9 P8s for the RAF
Discussion
Confirmed that the UK have ordered nine Boeing P-8s
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2016/03/raf-p-8a-pat...
Still think the Japanese alternative would have been a better choice.
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2016/03/raf-p-8a-pat...
Still think the Japanese alternative would have been a better choice.
Elroy Blue said:
If you add the £3.8 billion we spent on Nimrod MR4, that makes £6 billion for nine aircraft.
Get over it.The MR4 was never going to work as an operational platform, BAe didn't have a plan other than to keep pissing our money away in a monumental act of denial of the manifest truth of the matter, and for some reason you think that this was a good idea.
eharding said:
Elroy Blue said:
If you add the £3.8 billion we spent on Nimrod MR4, that makes £6 billion for nine aircraft.
Get over it.The MR4 was never going to work as an operational platform, BAe didn't have a plan other than to keep pissing our money away in a monumental act of denial of the manifest truth of the matter, and for some reason you think that this was a good idea.
eharding said:
Get over it.
The MR4 was never going to work as an operational platform, BAe didn't have a plan other than to keep pissing our money away in a monumental act of denial of the manifest truth of the matter, and for some reason you think that this was a good idea.
Somebody got out of bed the wrong side. If you can point out where I have or haven't given support to Nimrod, I'd be grateful. The MR4 was never going to work as an operational platform, BAe didn't have a plan other than to keep pissing our money away in a monumental act of denial of the manifest truth of the matter, and for some reason you think that this was a good idea.
The point was, as is depressingly usual for the MOD, we end up with a tiny fleet of very expensive assets. If they'd have taken the sensible option at the start, we might just have a couple of squadrons worth of aircraft.
Why wouldn't they be; the latent kipper fleet has been kept alive by seconding them to other air forces who already operate or are about to operate P8s and as it's based on the 737 it will be easy and comfortable for Biggles to fly between airfields adjacent to 5* hotels.
That doesn't address the issue that 8 is about half as many as we actually need given the work they'll be loaded with once SO3-Navelgazing realises that there's a sensor platform available that can loiter a bit and has snack facilities, or that the P1 appears objectively better at the primary role, sweeping any sneaky russians out of the western approaches before Trident comes out for a trip around the North Atlantic. It's got more sonobouy capacity, can do the low altitude thing without voiding the manufacturers warranty, has a MAD tail, has the right number of engines for whazzing around at 500 feet 1000 miles from the nearest dry land and appears to be cheaper, although given the fibs plane makers tell about such things that might not be so. I'd lay a bet Kawasaki would charge a lot less than Boeing will for fitting a refueling probe.
That doesn't address the issue that 8 is about half as many as we actually need given the work they'll be loaded with once SO3-Navelgazing realises that there's a sensor platform available that can loiter a bit and has snack facilities, or that the P1 appears objectively better at the primary role, sweeping any sneaky russians out of the western approaches before Trident comes out for a trip around the North Atlantic. It's got more sonobouy capacity, can do the low altitude thing without voiding the manufacturers warranty, has a MAD tail, has the right number of engines for whazzing around at 500 feet 1000 miles from the nearest dry land and appears to be cheaper, although given the fibs plane makers tell about such things that might not be so. I'd lay a bet Kawasaki would charge a lot less than Boeing will for fitting a refueling probe.
ecsrobin said:
hidetheelephants said:
The wrong aircraft in too small a quantity; what could possibly go wrong?
Care to elaborate. Certainly all the RAF guys I know are excited about P8 coming into service. That's because it makes it easier when they leave to get a job with BA or Ryanair.
Elroy Blue said:
If you can point out where I have or haven't given support to Nimrod, I'd be grateful.
...for example...Elroy Blue said:
Now utterly devoid of MPA, Cameron's idiots have finally realised that we actually need one. So we'll have to spend a lot more reaquiring the aircraft and skills needed to operate them. I as a mad decision made by clueless idiots.
i read on flightglobal that martin baker are a top tier supplier on p-8.
i assume this is not ejection seats, so what bits do they make? .... edit "crew planning seats"
ps despite some of the technical issues with mra4, saving money was the prime reason it was canned. in hindsight that decision was perhaps questionable, and was known to be at the time.
i assume this is not ejection seats, so what bits do they make? .... edit "crew planning seats"
ps despite some of the technical issues with mra4, saving money was the prime reason it was canned. in hindsight that decision was perhaps questionable, and was known to be at the time.
Edited by ///ajd on Saturday 26th March 11:31
ecsrobin said:
Care to elaborate. Certainly all the RAF guys I know are excited about P8 coming into service.
thge numbers will be based on what we had in the cold war - most of the 'not enough' complaining is from armchAir Chief Marshals who simply don;t understand the capability improvements since the 1960s , as for wrong aircraft that depends who they've been listening to... there are a number of commentators on military air operations who have very fixed views ...
///ajd said:
i read on flightglobal that martin baker are a top tier supplier on p-8.
i assume this is not ejection seats, so what bits do they make?
Crew Planning Seats on this list (down the page) - http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/military/Poseidon-...i assume this is not ejection seats, so what bits do they make?
Probably these - http://www.martin-baker.com/products#products-cras...
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