UK Defence Equipment Plan 2021-2031
 

Microsoft Word - 20220215 EP21 draft content v1.1 FINAL OS (publishing.service.gov.uk)

In the Army Command Section: "The Army is also retiring its oldest CH-47 Chinook helicopters and purchasing newer variants of this operationally proven aircraft from the US." - whoever wrote this clearly has a grip on things !

In the Navy Command Section: "Additional investment has allowed the Merlin helicopters to be extended in service from 2029 until 2040"

In the Air Command Section:

"Funding for new A400M Atlas and additional purchase of F35B Lightning II (beyond the 48 the Department is already committed to) is not included in Air Command’s planned spend here and is held centrally."

"Air Command will retire equipment that has increasingly limited utility in the digital and future operating environment. This will include rationalising older fleets to improve efficiency, retiring Typhoon Tranche 1 by 2025, and Hawk T1. Air Command will also retire the BAe146 as planned by 2022, take the C130 Hercules out of service by 2023 and retire the E-3D Sentry in 2021."

Delays:
Brimstone 3A on Typloon: slip to Spring 2024
Meteor on F-35B: slip to 2027 - possibly later due to wider aircraft program issues
SPEAR Capatbility 3 on F-35B: slip to 2026 likely
ASRAAM Block 6 on Typhoon: slip to Spring 2022
ASRAAM Block 4 on F-35B: retain to at least 2025 until integration for ASRAAM 6 completed

The whole document gets this wrong. Medium Lift Helicopters are covered in the Army section and the Air Command responsibilities do not list support or medium lift helicopters.

It states 'consolidation of the Army's disparate fleet of medium lift helicopters from four platforms to one: including the replacement of Puma'

The Integrated Review last year did the same. Someone on here suggested it was because the helicopters were funded via an army budget line.

They are. Joint Helicopter Command where joint is spelled a-r-m-y........

Although the article is very Puma specific wrt NMH, despite it being only one of the four platforms being replaced.

When is the decision due to be made public about what we're getting anyway?

It’s really not difficult to grasp, Chinook is owned & funded by the Land TLB so from a Center perspective it is an Army helicopter; the new F models acquired under FMS were also funded from the Land TLB. Twenty Two years later and the dinosaurs really don’t get it do they 🤦‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤦‍♂️

I still think of Typhoon as new ... I feel old

Will there be some deep thinking after tonight

With this hugely inept, self serving, truth distorting Government? Of course there won’t!

They, and Johnson and Wallace in particular, will continue to talk of expanding capability and global reach and presence, whilst continuing to reduce the Army by 10,000, retire Typhoons, retire Type 23 Frigates, retire a third of the air transport fleet, retire all the Army’s Infantry fighting vehicles whilst leaving the RN with no ship launched anti surface vessel weapon beyond a 4.5 inch gun.

"leaving the RN with no ship launched anti surface vessel weapon beyond a 4.5 inch gun."

That's always been one of the biggest criticisms of the T45's - somehow the money was never made available - crazy when you think of it :(​​​​​​​

"P-8A Poseidon. Regaining long-range maritime skills will take time and could be challenging."

Well I guess that proves what everyone on here has been saying for the last 12 years......................

I’ve worked with P8 in the Arctic and they were pretty top notch…

The 5" Mk45 mount fires the Volcano round at ranges of up to 90km and is effective against land and sea targets. At 20 rpm it could demolish an enemy ship very cost effectively. It will be on the T26 from the get go and should cover any delays in future anti-ship missiles.

The current 4.5" Mk 8 gives you 27km with base bleed ammunition, so 90km is a significant upgrade. and will "do" in most instances

I hope so...cutting the Army from 80,000 to 70,000 looks like a mistake now. Perhaps some more Typhoons for the RAF?

The govt should delay the plan to remove Typhoon Tr1s. Buy replacement Harpoon for all major surface combatants and an UOR buy of the new Advanced Tactical Shovel System for for the army

That totally ignores the armament and capabilities of Russian and Chinese vessels that the RN could well be involved with stand offs with in the coming days, let alone 2029!

No airborne anti-shipping capability on Lightning or Poseidon, no underwater to surface capability on RN submarines since sub-Harpoon was retired, and a small number of Wildcat that will soon maybe be armed with short range Sea Venom and Martlet missiles.

This capability gap out to the early 2030's was less of a concern prior to the Ukraine situation.

Our politicians are making boastful claims that they do not have the equipment to be able to back up.

UK armed forces now look seriously under armed and exposed in light of current threats.

What a waste of a defence budget.