12 Sqn Typhoon
Defence Minister reveals new RAF Squadron at Qatar event
The number plate of a new Typhoon squadron set to integrate Qatari personnel was revealed by Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin at a reception to celebrate the country’s national day in London today. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was in Doha last weekend, where he agreed a package of training and co-operation between the British and Qatari Air Forces which will see them working together more regularly as part of the multi-billion pound deal to supply the country with 24 Typhoon aircraft. Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin expanded on that agreement at a State of Qatar National Day reception in London today. She revealed that a new UK-based Typhoon joint squadron will be called No. 12 squadron, and that it will temporarily integrate Qatari personnel, including pilots and ground-crew based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire...... The Qataris will not be a permanent part of the squadron, but will be integrated ahead of the delivery of the Typhoon aircraft. The move will provide the country with valuable joint frontline experience on an RAF Typhoon Squadron and speed up their preparation for when their own jets are delivered........ The new 12 squadron is currently operating Tornados, and will transition to the future Typhoon force...... |
.....and in a couple of years the RAF instructors will be working for/in Qatar as civilians.
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Reported/rumoured elsewhere that the Sqn will work up in the UK then deploy/move to Qatar in time to provide AD cover over the 2022 World Cup.
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Thank goodness they don`t rely upon A400M (70 Sqn) !!! To support them
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Please forgive the embarrassingly dense question, but I am well and truly out of the Light Blue environment in the diaspora, so am not up to date with number plates etc
I'm assuming 12 are still operating GR4s out of Marham along with 9 & 31? Is this move one of the 2 extra Typhoon sqns that were announced in the SDSR that would be using early batch jets in the AD role? Or have I missed something else whilst buried under staff work and spreadsheets? :\ |
Just another question........why the number 12 and not a fighter squadron number?
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Number Sequencing.
Perhaps we are aligning sqn numbers.
Are not sitting with 1-18 active now? Albeit with 16 being a training sqn. I may be incorrect. It’s simple, makes sense and takes away the inevitable bickering when a new sqn is on the cards. Personnaly, I really don’t see the point in people insisting that 43 or, 111 for example are given precedence. |
Originally Posted by Pure Pursuit
(Post 10008916)
Perhaps we are aligning sqn numbers.
Are not sitting with 1-18 active now? Albeit with 16 being a training sqn. I may be incorrect. It’s simple, makes sense and takes away the inevitable bickering when a new sqn is on the cards. Personnaly, I really don’t see the point in people insisting that 43 or, 111 for example are given precedence. |
Tradition and heritage, don'cha know? No.4 is a reserve squadron at Valley, No.17 is evaluating the Lightning and No.15 has disbanded.
How about using some of the very short lived squadron numbers from the World Wars, drawn at random? That would settle some of the arguments, and it would be nice to see the likes of, say Nos.197 or 274 or 530 Squadrons reformed for a a change. Plus, it will fool the enemy into thinking the RAF is much bigger than it actually is!:8 |
Originally Posted by Martin the Martian
(Post 10008981)
Plus, it will fool the enemy into thinking the RAF is much bigger than it actually is!:8
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Originally Posted by Martin the Martian
(Post 10008981)
Tradition and heritage, don'cha know? No.4 is a reserve squadron at Valley, No.17 is evaluating the Lightning and No.15 has disbanded.
How about using some of the very short lived squadron numbers from the World Wars, drawn at random? That would settle some of the arguments, and it would be nice to see the likes of, say Nos.197 or 274 or 530 Squadrons reformed for a a change. Plus, it will fool the enemy into thinking the RAF is much bigger than it actually is!:8 Some heritage still exists, certainly in terms of the P8 Sqns coming online. Completely agree on the point regarding Typhoon sqn manning. I can’t see how they’ll be able to avoid pooling engineering manning at some point. |
Originally Posted by Dan Gerous
(Post 10009075)
What!, we don't actually have 617 Sqns. :\
PDR |
Originally Posted by Dan Gerous
(Post 10009075)
What!, we don't actually have 617 Sqns. :\
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Originally Posted by Pure Pursuit
(Post 10009121)
I didn’t realise that the GR4 OCU was gone...
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It is a rather neat way of hiding another squadron disbanding... even more cuts are coming and it appears the Army may no longer be blowing their own trumpet..
https://www.ft.com/content/0d614e8e-...4-0944c5f49e46 |
Behind a paywall - give us a clue...
