UK Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Air Force Brat said:

They will NOT dive the boat, they will transit on the surface, it will be a rough ride compared to the normally smooth sub-surface transit. There's a lot of sensitive equipment sensor wise in the conning tower, and I'm not certain they will be able to maintain the normal surface operations watch from the "crows nest", so it will be a different type of operation.

They have likely had a preliminary safety board, and on that determination, made a decision on who would conduct the return trip to UK, the original Captain, Officer's, and crew, or could even be a whole new crew, but that's not likely, unless something is really messed up.

They will have made the temporary fixes, to make the boat as "seaworthy" as is possible for the return trip.

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FORBIN said:

Embarassing sure but no grave damages, a little of solder, a new sensor and she is back.

Damaged HMS Ambush on Faslane coming back from Gibraltar
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UK RAF completes Brimstone 2 operational evaluation trials on Tornado GR4

The United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF) has successfully conducted and completed Operational Evaluation trials of the Brimstone 2 fast-jet precision attack surface-to-air missile.

The trials are the final milestone before a 'Release to Service' and declaration of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) with the RAF Tornado GR4 multirole combat aircraft, which was originally intended for May 2016.

During the latest operational evaluation trials, conducted at the US Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California in February this year, GR4 assets from RAF 41 (R) Test & Evaluation Squadron fired 11 Brimstone 2 missiles in a variety of operational scenarios. "The trials focused on demonstrating the overall performance of the missile system with the platform. These included firing missiles at structures, a very small fast moving vehicle, and edge of the weapon system's performance envelope shots," an MBDA spokesperson told IHS Jane's . The spokesperson added that the trials included single and salvo firings, using singe millimetric radar and dual mode guidance, and ground-based third-party laser designation.

IHS Jane's understands that 10 of the 11 missiles struck the target. "All of them hit, with the exception of one, which was an extreme edge of the envelope - very short range - shot which did not acquire the target, and which was not a prerequisite shot for operations," the spokesperson confirmed.

MBDA said in a press release that the trials demonstrated that the "missile engagement envelope is significant increased over the in-service [Dual-Mode Brimstone -DMB] missile, providing a 100% increase in stand-off range (based on MBDA modelling and release ranges of the in-service missile".

However, this does not mean that the Brimstone 2 missile has been engineered to double the range of DMB; effectively, Brimstone 2 and DMB have the same range

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Naval Today said:

The British Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it signed a deal to purchase nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) for the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Boeing’s P-8A MPA are being purchased from the US Government via a Foreign Military Sale.

According to the MoD, the cost of developing and delivering the UK’s MPA capability, including paying for the people, their training, the infrastructure and necessary support at RAF Lossiemouth will be around £3 billion over the next decade.

Speaking at the start of the Farnborough Airshow, Prime Minister David Cameron said that Boeing would commit about £100 million to the Lossiemouth base.

Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, said: “The P-8A aircraft was the best solution to fill our maritime patrol aircraft capability gap; it is tried, tested and can be delivered in the timeline we need.”

The new aircraft, which will be based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, will play a vital role in protecting the UK’s nuclear deterrent and the UK’s two new aircraft carriers. They will also be able to locate and track hostile submarines, and will enhance the UK’s maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) capability. This capability will also bring economic benefits to Scotland and the wider UK, with an additional 400 personnel based at RAF Lossiemouth, the ministry said.

The P-8A can operate at long range from its operating base without refuelling and has the endurance to carry out high and low-level airborne maritime and overland surveillance for extended periods. This aircraft will also be able to conduct wide-area search of open ocean to locate small boats and drop rescue life-rafts and equipment to vessels and people in distress.

The P-8A is based on the Boeing 737, which is already supplied by UK industry. UK manufacturers already provide specialist sub-systems for the P-8 itself. Companies include Marshall for the auxiliary fuel tanks, Martin Baker for the crew seats and General Electric for weapon pylons. The new order of P-8As is also set to create opportunities for the UK to bid for training and support contracts.

First aircraft are expected to arrive in the UK in 2019/2020.

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