Author Topic: RAF 16 Sqn & 54 Sqn's disband... (Read 368 times)

Replicant · « **on:** March 27, 2005, 05:57:24 AM »

More cost cutting.... Crazy when you think that they recently spent millions upgrading the Jaguar fleet to GR3A standard. RAF Coltishall will close too. The Typhoon, due to replace the Tornado F.3 and Jaguar GR3A, is only configured for A2A roles at the moment so there will be a shortfall in defence capability (pretty much similar to the Royal Navy having no radar capable fleet defence aircraft until the JSF enters (if!) service).

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2005/colt/colt.htm

Chortle · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2005, 06:35:51 AM »

It is crazy. Then again this is the same MoD that spent hundreds of millions on Chinooks that cant fly above 500 ft and only in clear weather.

Nilsen · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2005, 09:09:10 AM »

Alot of the same things are going on here. We started a massive reorg and change in our military in the late 90's and are still doing it. Plenty of the bases and equipment that were brand new in the late 90's are now already beeing decomissioned and sold off.

The madness is at an end tho, cause most of the huge changes are now done and I think that even if there has been alot of waste due to the scrapping of almost newequipment we are getting a force that is alot more capable and better to deal with the post-cold war era. We are constantly getting people over from other larger NATO countries to learn from how we have done it so they can avoid some of the worst pitfalls.

Its tough, but at one point you have to make the change and there will always be new stuff that wont fit into the new system that you scrap just after its bought. The delivery contracts that were made before we made the changes still has to be payed for and accepted before it can be sold or scrapped.

Replicant · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2005, 09:47:27 AM »

I forgot to mention that as well as 16 Sqn and 54 Sqn disbanding, both 6 Sqn and 41 Sqn will disband over the next 2 or 3 years (all of these are Jaguar squadrons).

The craziest thing is with the Royal Navy aircraft that I mentioned earlier. The Royal Navy are having their AMRAAM and radar equipped Sea Harrier FA.2s removed from service - some had recently refurbished/new airframes. The RN will operate with the RAF and use the RAF Harrier GR.7A and GR.9A (AV-8B advanced) which in RAF service has no radar and only has AIM-9L for protection for the fleets. When will the radar equipped JSF enter service? 2013? or later?

If Argentina decided to make another attempt on the Falklands, the UK would be in the $h1t, unless they made use of Nuke armed Subs off Buenos Aires (firing conventional Tridents as a warning).

Nilsen · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:29:48 AM »

When are the Horizon class airdefence destroyers ready? The range of their Aster 30 missiles are 80-100km so they should protect the fleet, even if its not as flexible as ac.

Nilsen · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:32:15 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz
I thought the Sea Harriers had radar, AMRAAM missiles even? Anyways, the JSF is in danger of cancellation now. If they do cancel it I think our government would want a refund of the $100mill a year we have spent on the project.

I think they should drop the funding too and use what they save to get the Eurofigther tranche 2.

We dont need the JSF.

Replicant · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:35:23 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz
I thought the Sea Harriers had radar, AMRAAM missiles even? Anyways, the JSF is in danger of cancellation now. If they do cancel it I think our government would want a refund of the $100mill a year we have spent on the project.

The Sea Harriers are currently being withdrawn from service. The last Sea Harrier squadron will disband in 2006.

As for the JSF... well, I would prefer the conventional JSF rather than the STOVL version which is the main problem causing project at the moment. I had a go on a JSF STOVL flight sim last year and it was fantastic!

Replicant · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:36:51 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen
When are the Horizon class airdefence destroyers ready? The range of their Aster 30 missiles are 80-100km so they should protect the fleet, even if its not as flexible as ac.

It's supposed to be 2007.

Replicant · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:39:32 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen
I think they should drop the funding too and use what they save to get the Eurofigther tranche 2.

We dont need the JSF.

Tranche 2 is primarily for the air-to-air role. I know the UK are wanting their Typhoon's changed to also be used in the air-to-ground role. I think Italy and Spain will have bomb options on their variants though.

Heh, Tranche 2, without saying too much I physically had to send out the T2 contract!

Nilsen · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:39:35 AM »

Norway and the rest of NATO will get the "domestic" verion of the JSF while other buyers gets a version without the same stealth.

The gripen is a very good plane but it also only has one engine, and of all the F16's we have lost since we bought the first, almost all have been lost to engine faliure. The Gripen also has a fairly short range.

Nilsen · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:42:59 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Replicant
Tranche 2 is primarily for the air-to-air role. I know the UK are wanting their Typhoon's changed to also be used in the air-to-ground role. I think Italy and Spain will have bomb options on their variants though.

Heh, Tranche 2, without saying too much I physically had to send out the T2 contract!

Aha.. I thought the Tranche 1 was air-to-air and 2 was multirole.

Anyways... the Eurofighter that our goverment is considering is the multirole version that is not yet ready for production i belive. There are still a few years until we are going to place an order for the future planes so I really hope they will skip the JSF.

Replicant · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2005, 10:58:31 AM »

Tranche 2 is basically what the country orders. If a country has a requirement for air-to-ground then it will somehow be incorporated into the design. T2 is simply the up-to-date version of T1 with some bugs ironed out.

BUG_EAF322 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2005, 04:10:37 PM »

Last fixed wing dutch navy

mora · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2005, 07:54:36 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen
Norway and the rest of NATO will get the "domestic" verion of the JSF while other buyers gets a version without the same stealth.

I doubt any nation with any self respect will buy the dumbed down version.

Replicant · « **Reply #14 on:** April 08, 2005, 01:52:59 PM »

Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 899 Sqn disbands too...
http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2005/899/899.htm