Summary of announcements

[f-4]

Does the BBMF really take up the room that would be required for Typhoon Sqd, admittedly it's been a few years since I've been to Coningsby but from what I can remember they were housed in smallish hangar with limited ramp space.


Meanwhile up at Lossie....the P-8's will go into the current 15R facilites with the Typhoon Sqn into the Northern HAS area.

Pretty sure XV(R) will be long gone by the time P-8 arrives.

[reheat]

More of any aircraft is a plus. Just seems too little, too late. The crisis is now!

[baz1]

and in which century is all this going to happen!?

[reheat]

Exactly.

[Thunder]

Does the BBMF really take up the room that would be required for Typhoon Sqd, admittedly it's been a few years since I've been to Coningsby but from what I can remember they were housed in smallish hangar with limited ramp space.


Meanwhile up at Lossie....the P-8's will go into the current 15R facilites with the Typhoon Sqn into the Northern HAS area.

Pretty sure XV(R) will be long gone by the time P-8 arrives.

That's what I said

[EGDR]

. P-8 confirmed to have an "overland surveillance capability"

AKA Windows.

It's not inconceivable that the UK could procure some AAS radars.

[Dan M]

"Joint Force 2025"

>20x Protector UAVs
9x P-8s
3x Rivet Joints
6x E-3 Sentries
8x Shadow
2x F35 squadrons
7x Typhoon squadrons
14x Voyager
8x C17
22x A400M
14x C-130J

On the subject of space, how on earth are they expecting to fit 58 of the largest aircraft in our fleet into Brize

[Harkins]

That's an excellent question. I suppose that with some Voyager 'on holiday' and with the usual deployments that there will never actually be 58 there at once, but there could be up to around 40 perhaps? And with the usual visitors it could be very cosy.

Also, a bit like the F-35's, I am guessing that some will be retired before some enter service (and some cancelled in future SDSR's) and thus the full number will never actually be in service simultaneously.

[Rockstar]

A few points picked up from the document.

"We will continue to operate Tornado combat aircraft until they are replaced by Typhoon".

Do we read into this that the Tornado gets a reprieve beyond 2018?

The extended service life of Sentinel, Shadow, Sentry and Rivet Joint is welcome and not surprising bearing in mind current conflicts. As previously discussed the Sentry must surely be due an MLU like the US and French examples. If indeed it does make it to 2035 as stated then it will have been in service for 43 years since declared operational.

An upgrade and life extension to the C130J fleet is also welcome for a type that was anticipated to have an OSD of 2022 before yesterday's announcement.

"A recapitalised Command Support Air Transport fleet to replace the current aircraft as they reach the end of their life. This will increase their operational utility and ensure we are able to continue to transport the Royal Family and senior Ministers cost-effectively."

This is in addition to the adaptation of the existing Voyager which has been discussed elsewhere so presumably we can read into this the potential for some new VIP airframes? Or at least some 146 replacements?

[Rich H]

Government have released an 8 page summary, with charts, facts and figures: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... ers_11.pdf

[lhrlima]

"We will continue to operate Tornado combat aircraft until they are replaced by Typhoon"

Forgive me if I've missed something, but does this imply the Tornado OSD is still set for 2019? Also, I've not seen anything that states the two new Typhoon Squadrons are direct replacements for Tornado units, or is that a given, with no need to state the obvious??

Regards,
Steve.

[the concerned]

With 1 of the announcements being increased spending for the special forces including helicopters what shape might them helicopters come in are we talking more merlins or maybe some ospreys

[Vulcanone]

I'm sure the MoD will tell us in good time. I suspect until then it is guesswork only

T