sjt wrote:They should stick the two additional Typhoon squadrons into Leeming. What a waste of a great base and infrastrure that place is at the moment.
You could say the same about a good many RAF air bases.
Wittering, Honington, Cottesmore, Leuchars, Kinloss, Lyneham. Yes indeed, most are in the hands of the Army but at least two of those are still active airfields, others have gone to waste.
FB
I have danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings!
patrouille2001 wrote:Does anyone know the condition of Kinloss and Leuchars runways, I know when they closed Cottesmore, they removed the Radar and landing lights and wondered if they had done the same ?
They're both available as master diversions for Lossiemouth. Leuchars still gets a degree of traffic in and out and practising approaches.
FB
I have danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings!
Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400 can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
patrouille2001 wrote:Does anyone know the condition of Kinloss and Leuchars runways, I know when they closed Cottesmore, they removed the Radar and landing lights and wondered if they had done the same ?
They're both available as master diversions for Lossiemouth. Leuchars still gets a degree of traffic in and out and practising approaches.
FB
If it wasnt for the lack of aircraft and their squadrons, you would think Leuchars was a fully functioning airfield! Arabest, Geoff.
Find it strange how our once great nation pioneered the use of a jet powered long range maritime patrol aircraft and a VTOL/STOVL fast jet, only to withdraw them early without replacement due to cost then a few years later announce we are buying the same types from a foreign source. Seems so sad as we used to produce world beating aircraft all by ourself. I bet Putin and IS will be shivering in there boots in 5,6,7 or whatever amount of years it is until our armed forces are somewhere near where they should be now
JetA1 wrote:Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400M can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
I think they have just come to there senses (for once) and realised just how valuable the Hercules is! An airlift force of C-17, A400M & C-130 is a very good prospect
harkins wrote:What exactly is the process on selecting squadrons to be formed? Is it just next on the list or some historical relevancy to the squadrons role or where they're based?
Mainly factored on squadron age and historical value. 19 Squadron being a low number, a Battle of Britain squadron and being frontline for much of it's life gives it president over, for example, 74 Squadron. When 216 Squadron was disbanded last year, they knew that the numberplate would likely never come back so the standard wasn't 'laid up' at RAF Cranwell whereas other disbanded units do, until they are stood up. There are plenty of numberplates to choose from but now with less and less fast-jet squadrons (and squadrons in general) the likelyhood of high-numbered squadrons with juicy markings (eg 74/111 etc) coming back is getting lower and lower.
Is it not the case however that the 200 series squadron numbers were the ones representing the old RNAS squadrons, and do they not still maintain some seniority - or is the feeling that they'll be reserved for the P8 Squadron/s - I assume that there will be more than 1 squadron even though the fleet size is small, as done with the E3D.
By the way, anyone thinking that we might end up with a Sunderland II name for the P8s?
I think the Sentry force is back as a single sdn operator now - No 8. 42 sdn is an historical low numbered one connected with the Maritime fleet but I would think 22 is high on the agenda.
Concorde216 wrote:Well, for once the armed forces are going to get some much needed cash.
The Armed Forces as a whole are getting the cash......unfortunately that doesn't extend to the troops -- pensions cuts , benefits cuts , allowance cuts , etc. Hence why the Military are having retention problems due to so many of them PVR-ing or simply not extending their service. CMD made a big thing of increasing the Reserves by 35,000.....who will make up a large number of these Reserves ? Yep , those same disgruntled people !! You can just see how well that's going to go , can't you.
Add to the mix a reduction in MOD civil staff by 30% to 41000, the uniformed side will have to take on their work as well; I know people have their own ideas of the CS, but at least they allow uniformed staff to do what they should be doing.
Things are getting bad enough as they are, jobs gapped because of recruiting embargos, staff morale on both sides of the fence at a massive low and totally agree about the 'Reserves', who going to leave the job and become a Reservist if they have been treated like poo.
So a fleet of shiny new 737- 800's then? I take it engines and guts stripped and refitted with RR Trents and all the previous innards of the Nimrod etc? I doubt they'll wander away from the Poseidon name we know them as. The P8 "Stalker"?!!! Nah, just can't see it.
They don't get a choice , they automatically have a commitment to the Reserves ( think it's still for 3 years after they leave the Forces )......what happens if the 'fail to commit' is another matter. Along with the cuts to the CS , there are still the ongoing cuts to the Police & HMRC/BA , plus I've also seen mention that the contract for the fisheries protection aircraft ( Cobham ? ) is to be binned.
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JetA1 wrote:Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400M can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
JetA1 wrote:Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400M can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
I don't think so. Did you consider it may be the best vfm for the tax payer in the current time period - that we use 14 current aircraft for a few more years until the need for them may have died down? If we can refurb what are already modern aircraft rather than buy more new at considerable cost then I think that is a good decision.
Where are these 19 confirned ships coming from? If it's 6 T45 and 8 T26 then by deduction does that mean at least 5 of this new cheaper flexible job?
JetA1 wrote:Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400M can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
The Herc can do things the A400M can't and the A400M can do things the Herc can't, so they compliment each other pretty well. I always thought the OSD of 2022 was a bit harsh on the C-130J fleet.
All-in-all, I'd say it was a surprisingly good SDSR this time around, better than expected.
JetA1 wrote:Anyone miss the statement on the previous page they're keeping an amount of Hercules into the 2030s? That's either an admission the A400M can't do what the Herc does, or they're not buying enough.
I would say that it is in line with more investment in and maintaining special forces capability.
As a point of info relating to a previous point, I think the Poseidon is a hybrid 737-800/900. Fuselage based on one, wings based on the other. An off the shelf purchase too - a revelation for the MoD. It might catch on.
