British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

MoD 'reconsidering aircraft carrier changes'

The Ministry of Defence is reconsidering changes to Britain's aircraft carrier programme, it was reported today.

Armed Forces chiefs will advocate the Government drop plans to buy the F35C, the conventional carrier version of the American Joint Strike Fighter, and revert to the previous Labour government's plans to buy the short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) F35B version of the aircraft carrier, The Times reported.

A report outlining the case for a change in policy could be presented to the Prime Minister as early as this week, the paper said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9206141/MoD-reconsidering-aircraft-carrier-changes.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Fighter jets about-turn 'will harm capability’

Britain will be less able to undertake military operations with the fighter jets that ministers are preparing to buy under a cost-saving exercise, secret defence plans show.

The Daily Telegraph has seen a Ministry of Defence document setting out secret contingency planning for future military operations in Afghanistan, the Falklands, Saudi Arabia and Africa.

The highly-classified report shows that planners have grave doubts about the capabilities of the jump jets ministers now want to buy for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers which are still under-construction.

David Cameron is poised to approve a decision to abandon plans to buy the conventional take-off variant of the US-made Joint Strike Fighter in favour of a jump jet model. The original decision to buy conventional take-off aircraft was at the heart of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Reversing the decision will raise fresh questions about the defence review and the Coalition’s handling of the Armed Forces

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9217918/Fighter-jets-about-turn-will-harm-capability.html

 

[Kirkhill]

Is that an RN-RAF squabble?

The RN really likes the VTOL because they can get back into the strike game cheaply with the RAF ponying up some/all of the cost of the aircraft.

The RAF don't care if they never operate from a ship.  Just like the Bucaneer, Phantom and Hornet they are just as happy to operate Navy aircraft from fixed bases.

The RN seems to have won under Labour and the RAF under the Tories.  It wouldn't surprise me if the RN were happy to see the price of converting their carriers to "cats and traps" go up thereby putting the pressure on to swing back to the VTOL  - and that is a game they might win given that they decide what a ship needs to operate aircraft.

But on the other hand, the RAF's wet dream would probably involve the carriers disappearing entirely.

Not an ounce of proof on my part and pure speculation .... just being cynical.

 

[Kirkhill]

Because of the shortfall in jump jet capabilities, the MoD will have to spend an extra £2.4 billion buying 136 jump jets compared to 97 of the conventional versions, the paper says

Daily Telegraph

It'd be nice if our problems could be so neatly analysed.

Options for the politicians: 

97 conventional aircraft + 2 BUKP to the RN for "cats and traps" = 97 VTOL aircraft + 2.4 BUKP for 39 additional VTOL aircraft.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Typical crap hat  :

Army major's despair at our 'pointless war': Senior officer's damning emails reveal plummeting morale at heart of Afghan campaign that has cost 409 British lives

They are stark words that reveal the despair of our forces fighting in Afghanistan.

Emails sent to a former military chaplain paint a damning picture of sinking morale among Servicemen who feel the human cost of the conflict can no longer be justified.

Dr Peter Lee, a university lecturer who spent seven years as an RAF padre, has released the emails to highlight the extent of disillusionment within the ranks.

The correspondence includes two emails sent by a major on the brink of a fresh deployment to the region. He likens the prospect to ‘being put on for the last two minutes of a lost game’ of rugby.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2133204/Army-majors-despair-pointless-war-Senior-officers-damning-emails-reveal-plummeting-morale-heart-Afghan-campaign-cost-409-British-lives.html#ixzz1ssXZk6L6

 

[daftandbarmy]

Ex-Para captain who trawled dating sites for female victims faces jail as he is found guilty of three rapes | Mail Online

A former Army captain who trawled dating sites to rape and sexually assault four women is facing jail.

Brian Witty, 41, who served in the Parachute Regiment, met two of his victims on a dating website, another in a pub and one in a bar.

The father-of-two was able to be 'charming, likeable, attractive, understanding and nice' to women, but his 'personality could change and become volatile', Kingston Crown Court heard.

Witty, dubbed a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character, claimed one of his victims was flirting with him after he saw her 'suggestively eating chicken' in a central London bar.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2134486/Ex-Army-captain-trawled-dating-sites-female-victims-faces-jail-guilty-rapes.html#ixzz1sznPeFJ1

 

[daftandbarmy]

Negligent discharges: What I saw with the British military in Afghanistan

http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/05/25/negligent_discharges_what_i_saw_with_the_british_military_in_afghanistan

 

[Petard]

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/london/six-jet-attack-missile-sites-across-london-during-olympic-games-7696931.html

Interesting version of NIMBY, only this time its in regards to air defence measures for the Olympics.
Good thing is, despite the austerity measures taken by their government, they still have the option of deploying some kind of ground based air defence.
Canada, by comparison, has no ground based air defence capability.

