Russian Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov to sail through channel...

[T_J]

"Stroudy"
Should have had a pair of GR4's with Sea Eagles on board in the Mix too..

Where have you been since 1999? Sea Eagle was withdrawn without replacement from service back in April 1999.

Sea Eagle Missile

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the Sea Eagle has been withdrawn from service. [128767]

Mr. Spellar: Work undertaken in the Strategic Defence Review showed that we needed less capability in the field of open ocean anti-surface ship warfare. To this end, it was decided to withdraw the Sea Eagle missile from both the Tornado GRIB and the Sea Harrier, as part of a coherent programme of reduced investment in this area of our maritime capability. Instead, our future investment will be in heavier weapons with larger ranges, such as Harpoon.

4 Jul 2000 : Column: 130W

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 704w08.htm

[Stroudy]

Thanks T_J, I had a sneaking suspicion that was the case as I was writing that!!

I know the Type 23 (or its chopper) has anti ship missiles, but does that mean the Harpoon is now fast jet mounted.. or not.

All good learning!

[lowlevelRAF]

I know the Harpoon can be carried on F/A-18's for the US Navy. Not sure what other fastjets it was used on..

[Snoop 95]

Odd that HMS Ocean is showing on Marine Traffic if she is elsewhere. Wonder what that icon actually is then. The A K does not appear so maybe that's it.

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/hom ... 892/zoom:9

[T_J]

Thanks T_J, I had a sneaking suspicion that was the case as I was writing that!!

I know the Type 23 (or its chopper) has anti ship missiles, but does that mean the Harpoon is now fast jet mounted.. or not.

All good learning!

No problem, Stroudy. The Harpoon in service with the RAF was only fitted to the Nimrod. No other anti-ship missile was fitted to the Tornado or Sea Harrier after retirement of the Sea Eagle.

The Royal Navy is also scheduled to retire their ship based Harpoons during 2018.

Key Points
Retirement of Harpoon will leave RN warships without a heavyweight surface-to-surface guided weapon
The United Kingdom currently has no funded programme for a Harpoon replacement

http://www.janes.com/article/65445/uk-t ... nd-of-2018

[Stroudy]

Bring back the GR1B.. as a GR4B! That's my request anyway.

I'd hope the FRG Typhoon or F35 will have some sort of anti shipping capability. You still cant beat the look of a low and fast Sea Harrier FRS1 toting 2x Sea Eagles though in my opinion

[Thunder]

You still cant beat the look of a low and fast Sea Harrier FRS1 toting 2x Sea Eagles though in my opinion

Sure you can, an ultra low Buccaneer toting 4 x Sea Eagles wins hands down

[Nighthawke]

Second that Thunder I recall the RAF recruitment film from way back which, if I recall correctly, showed an exercise attack on the old HMS Devonshire.

[Durranhill]

Bananas , Bananas , the Bucc at it's best - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lteL18wd15Y

Stewart .

[Dazza37]

If anyone should be so inclined, take a look at some of the utter bilge being posted on the FC facebook group in regard to the Admiral Kuznetsov transitting the English Channel, Daily Mail-esque hyperbole at it's finest, it makes you wonder if some of the posters actually got any further than a primary school education...

-Dazza