UK Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Air Services in italic about 2020/25

UK :
NB : RAF pers 34000

Fighter-Bombers : 245
Armed UAV : 10, 20
AWACS : 6
Recc/Elint/SIGINT : 7 after 8 whose 3 very good RC-135W
Trp : 41, recent all enough big mainly 8 C-17 capable Trp fleet
Tankers/trp : 9 + 5 eventualy, big new but not only used as Tankers
Helos Trp : 109 whose 85 heavys CH-47F/Merlin very capable
Trainers : 107 whose 90 RAF
SAM L-R : 0
LACM LR : 900

France :
NB : Armée de l' Air pers 44000

Fighter-Bombers : 290 whose Navy 45, 225 : 180 + 45 so few
UAV not armed : 7 after 12
Recc/Elint/SIGINT : 2
Trp : 81, numerous but much 48 C-160/CN-235 old and small, 2025 : 80 whose 40 A-400M a more capable fleet
Tankers : 14 C/KC-135 very old replaced by 12 very good A-330MRTT but but not only used as Tankers replace also 5 A-310/340
Helos trp : about 150 but many old puman and not heavys helos
Trainers : 90 old
SAM L-R : 32 very modern and ABM capable vs SRBM
LACM LR : 500 after only about 250

Navies
See the graphic for 2015

UK
Royal Navy + Logistic Fleet/Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Navy 33000 pers whose 7800 Royal Marines, sailors not enough numerous, RFA 2000 pers
ASW helos : 54 whose 30 big Merlins after only 20, others used as AEW helos
AEW helos : 9
MPA : 0, 2020+ : 9
LACM LR : 100+

France
Marine nationale, 37000 pers
ASW helos : 37 but only 14 ASW kits for 17 NH-90NFH, about 2020 27 always 14 ASW kiM
MPA : 22, 2020+ : 15
LACM LR : 0, about 2020 : 200

Main différences :
France have a CATOBAR CVN with an Air Wing of max 30 fighters, UK don't have,
But UK have more combattants 26 with Subs vs 22 ( Floréal is in fact an OPV ), much more Repl Ships 7 vs 3 also more numerous Ass Amph Fleet but two UK are in reserve and French more big.

For 2023 UK will have 2 VSTOL CV with about 24 F-35B after about 36.

FORBIN thanks for summing this up, it's truly scary though:

FORBIN said:

...

Armies
UK
...
Artillery : 280 whose 165 heavy SPG/MLRS
...

France
...
Artillery : 130 whose 45 heavy SPG/MLRS so low
...

Click to expand...

... almost exactly 74 years ago Montgomery had one thousand barrels at El Alamein

FORBIN said:

...
Marine nationale, 37000 pers
...

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about the size of the Austro-Hungarian Navy one hundred years ago, #7 in the world at that time (you may come to
The Viribus Unitis Battleship: 1:25 Model; Main Gun Turrets
https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/the-viribus-unitis-battleship-1-25-model-main-gun-turrets.t7810/
to tell me it was #8

you don't need to tell me I'm mixing apples with oranges

Upgrades for RAF only

Jura said:

FORBIN thanks for summing this up, it's truly scary though:


... almost exactly 74 years ago Montgomery had one thousand barrels at El Alamein

about the size of the Austro-Hungarian Navy one hundred years ago, #7 in the world at that time (you may come to
The Viribus Unitis Battleship: 1:25 Model; Main Gun Turrets
https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/the-viribus-unitis-battleship-1-25-model-main-gun-turrets.t7810/
to tell me it was #8

you don't need to tell me I'm mixing apples with oranges

Click to expand...

You can't compare these numbers completely different with very big old armies during WWI or II, you can do only with numbers from 1989/90 end of cold war for get an idea... ofc not necessary have this qty of weapons now but it is sure especialy last cuts are too importants...

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Naval Today said:

British shipbuilder BAE Systems has shared a photo of the first of three new Royal Navy offshore patrol vessels, HMS Forth, outside the Govan construction shed in Glasgow prior to its launch.

BAE received a £348 million contract to build the three vessels in August 2014. The offshore patrol vessels will be used by the Royal Navy for counter terrorism, counter piracy and anti-smuggling operations.

The other two ships in the class are HMS Medway and HMS Trent. HMS Forth is expected to enter service in 2017.

Featuring a redesigned flight deck to operate the latest Merlin helicopters as well as increased storage and accommodation facilities, the OPVs are based on the Royal Navy’s current River-class vessels. The same design is also used by the Brazilian and Royal Thai Navy.

With a length of 90 meters, the OPVs will have a displacement of 2,000 tonnes and will be able to reach a maximum speed of 24 knots. They will be able to accommodate 60 persons for 35 days, and will have a range of over 5,000 nautical miles.

The ships will feature BAE’s CMS-1 combat management system while the radars are provided by Kelvin Hughes. The radar system consists of an I Band Doppler SharpEye radar for helicopter control and navigation and an E/F Band SharpEye radar for navigation and collision avoidance.

Click to expand...

Even though these three are being called River Class Batch II, I believe they are different enough to call them a new class.

