Harrier to go....Ark Royal to go....Nimrod MR4 scrapped..

[trevytt2004]

Well this doesn't supprise me one bit but don't worry about us being defenseless, one big difference between then and now is our Tomahawk cruise missles and the new Astute class nuclear attack submarines, our navy is one of the most modern as is our army, it's a shame about the nimrod and the harrier but we must look forward and not dwell on the past, the world is very different now and our armed forces have never been so well off if you ask me! It could be much worse!

Pete,
Imagine yourself lying low, enemy ahead, you need air support, and you need it fast.
The troops love it when a GR9 appears and saves their lives....now what they going to call in for an air strike....cant rely on the apache's from what i've heard.

Keep the Harriers.......

 

[Warrant]

Just watched Cameron on TV, using the words "smaller & smarter, more efficient" regarding the UK Armed Forces.
We have had that same nonsense here, like prior to the defense cutbacks (and we already had a lot of them) were not smart and efficient!

In a Dutch magazine for officers an article already warned for a new "we love and need the cutbacks-general". A flag officer who gains promotion with the task to "sell" the cutbacks to the military (and try to maintain their loyalty). The thing is, we have seen a lot of these "generals", and a lot of motto's to accompany them. The lates and greatest BS is "lean".

Like Roger said, this is the big achievement of a few bankers who failed to give credit to one another a few years ago!

Freedom ain't free! Politicians should be made aware of that fact, once again!

To give this a more FSX perspective; these developments will have their effect on FSX as well.....
Less real life modern military repaints and aircraft types, and more fictional.
Only Asian, South American and Middle East military aircraft will florish. They actually ARE willing to invest in military strength to ensure their way of life.......

 

[stiz]

the harriers are being replaced with the tongas (tornados)

the overall picture straight from the defence review paper without any media scaremongaring/backstabbing/ideas/rumour mills

reduced tornado fleet (doesnt say how reduced), remove the harrier from service next year. Tornados to replace harriers in afganistan

order for JSF to be reduced (doesnt say by how much), also installing catapults on the new carriers so they can switch to the carrier variant when its done

Nimrod MRA4 is scraped

withdrawing the 3 tristar variants (transport/tankers) by 2013 as they transition to the a330

VC-10 aircraft to do air to air refuelling only (did transport as well), target is to withdraw it by 2013 as a330 enters service

c130j are to be withdrawn by 2022, being replaced by the a400m

sentinel airborne ground survellance aircraft to be withdrawn once its no longer needed in afganistan

aiming to withdraw all uk forces out of germany by 2020

5k jobs to go by 2015 to bring numbers to 33k

RAF Kinloss to close as an airbase (army is prolly gonna take it over ... wonder where their gonna put the RAF rescue station?)

Sure it aint great .... but it could have been far .. far .. worse ...

 

[Warrant]

For those who want some nostalgic pic's from "better day's", take a look here (it is a Dutch page on the 306 Sqn website (also victim of cutbacks), but includes some very nice imagery of classic British and US birds as well):

http://www.the306sqn.com/Luchtfotovliegtuigen.html

Enjoy!


Edit: most pic's are taken with the "Oude Delft" Orpheus recce pod, used by the RNLAF with the F-104's and RF-16's of 306 TFRS, RNLAF (My old unit).

 

[peter12213]

I keep hearing things about the tucano being used in Afghanistan as a coin ( counterinsurgency) aircraft whether this is true I have no idea I'm really disappointed about the harrier don't get me wrong but what can we do, they've obviously made there small minds up!

 

[gera]

When is the next war being planed????...do we need more and more??? sick world to say the least...has the forum changed to a political one???? please gents.....your comments have nothing to do with FSX or flight simulation or am I wrong here????........get a cop over here quick!!! the Brits are going nuts!!!!!!

 

[mmann]

I thinks this is just a misplaced post. It belongs in The NewsHawks. Just my opinion of coarse. Nothing wrong with the content but I have to agree with Gera that it has nothing to do with FSX!

Regards, Mike Mann

 

[trevytt2004]

When is the next war being planed????...do we need more and more??? sick world to say the least...has the forum changed to a political one???? please gents.....your comments have nothing to do with FSX or flight simulation or am I wrong here????........get a cop over here quick!!! the Brits are going nuts!!!!!!

True, not fsx orientated, for that i apologise as the originator of this thread.
When's the next war......who knows, no-one plans these things, the politicians decide our fate.
No-one likes war or any conflict, but when it does arrive, its always nice to have some sort of strength.
As for fsx, lets hope we get plenty of nostalgic repaints then....bring on the BVR/razbam AV-8, the simshed 'rod.

Once again, i apologise for bringing politics into the forum.

 

[Bjoern]

Welcome to the 21st century, folks!

 

[centuryseries]

Thing is I can understand that money must be saved due to all the cockup acquisition programs that have mostly all gone way too far over budget due to delays and mismianagement. However I don't believe the military should be cut to this extent in order to cla back some cash.

If we still had our own decent aviation industry like we did in the 40's 50's and 60's we'd be in better shape.

 

[Odie]

the harriers are being replaced with the tongas (tornados)

the overall picture straight from the defence review paper without any media scaremongaring/backstabbing/ideas/rumour mills

reduced tornado fleet (doesnt say how reduced), remove the harrier from service next year. Tornados to replace harriers in afganistan

order for JSF to be reduced (doesnt say by how much), also installing catapults on the new carriers so they can switch to the carrier variant when its done

Nimrod MRA4 is scraped

withdrawing the 3 tristar variants (transport/tankers) by 2013 as they transition to the a330

VC-10 aircraft to do air to air refuelling only (did transport as well), target is to withdraw it by 2013 as a330 enters service

c130j are to be withdrawn by 2022, being replaced by the a400m

sentinel airborne ground survellance aircraft to be withdrawn once its no longer needed in afganistan

aiming to withdraw all uk forces out of germany by 2020

5k jobs to go by 2015 to bring numbers to 33k

RAF Kinloss to close as an airbase (army is prolly gonna take it over ... wonder where their gonna put the RAF rescue station?)

Sure it aint great .... but it could have been far .. far .. worse ...

Well, has the Harrier and the carrier that is being retired reached it's end of service date or are they going out while there still some life left in them? I cringe when this starts happening and you hear things that are said likie when they cut the number of F-22s. "Oh, there's nothing out there for it to fight, so why have it?" That's rather fatalistic as Russia is still developing a/c and so is China. You don't want to pull up short in a fight, or signal to a potential adversary that you'll be a push-over if it came down to it. But, it's all about cost these days....and gambling that the worst will never happen.

 

[Rich]

"the world is very different now and our armed forces have never been so well off if you ask me"

Is this based on your extensive service career experience ???

Well this doesn't supprise me one bit but don't worry about us being defenseless, one big difference between then and now is our Tomahawk cruise missles and the new Astute class nuclear attack submarines, our navy is one of the most modern as is our army, it's a shame about the nimrod and the harrier but we must look forward and not dwell on the past, the world is very different now and our armed forces have never been so well off if you ask me! It could be much worse!