, the breakaway Russian country sandwiched by NATO nations. No doubt they are looking for the false flag evidence to blame Russia for destroying gas pipelines?!
Yes, the same one is up today. This variant has a large canoe on the underside pointing to a RW/JSTARS config. It's evident the Swedes are also spying on Kaliningrad, the breakaway Russian country sandwiched by NATO nations. No doubt they are looking for the false flag evidence to blame Russia for destroying gas pipelines?!
Last edited by Grimweasel; 30th Sep 2022 at 10:44. Reason: spello
Yes
Yes, the same one is up today. This variant has a large canoe on the underside pointing to a RW/JSTARS config. It's evident the Swedes are also spying on Kaliningrad, the breakaway Russian country sandwiched by NATO nations. No doubt they are looking for the false flag evidence to blame Russia for destroying gas pipelines?!
Yes, the same one is up today. This variant has a large canoe on the underside pointing to a RW/JSTARS config. It's evident the Swedes are also spying on Kaliningrad, the breakaway Russian country sandwiched by NATO nations. No doubt they are looking for the false flag evidence to blame Russia for destroying gas pipelines?!
You're clearly stirring so, toddle pip.
Best to stick to posting screenshots ...
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
2022/23 was new record year for Rivet Joint in Royal Air Force service (unsurprisingly due to situation in Europe).
The 3 aircraft of 51 Sqn (really, probably 2 since "beast" ZZ666 is in USA getting its periodic upgrade cycle) flew 1380 hours in 160 sorties (average 11+ hours).
The 3 aircraft of 51 Sqn (really, probably 2 since "beast" ZZ666 is in USA getting its periodic upgrade cycle) flew 1380 hours in 160 sorties (average 11+ hours).
We dont all the planes capabilities, but imagine theres a few countries looking at ISR aircraft, stuff like the US army ARES ISR, MC-55 going into RAAF service. Certainly can see a market for ISR/ELINT planes based on business jets. Refueling, or the lack there of seems to be the only real issue
2022/23 was new record year for Rivet Joint in Royal Air Force service (unsurprisingly due to situation in Europe).
The 3 aircraft of 51 Sqn (really, probably 2 since "beast" ZZ666 is in USA getting its periodic upgrade cycle) flew 1380 hours in 160 sorties (average 11+ hours).
The 3 aircraft of 51 Sqn (really, probably 2 since "beast" ZZ666 is in USA getting its periodic upgrade cycle) flew 1380 hours in 160 sorties (average 11+ hours).
If your acquisition business case was built on the squadron delivering "X" operational flying hours a year for say fifteen years, but you now discover that the requirement is for 2 x "X" or 3 x "X" operational flying hours a year, then what happens?
What effect will all this activity - presumably unanticipated at acquisition time - have on the expected Life Of Type and/or annual running costs?
If your acquisition business case was built on the squadron delivering "X" operational flying hours a year for say fifteen years, but you now discover that the requirement is for 2 x "X" or 3 x "X" operational flying hours a year, then what happens?
If your acquisition business case was built on the squadron delivering "X" operational flying hours a year for say fifteen years, but you now discover that the requirement is for 2 x "X" or 3 x "X" operational flying hours a year, then what happens?
"but you now discover that the requirement is for 2 x "X" or 3 x "X" operational flying hours a year, then what happens?"
Nothing - if you're an SO you'll be well embedded in a cushy job in civi street and if you're a Civil Servant you'll be long gone.
And as for the Politicians........
Nothing - if you're an SO you'll be well embedded in a cushy job in civi street and if you're a Civil Servant you'll be long gone.
And as for the Politicians........
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IIRC the fatigue life for the KC-135R fleet was estimated to be 39,000hrs, the 3 RAF RJs were each at around 23000 hrs when acquired, reputedly the three lowest hour KC-135R airframes. Simplistically with an OSD of 2035 that allows c 1,300 hrs per airframe per annum so if 1,380 is 2x normal usage (the rate AM Harv Smyth mentioned in his Sir Sydney Camm lecture in Feb.) then we can concentrate on worrying about having the money available to keep the mission systems cutting edge.
From my point of ignorance we are effectively talking a fleet of airliners being used 9 hours a week each - I am assuming no high stress manoeuvring is normally required.
From my point of ignorance we are effectively talking a fleet of airliners being used 9 hours a week each - I am assuming no high stress manoeuvring is normally required.
Last edited by SLXOwft; 4th Aug 2023 at 10:48. Reason: Smyth -doh!
On FR24 this week ZZ666 was flying what appeared to be a long 'patrol' line across an area near Nevada. Testing its upgrades? Working a night shift, it was around 2am local!
mmitch.
mmitch.
Noticed "665" just RTB "7700" after routine tanking, second time in 3 weeks, last time diverted to Mildenhall and stayed for 48 hours. Hopefully problem not too serious. At least "the beast" has been up "testing" again in U.S. Having a small number of frames does have consequences, memo to Def Sec re E-7's.