The River Class displace 1,700 tons, these displace 2,000 tons.

The River class are 260 ft long, these are 296 ft long.

The River class cruise at 20 knots for 20 days, these cruise at 25 knots for 35 days.

The River class can accommodate, in addition to its crew up to 20 Marines, these new boats can accommodate up to 50 Marines.

The River Class can accommodate a medium helicopter (Lynx) for their landing pad, these have a larger landing pad that can accommodate a Merlin helicopter.

The only different River Class is the HMS Clyde, being used down in the Falkland Islands. It was built longer and with the bigger helo deck, with the same armament as the Forth, and it can accommodatee up to 100 Marines.

Nice OPVs, armed with a 30mm cannon, two 7.62 mini-guns (Typhoon mounts?) and four GP Machine guns (probably 12.7mm)

So, although I would call them the Forth Class or something because they are really larger and much more capable vessels, the Ryal Navy will indeed call them the River Class Batch II vessels..

Either way, they will be nice additions to the Royal Navy for all sorts of lower threat tasks like EEZ patrols, counter terrorism, counter piracy and anti-smuggling, etc. Altogether, once all of the Batch II vessels are built, the Royal Navy will have eight or nine of these OPVs.

I think keep both 6 OPV the first get max 13 years...

Some say an useless program better save money for Type 26 In summary...

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The class has been criticised in Parliamentary evidence for; lacking a helicopter hangar (even a telescopic hangar), something that will limit utility of the helicopter deck by preventing embarkation of a helicopter for anything other than very short periods; lacking a medium calibre gun (such as 76 mm); and poor value for money at £348 million. It is argued that because of the lacking features (which could have been incorporated for the price) these vessels will not be as capable in the ocean-going patrol capacity claimed

Click to expand...

One want it or the 3

Britain Stockpiles New ASRAAM Missiles for the F-35

Britain is spending £184 million ($239 million) stockpiling a new version of the ASRAAM short range air-to-air missiles ahead of equipping the F-35B Lightning II combat jet with the weapon, the Ministry of Defence said Aug 16.

The Ministry of Defence said the new order would see F-35s operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy start to use an updated version of the missile beyond 2022.

The order for additional ASRAAM’s follows an announcement last September of a £300 million deal with missile maker MBDA to design and build an initial batch of updated weapons.

Typhoon and Tornado combat jets are already cleared to carry the current version of ASRAAM.

The updated variant of the missile is expected to enter service on the Typhoon in 2018, the MoD said in a statement.

British F-35s will carry the current version of ASRAAM until 2022 at which point it will be taken out of service.

The first F-35s are scheduled to be introduced into service with a British air force squadron in 2019. Royal Navy jets onboard the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth are planned to become operational the following year

F-35 flight integration trials on ASRAAM have already begun in the USA. Integration of Raytheon's Paveway IV precision guided bomb is also underway on the jet.

The new ASRAAMs will be built at a new £40 million manufacturing facility now nearing completion in Bolton, north west England.

Click to expand...

source:

I am really excited to see the QE go on her first sea trials!

Almost as excited as to see the Ford go out...but, I have to admit, I want to see the Ford go out to sea a bit more...hehehe.

I really love seeing those F-35Cs doing their testing off of the Nimits carriers.

For those who have not seen them, here are a couple of videos of US Navy F-35C performing their third carrier deck and flight operational testing at sea off of the USS George Washington, CVN-73 as we speak:.



Get some!

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Naval Today said:

Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trenchant was declared operational again following almost two years of maintenance and weapon and sensors upgrades in Devonport Naval Base.

The crew of the Trafalgar-class submarine staged a ceremony in Plymouth, August 19, to mark the vessel’s readiness for operations.

A rededication ceremony is a traditional part of any Royal Navy vessel’s life after completing a period of refit and improvement. The event was attended by the submarine’s sponsor, Lady Meriel Hunt.

HMS Trenchant docked down at Devonport Royal Dockyard in September 2013, for a substantial two year revalidation and assisted maintenance period (RAMP) being undertaken by Babcock. The project became the largest and most complex ever undertaken at Devonport, including significant elements of maintenance and capability upgrades to see the boat through to its decommissioning in 2019.

Babcock Direct Submarine Support, Gavin Leckie, said: “The completion of this project is a reflection of the strong cooperation of the joint Babcock, MoD and ship staff team who have overcome a number of significant technical challenges to deliver HMS Trenchant back to the Royal Navy in an excellent material state, and I’m grateful to all involved for their support in achieving this milestone.”

The work included a double motor generator change in dry dock, external hull paint, main battery exchange, extensive hull surveillance work, wide-ranging system surveys and a package of planned maintenance on the reactor system – amounting to more than 650,000 direct labour hours.

The crew now begin further training and testing so they are ready to begin operating any where in the world.

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Intersting.

The Trenchant was the fifth Trafalga commissioned in 1989. She was expected to decommission in 2019.

Interesting tat they would pour so much money into her refit for less than three years.

I think she will serve on a bit longer perhaps.