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"The Ministry of Defence reportedly plans cuts to 14 ensembles as the UK government seeks savings that will avoid affecting frontline troops. Nobody would dispute that combat soldiers are more essential to defence than trumpeters yet military musicians represent a country’s face to the world."
Which does miss the point that they do deploy on ops http://www.army.mod.uk/music/34495.aspx |
Surely the only reason we have so many squadrons is to make posts for wing commanders and squadron leaders. Why else would we have two squadrons of Voyager aircraft for a usable fleet of nine aircraft?
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To have the capability to surge operate all 14 airframes in a crisis sans civilian crew?
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Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 10010477)
To have the capability to surge operate all 14 airframes in a crisis sans civilian crew?
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Originally Posted by NutLoose
(Post 10010202)
"The Ministry of Defence reportedly plans cuts to 14 ensembles as the UK government seeks savings that will avoid affecting frontline troops. Nobody would dispute that combat soldiers are more essential to defence than trumpeters yet military musicians represent a country’s face to the world."
Which does miss the point that they do deploy on ops Musician on Ops - British Army Website |
We started doing that 25+ years ago.
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Originally Posted by ExAscoteer
(Post 10010796)
We started doing that 25+ years ago.
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Indeed. The greatest indicator that things had gone too far was the forming of the MPGS.
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"Which does miss the point that they do deploy on ops"
Yes but better to have 100 fully trained infantrymen than 100 bandsmen who spend half their time on music - I'm sure they do their damnedest but the armed forces are about fighting strength not music |
Vendee,
If you’re talking F3, then it was 18 aircraft, not 12, but not the entire manning from both sqns. |
Originally Posted by haltonapp
(Post 10010460)
Surely the only reason we have so many squadrons is to make posts for wing commanders and squadron leaders. Why else would we have two squadrons of Voyager aircraft for a usable fleet of nine aircraft?
Strange given how often you hear of shortages of experience and supervision, both on a engineering and aircrew point. |
Originally Posted by Heathrow Harry
(Post 10011507)
"Which does miss the point that they do deploy on ops"
Yes but better to have 100 fully trained infantrymen than 100 bandsmen who spend half their time on music - I'm sure they do their damnedest but the armed forces are about fighting strength not music |
Lots of Squadrons is actually forward thinking from someone at MOD.
When the time comes for the next round of cuts, they can easily disband a squadron, whilst sneakily moving the aircraft to those remaining. The headlines will show that the number of squadrons have been reduced... (Not that I really believe someone at MOD is capable of forward thinking) |
Originally Posted by flighthappens
(Post 10008972)
The RAF, certainly Typhoon, could do with having less squadrons of more people...
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Originally Posted by Martin the Martian
(Post 10010002)
Sssh!! Don't tell them that!
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Originally Posted by Deliverance
(Post 10011761)
Isn't 617 how many pilots we will be short by 2020?
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Well that confirms the timeframe for training and deployment to Qatar.
Qatar-U.K. operational squadron to secure skies during World Cup 2022 A joint Qatar-UK operational squadron will play a vital role in securing the skies during the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah has said. The establishment of the joint operational squadron was agreed between the two countries in December last year. Delivering a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), he said the squadron will ensure "mutual combat readiness, further our joint actions in combating terrorism and advance our strategic efforts towards the stability of our region and beyond". The minister said: "This squadron will also play a vital role in securing our skies during the 2022 World Cup, which despite people's fruitless efforts, will be hosted by Qatar". He said his current visit to London was aimed at further advancing and solidifying Qatar-UK strategic military-to-military relationship. "We have recently signed a landmark defense cooperation agreement with the UK concerning the purchase of (24) Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. This agreement builds on the historic friendship that joins both nations and further advances the strategic defence partnership that aims to serve our common security objectives." He said RUSI has been a trusted partner in providing training courses to Qatari diplomats since 2014, and fondly recalled his days in the UK as a trainee fighter pilot. "It was here in the skies above RAF valley in Wales that I flew as a young fighter pilot in training."....... |
PN - Depends whether you shop in Tesco or Waitrose. Some time ago Waitrose changed the signs over the small basket tills to "Fewer than x items" from "Less than...."
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Waitrose aside, if you can count it, it's fewer. Otherwise less. :sad:
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