^^ You've got no hope Betty. Give it up.

Never!!!!!

Based at Waddo or Brize?

Lossie....

I never really understand the 'no money' arguement . There are types being phased out in the next few years that have been money drains! We will loose Tornado - Tristar- some Chinooks and undoubtedly Puma. There is money to be had for new purchases of MPA simply from the reduction of types on the inventory and the resulting savings in support costs.
As to where to base MPA's -maybe a curved ball that sees it based at an under used base as opposed to the traditional Brize/Waddington thinking!

But why Lossie? Seriously, unless it is planned to be used on the old GIUK gap patrol why so far north?

Just throwing that out there for fun. No substantiation! Frankly, anywhere in the UK would be palatable, I suggest.

Rileydove.
 

Why do you think the Puma will soon be withdrawn from service....... They are only just starting to deliver the re-engened and upgraded aircraft ?

RD, You are wrong about some costs. The replacement of TriStar by the A330 is a huge expense (£1,500,000 per day) for a loss in capability. The same might be said for the cost/capability/relevance factor of other major equipment projects in the pipeline. The next review by the politicians will be far to late to stop the money wasted over the next 20 years:uhoh:.

OAP

A and C, upgrades and so on have never been a reason for retention of an airfield or an aircraft - SHAR, Harrier , Jaguar, etc

Lossie? Aren't we more likely to base it in the UK?

You mean rUK..... do keep up! :=

Everyone knows its going to be based at Leeming :ok:

New MPA?
Never, ever going to happen.
Doesn't matter if you think we need one, it's just not going to happen.
The "supposed" insiders who claim to know different will be the same people who said they knew the MRA 4 was safe lol.
There are lots of things we need, doesn't mean we're getting them.

Ah, Jayland. I do see your point. Perhaps we're geting past the stage of getting what we need and into the era of getting what austerity is willing to pay for. Any arguments about savings in other areas freeing up finding for anything new may be on very weak ground. Very sad, but possibly true. :{

The ayes to the left..
 

1.No money (for the military).
2.UK Military is going to be made to look out of favour, has just lost 2 wars on the bounce and will be manoeuvred and spun to take the blame for this correctly or otherwise in the years ahead.
3.MOD poor track record in bringing in the correct requirement on budget and time.
4. Threat from whom exactly?


All goes against you.

Threat from who exactly ! Well look at all the Manpads that disappeared south from Libya and you will easily see that Africa is the next battlefield !
Just wait to when shipping starts to get threatened off Africa's other coasts and the utility of a P-8 will quickly come to the fore!

A & C -The Puma no matter what upgrades is still very old ! Look at the investment in Chinook and the fleet numbers and its going to be a case that
something has to go! That will be Puma !

Manpads need targets. Apart from having a very small number of targets, do we have the political will to intervene? What exactly are our national interests apart from Libyan and Nigerian oil?

And the P8 would be based where exactly? To do what that is not already being done?

UK Armed Forces plc is sort of managing without MPA but will soon have a RN with a power projection capability by which time our forces will be nicely rebalanced, the MOD budget in credit, and all required equipment projects delivered on time in budget.

Oh dear!
Oh dear, oh dear.
I so wish there was a smiley maniacally laughing :D:D