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dannyfrigate
329 posts
@NavyLookout @robfox45 The one good criticism against the aircraft carrier project is that it wasn't CATOBAR...
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This is a really bad take on the Royal Navy's current problems.
@robfox45 blames the late Admiral Michael Boyce for going ahead with the aircraft carrier project.
archive.is/xQ9dn
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@NavyLookout @robfox45 If we hadn't got the Queen Elizabeth class, we would be in the same situation as we are now just without any carriers. Anybody that thinks that the QEC is the source for anymore than 5% of the RB's problems is deranged.
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@ModernNavy @robfox45 @theipaper If we hadn't got the QE class we would be in the same position as now just without carriers, and anyone that thinks elsewise or that the QEC is the source of the RN's problems is a deranged lunatic.
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In the endless blame game about the current state of the Rroyal Navy, defence writer @robfox45 partly blames former First Sea Lord and CDS Micheal Boyce for promoting the QUEEN ELIZABETH-CLASS carriers over other options @theipaper #RoyalNavy
archive.is/2026.05.18-060…
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@lennylaw @FennellJW ... Because it's still being developed? Regent still has orders from Brittany ferries
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Another ground-effect design. A couple of years ago Brittany Ferries were making noises about building GEVs for the Portsmouth to France routes. Nothing came of it.
The Defence Blog@Defence_blog
REGENT Craft and Schneider Electric have demonstrated off-grid remote charging for Seaglider vessels using DC-coupled modular battery storage. defence-blog.com/regent-teams-w…
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@air_intel It really shouldn't be that hard to have a domestic design if the demand is supplemented by a UCAV variant.
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@FennellJW Tbf the RAF would prefer to buy American no matter what, so I wouldn't choose "what the RAF wants to buy" as an appropriate metric.
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Its been clear that Aeralis is not the solution the RAF wants for some time, but sure blame the DIP, why not.
Craig Hoyle@FlightAcesHigh
Cashflow pressures send UK modular trainer developer @Aeralis into administration. Serially-delayed release of Defence Investment Plan by @DefenceHQ also cited as a contributing factor. An ambitious idea, but not to be. flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/202…
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@TBrit90 The cost is now £1.7bn for five ships or £350m each.
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Whats the total cost of the T31 in the end? And how close to the T26 is it? How close would it be if we order more of the latter?
The Times and Sunday Times@thetimes
Babcock warns on profits after £140m charge on ‘Lidl frigates’ #Echobox=1778656957" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/business/compa…
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Early design studies for the deck layout of HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales
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@TBrit90 I've been counting everywhere since the election purah of 2024 - 26 months right now.
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The defence investment plan has been delayed 8~ months and counting. The armed forces are in groundhog day, procurement and industry are dying.
Meanwhile, all our defense secretaries seem to be doing is arguing about who is less shit with the previous shit government. Do your job, stop delaying and stop the election bullshit.
Luke Pollard MP@LukePollard
It’s beyond belief for Badenoch and Cartlidge to claim they would fix a Royal Navy that they left hollowed out through years of underfunding. This is Tory arsonists claiming they could put out their own fire.
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@McmeekinIan @Gabriel64869839 None of those places have ASRAAM there so no advantage over Sky sabre
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@dannyfrigate @Gabriel64869839 I think Brize Norton might be rather key too? Culdrose? and to be fair to the Army Middle Wallop and Wattisham - perhaps with a force mix of LMM (Martlet) and CAMM MR
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One of the slightly more ambitious forms of RAVEN that MBDA had teased at DSEI. Also doubles the number of missiles in this configuration; MBDA had concepts with 8 missiles as well.
Jon Hawkes@JonHawkes275
The proposed Raven 5, firing ASRAAM missiles from a Moog Flexible Mission Platform (FMP). Ukraine seem to love their Ravens, but the fixed launcher requires missile to burn a lot of energy to turn to targets on other aspects - FMP can slew and fire in all directions.
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@ArmchairAdml Literally the opposite of what the article says
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@AlexLuck9 People were really expecting Australian built Mogami's to cost the same as an inflation adjusted T31?
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Kudos to Japan Times picking up on the cost discrepancy, which the Australian government does not appear very keen to explain. Meanwhile Australian media continues to quote the original 10 billion figure, presumably because they havent read the IIP 2026.
The Japan Times@japantimes
BREAKING: Japan sealed its largest-ever defense export contract with Australia on Saturday, in a major breakthrough for the country's defense industry. 👉 ebx.sh/Gmwgok
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@GarethDennis Not a single piece of evidence to support that. All aircraft in the operation were Combat Search And Rescue designated aircraft
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So the "airmen rescue" gibberish is absolutely a cover for a failed US ground operation, right? It makes zero sense as currently being presented/reported.
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@Rotorfocus @MtarfaL A330MRTT+ (A330-800neo)? Given each A330-900neo is about £150m according to virgin Atlantic, that means for £2bn we wouldn't be getting a 14 fleet replacement, so I assume this is 17 to augment the existing voyager fleet / replace the 7 KC2's keep the KC3's
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@MtarfaL Having spoke to their CEO last week, they just want to secure a repeat/follow-on contract and if they lock that in, they can justify providing new aircraft with booms etc.
aviationweek.com/defense/aircra…
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AirTanker now lobbying hard for more money
“AirTanker, which maintains the RAF’s fleet of 14 Voyager planes, said it “stands ready to invest” up to £2bn for upgrades to the aircraft, which refuel the UK’s F-35B stealth jets and Typhoon interceptors now defending the Gulf from Iranian drone attack”
“Stands ready to invest” is also an interesting phrase…
H/T @TomCotterillX
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dannyfrigate retweetledi
theres something poetic about japanese people opening skyscanner, searching “cheap flights to london” and going “ugh i want to go so badly but why are the flights so expensive??? i havent even thought about hotels yet” when i do the same for tokyo like twice a week
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dannyfrigate retweetledi
Actual footage of John Healey presenting the Defence Investment Plan to the Treasury.
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@thinkdefence And aside from the fact they can only cover a limited AoR, what are these turboprops going to be doing when not chasing down drones, which for the UK will be most of the time?
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I know a lot of people think a low speed drone should be countered by a low speed aircraft (helicopter or turboprop), and this might be OK if it's all you have, but surely, fast aircraft with cheap weapons (guns, lasers, rockets) is a better option to cover large areas?
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. @ValkStrategy with couple of RAF nuggets "I understand, the T-7 train has been halted, and the people who were pushing it have been advised to relax their efforts while other solutions are explored. The intended purchase of 12 F-35As.... now seems unlikely." #avgeek
ASPI@ASPI_org
In European defence, a sudden reluctance to buy American | @ValkStrategy | bit.ly/4uO5xfJ
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@Gabriel64869839 A single 8 cell MK41 would give the anti-air frigate that the Lulea class is supposed to be less firepower than the visby corvette MLU. So I doubt even this new rendering is correct.
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At time the 1st CGIs were released, some assumed absence of visible VLS meant ship would not have them, despite descriptions making clear the opposite. Here, VLS are "shown" up front.
I continue to suspect more, deeper VLS will be found ahead of the RBS15 SSMs amidship, too.
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