NaBoffin Good post, agree with you - lots of handwringing now after the event by the same people who were handwringing to precipitate the event a few years ago.

To get back on thread

I must agree with you Bannock - not necessarily the aircraft and operators, but the concept IMHO.

Sorry, what? Merlins are crap? Srsly?

" not necessarily the aircraft and operators, but the concept IMHO."

Concur

Again, srsly? The concept of having a flying T23, with a pretty decent sonar, and passive capability, that can deploy from a ship, with decent legs, better than anything the USN or French can put up, who have been proved operationally in more than 1 theatre, is

Care to actually defend that statement?

It was briefed as the major political threat to the NATO Southern Region:
It came as a package:
Water shortages/water rights conflicts
Food scarcity
Population expansion
Uncontrolled migration

I used to give that brief to visitors at our HQ. The basics of brief was crafted from NATO HQ and passed down to the subordinate commands.

It was the "shared truth" of sixteen nations.

That the US would start another ruckus in Iraq or elsewhere was not part of the strategic brief, but this was the 90's. I'd be interested to see what the standard brief is now in various NATO HQ's.

Submarine spotted in Scapa Flow. on 27 Apr 2015. Believed to be friendly (Netherlands)

Terrible shame no-one was that alert 76 years ago.

RIP all on HMS Royal Oak.

Do I take it.....
 

.....that you were driving it? Were you home for the Spring haggis fix?

The Ancient Mariner

damn - it does look a fine MPA - even with 2 missing donks! Just the UK driver this time?

Nah!.....
 

.....he's just kicking his toes in the dirt, blushing and saying "Aw Shucks...."
It's the first lesson on day one at the RAG.

The Ancient Mariner

Enjoy your visit home (er, your 'source' that is). Shame it looks like Lossie is too busy with QRA to fit in a few MPA these days. Still, going by some of the random recoveries I've seen since the tiffies arrived, you're better off down there ;) Bet you've had your fill of Wendy's by now though!

ahem - the panty liner has yet to be invited that can hold an AEO's 'output' :p Still proud I never needed to buy a slab in 20 years. I think I was 'cured' by my first OCU trip to Gib and seeing the bog contents emptied down the clear plastic sausage tube under the port beam window. Fair play to the VAS linies - they sure knew their sh*t!
Anyhoo - do tell more on these purchase rumours - by talking about 'runners' you seem to imply there is a viable 'race'? Would love it to be so but my cynicism dimmer switch is fully on....:ok:

Casa C295MPA spotted at Culdrose!
Fox2 :: View topic - CASA C-295 MPA VIsits RNAS Culdrose

And the last time a UK MPA dropped live ordinance was........

Very objective assessment?

2010 - the last year of Nimrod MR2

Or did you mean a warshot weapon?

Jayland, if you meant warshot against a hostile target then you, in common with many others, show a common misconception about successful Defence.

Success is about preventing the need to use earshot. The Cold War was a prime example of success. The Falklands, while an excellent feat of arms, was a complete failure of Defence Diplomacy which the then Foreign Secretary and Secretary of Defence acknowledged when they offered to resign.

The deployment of F3 before GW 1 were similarly an example of successful Defence Diplomacy as they could well have deferred further Iraqi adventurism.

Wars of choice, OTOH, are not Defence Diplomacy and your target depends on your putative foe.