UKC

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Somali-Piracy-Threat-Is-Being-Unde...

Cant see it happening myself - Thoughts anyone?

In reply to drunken monkey: maybe they're thinking its cheaper to pay the pirates than pay for the new nimrod

In reply to space monkey: The aircraft was almost ready, and it cost Millions to bin the contract.

In reply to drunken monkey:

I read somewhere that they have got a few of the new Nimrods delivered, just not going to be used. Not sure if its true, either way must be great for the company if they can sell the same plane twice (if they can find another taker for it)

In reply to drunken monkey:

Getting rid of the Nimrod was a stupid idea, because we haven't got anything that can fulfill that capability. As usual, the government were looking at numbers and not the bigger picture. I think they thought that because the cold war is over, we don't need submarine hunters anymore, so why not bin them.

What they failed to do is look at all the other things that the Nimrod did, like SAR top cover, anti drug trafficking work in the Caribbean and of course it would be great for anti-piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

Of course, there was no need to spend that much money on the Nimrod project and people just look at the numbers and are shocked. We could have purchased some P3 Orions for a fraction of the cost. The thing with military procurement is that it's not always about getting the cheapest price, but also about supporting British industry and creating employment.

In reply to Mikkel: I think the only fully up and running MRA4 belongs to BAe Systems. Will be interesting to see if they can sell them on.

In reply to drunken monkey:

It will be stripped and chopped. Too much U.K. specific and sensitive equipment on it to be sold on. Not too many countries could afford to buy something like that as a one off and any that do we wouldn't want looking at it.

Regards

D

In reply to Dauphin:

Maybe they can sell them to the french then

In reply to Dauphin: Hasnt stopped BAe systems in the past. Most of the cost has been paid out by the MOD!!

I'll give it 5 years and we'll be leasing P-8's from the yanks.

In reply to Phil Payne: The French Already use the Atlanique.

In reply to drunken monkey:

The amount of money it costs to keep the last comets in the world flying is ridiculous. They could have bought far better kit off the shelf for less.

The whole thing was a make work project for bae. Good riddance.

In reply to davidbeynon: Far better kit? Where exactly? there is no better Aircraft at its job.

But I agree, it cost a ridiculous amount of money. But I suppose that comes with converting a poor airliner into a multi-role military aircraft.

In reply to drunken monkey:

Sounds like pure propaganda.

"...experts have warned that if pirates intercepted two liquid natural gas transporters, the effect would be felt very rapidly in the UK where there is no storage capacity."

The obvious problem is to get more storage capacity then, just like the rest of Europe. This would provide much greater security since there are a number of different scenarios that that could disrupt gas supplies some of which the military could do absolutely nothing about.

In reply to drunken monkey:


Save your indignation guys. I think you may need it during the next few weeks.

In reply to Jim Fraser: True Jim, I just hope Lossie stays - I'm posted back there in January!!

In reply to drunken monkey:

You actually want to back to Lossie???

In reply to Phil Payne: Too right.

In reply to drunken monkey:

It must be the grab a granny night in Jo-spanners that's making you want to go back. I had a great time when I was at Kinloss, but wasn't sad to leave Elgin.

In reply to Phil Payne: Wednesday nights are not the same anymore. Its not so much Elgin I want back for, just the area in General. Its a fantastic part of the world.

Plus I've had a year away from KMRT - And I miss the hills!

In reply to drunken monkey: Simon Jenkins predicted that vested interests in the military would try and try and save their bacon with scare stories about Dr. No type figures in the Atlantic keeping the shelves of Tesco bare. This is almost as preposterous.

In reply to drunken monkey:







It may do, but as an Army base.

In reply to Ian Black: What a waste. Another good RAF base would get ruined by the pongos.

In reply to drunken monkey:






Lol. Mind you, your Rock Apes already do a good job of that

In reply to Mikkel:

Sounds reasonable. I have worked on a few MOD projects that are probably stashed in a warehouse somewhere gathering dust.

In reply to drunken monkey: BTW I think the locals would prefer it stayed in the RAF's hands.

In reply to Ian Black: Indeed - Thankfully they bugger off for 6 months at a time! In fact, they are not about that much.

In reply to drunken monkey:

If the bureaucrats get their way, RAF MRS will be a roaming squad out of Leeming or Waddington.

All makes pefect sense on a sheet of paper in London.

In reply to Jim Fraser: The Leeming lot are already a roaming squad!

In reply to drunken monkey:

Maybe they could relocate the Kinloss MRT to Marham. I always thought that Norfolk and Cambridgeshire could do with a mountain rescue team.

In reply to Phil Payne: Yeah, i'm sure its been considered!

I wonder what will happen to the ARCC? With the RAF input now consisting of SAR Helo's and MRT, maybe the Navy will push for greater input and a move to the south coast?

In reply to Phil Payne:

I remember the school double decker bus getting stuck in snow and ice at the bottom of Marham Hill, about the only steep bit for miles around

In reply to Jim Fraser: Apologies for the hi-jack, but I noticed some of the RAF Regt wearing a single tape at the Albert Hall. I didn't think they had Lance Jacks?

In reply to Ian Black: Yes mate - Just been introduced this year.

In reply to drunken monkey:







Ah right! I just found it strange as I've normally got double vision at that time on a Saturday night

In reply to Ian Black: Hehe - it's because they quite often had SAC's as 2IC of patrols etc, so they gave them the extra rank. Makes sense for them.

In reply to drunken monkey:






Yeah makes sense from an operational perspective. I've served with a couple of EX Colour Sqn lads.

In reply to Ian Black:

I've served with a couple of EX Colour Sqn lads.








At least thats what they used to tell me after we'd watched the Royal tournament

In reply to drunken monkey:

It's about to get interesting.

In reply to Ian Black:

They were talking of stuff like this when my Dad was in it in 1942. Then it was just AC, LAC, Corporal. Introducing SAC in 1950 should have helped but the influence of the blue air force career ladder and the pay structures screwed that up. A section could have 3 SACs jostling for position: the 2IC and the two scouts. So long as teamwork wins out over egos it OK. The way the pay scales work it is still going to be interesting to see how it pans out.

In reply to Jim Fraser: Cheers fur that Jim. Glad I wasn't hallucinating