 

[daftandbarmy]

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/london/six-jet-attack-missile-sites-across-london-during-olympic-games-7696931.html

Interesting version of NIMBY, only this time its in regards to air defence measures for the Olympics.
Good thing is, despite the austerity measures taken by their government, they still have the option of deploying some kind of ground based air defence.
Canada, by comparison, has no ground based air defence capability.

I think that this system will be vastly more effective, and provide some much needed social reengineering support all at the same time: ;D

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/war/mod-unveils-surface%11to%11air-cockneys-201204305175/

 

[GK .Dundas]

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/london/six-jet-attack-missile-sites-across-london-during-olympic-games-7696931.html

Interesting version of NIMBY, only this time its in regards to air defence measures for the Olympics.
Good thing is, despite the austerity measures taken by their government, they still have the option of deploying some kind of ground based air defence.
Canada, by comparison, has no ground based air defence capability.

That's because in the Canadian context aircraft are mythical creatures much like the Tank.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I think that this system will be vastly more effective, and provide some much needed social reengineering support all at the same time: ;D

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/war/mod-unveils-surface%11to%11air-cockneys-201204305175/

Excellent laugh.  300+

 

[daftandbarmy]

Luckily the terrorist war has come to an end or it would have been the usual 1000 pounder or so they specialze in down there:

Republican dissidents blamed for planting bombs in Northern Ireland
Army disposal teams defuse 600lb device in Newry and car bomb in Belfast while up to 70 homes were evacuated

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/28/republican-dissidents-bombs-northern-ireland

 

[Kirkhill]

Luckily the terrorist war has come to an end or it would have been the usual 1000 pounder or so they specialze in down there:

Republican dissidents blamed for planting bombs in Northern Ireland
Army disposal teams defuse 600lb device in Newry and car bomb in Belfast while up to 70 homes were evacuated

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/apr/28/republican-dissidents-bombs-northern-ireland

Glad they put their detonators "beyond use".

 

[daftandbarmy]

Glad they put their detonators "beyond use".

Indeed, otherwise the explosions could have caused millions of pounds in improvements....  ;D

 

[daftandbarmy]

Brother of Royal Marine killed during Falklands War retraces his footsteps (yomping 75 miles of them) in poignant tribute

• David MacPherson will make the arduous trip alongside his brother's former commander on 30th anniversary of the conflict
• He was just 19 when his sibling, Gordon, died after only a year as a Marine
• The men will be laden with heavy kit as they make their six-day journey


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137267/Brother-Royal-Marine-killed-Falklands-War-retraces-footsteps-75-miles-conflicts-30th-anniversary-poignant-tribute.html#ixzz1tdbqaWK7

 

[daftandbarmy]

Keep calm and carry on: the rest of the story....

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/in-the-media/churchill-in-the-news/1405-keep-calm-and-carry-on-the-real-story

 

[daftandbarmy]

Now it's the Navy's turn! Military chiefs show off their firepower in awesome show of strength before the Olympics

Navy gives rare glimpse of its flagship HMS Bulwark in action off Dorset

It is part of a massive security test on land sea and air before the Games



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139082/Now-Navys-turn-Military-chiefs-firepower-awesome-strength-Olympics.html#ixzz1trGXYF29

 

[daftandbarmy]

Oh, this should go down well...

'To compete on English soil, we train on Argentinian soil': TV ad highlighting claim over Falklands filmed in Port Stanley

Argentina is attempting to politicise the London Olympics by using the event to highlight its claim to sovereignty of the Falklands.

President Cristina Kirchner’s government has released a primetime television advert linking the Games to its demand to rule the South Atlantic islands.

The provocative 90 second commercial, screened on the 30th anniversary of the sinking of the General Belgrano, features Olympic hopeful Fernando Zylberberg and is filmed in Port Stanley


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2138926/Falkland-Islands-London-2012-Olympics-ad-shows-athlete-training-Argentine-soil-Port-Stanley.html#ixzz1trcXZIlH

 

[daftandbarmy]

Huzzah!

SAS soldiers facing shoot to kill allegations over IRA deaths 'used reasonable force', inquest rules

SAS soldiers at the centre of controversial "shoot-to-kill" allegations over the deaths of two IRA members in Northern Ireland have been found to have acted in a controlled and professional way, the Ministry of Defence said today.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9243891/SAS-soldiers-facing-shoot-to-kill-allegations-over-IRA-deaths-used-reasonable-force-inquest-rules.html

 

[jollyjacktar]

Keep Calm and Carry On.  The Senior Service is here.

HMS Ocean sails up the Thames as preparations for Olympic security continues and gives the Navy the chance to showcase their equipment.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139082/The-biggest-ship-London-HMS-Ocean-heads-Thames-strength-Olympics-Defence-Secretary-warns-We-shoot-jet-necessary.html#ixzz1tuixxMdC