Aren't pilots supposed to do a final check around the plane before boarding precisely in case ground or maintenance crews missed something, though?
As part of the UK Armies publicly known requirement "Battle Group Organic Anti-Armor" the newly acquired Boxer Armored Personnel Carriers to the UK have been shown a new concept for the vehicle already. A Boxer armed with 8 Brimstone Missile Pods able to hit enemy armor up to 12 miles away. The Brimstone saw wide spread use in the Afghanistan war against the Taliban and Isis including against supposedly Russian tanks in the Ukraine war also. The upgrade package to the Boxer only exists as far as we know in concept form but plans could be made to make it into full production if the UK forces require so. Testing is also underway in Sweden on the new Brimstone 3 missile.
Boxer APC with 'Overwatch' capability, concept
Brimstone 3 being tested in Sweden
New Mortar Module capable of firing 120 and 81 millimeter rounds for Boxer.
The British Army bought 623 Boxers.
Source:
Boxer APC with 'Overwatch' capability, concept
Brimstone 3 being tested in Sweden
New Mortar Module capable of firing 120 and 81 millimeter rounds for Boxer.
The British Army bought 623 Boxers.
Source:
LOL...
Commitments to double defence spending were already ambitious before the pound slid to a historic low this week against the dollar.
By
The UK Government’s ambitious plan to double its defence budget took a blow yesterday after the financial markets reacted to the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s 30 point ‘mini-budget’ announced on Friday 23 September and the pound fell to a new low against the dollar.
Prime Minister Liz Truss, during her recent campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party, pledged a multi-billion pound increase in defence spending that would raise the military budget to 3% of GDP. Under existing conditions that translated to raising military spending from £48bn to £100bn by 2030, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was reported to have .
However, on Monday 26 September the value of the pound fell to its lowest ever level recorded against the US dollar, with investors withdrawing over concerns about the sustainability the UK’s public finances. At its lowest the dollar value of the UK economy dropped 13% below where it had sat when Liz Truss became Prime Minister three weeks ago, without significant signs of recovery.
“This budget was already ambitious in the current fiscal environment, even prior to the currency devaluation we’re seeing today,” said Madeline Wilde, defence and security analyst at GlobalData. “If the devaluation problems continue in the longer term, then there is propensity for both ongoing and planned procurement programs to suffer.”
Later on Monday the Bank of England said it would ‘not hesitate’ to increase interest rates to stabilise inflation but stopped short of suggesting an emergency rate hike to stabilise the pound, in a statement intended to stabilise markets and halt further investor flight. This may reassure the markets of the UK’s monetary discipline in the face of inflationary trends, but the can be severe. “Even if the Bank of England increases interest rates in response to the crisis, the enormous growth rate set out by the defence minister will be difficult to meet,” continued Wild.
Changes to interest rates have implications for long term equipment plans, inflating prices and increasing the cost of programmes that have been planned. “Many ongoing procurement programmes for large platforms are governed by multi-year contracts, thus spreading the cost but making them vulnerable to fiscal changes,” said Wilde. The increase in pressures on the state’s budget may be counter-productive at a time when the Treasury is attempting to demonstrate financial soundness. “The British government is already borrowing a huge amount; to nearly double the defence budget by 2030 will have a significant impact on state spending as a whole.”
A reduction in the value of the pound can be expected to give a competitive edge to UK exporters in the defence industry, but as the currency’s purchasing power drops the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) current purchasing plans with US companies becomes too costly. “The weakening of the pound against the US dollar will make it harder for the UK government to fund the £100 billion 2030 defence budget that was recommitted by Defence Minister Ben Wallace yesterday.”
Through the next ten years, 23% of MoD funds currently allocated for platform acquisitions have been awarded to US suppliers, according to GlobalData. “For planned programmes, if the pound remains weak against the dollar in the longer term, it could result in US contenders being too expensive,” said Wilde.
Pound fall is putting UK military spending targets out of reach
Commitments to double defence spending were already ambitious before the pound slid to a historic low this week against the dollar.
By
The UK Government’s ambitious plan to double its defence budget took a blow yesterday after the financial markets reacted to the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s 30 point ‘mini-budget’ announced on Friday 23 September and the pound fell to a new low against the dollar.
Prime Minister Liz Truss, during her recent campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party, pledged a multi-billion pound increase in defence spending that would raise the military budget to 3% of GDP. Under existing conditions that translated to raising military spending from £48bn to £100bn by 2030, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was reported to have .
However, on Monday 26 September the value of the pound fell to its lowest ever level recorded against the US dollar, with investors withdrawing over concerns about the sustainability the UK’s public finances. At its lowest the dollar value of the UK economy dropped 13% below where it had sat when Liz Truss became Prime Minister three weeks ago, without significant signs of recovery.
“This budget was already ambitious in the current fiscal environment, even prior to the currency devaluation we’re seeing today,” said Madeline Wilde, defence and security analyst at GlobalData. “If the devaluation problems continue in the longer term, then there is propensity for both ongoing and planned procurement programs to suffer.”
Later on Monday the Bank of England said it would ‘not hesitate’ to increase interest rates to stabilise inflation but stopped short of suggesting an emergency rate hike to stabilise the pound, in a statement intended to stabilise markets and halt further investor flight. This may reassure the markets of the UK’s monetary discipline in the face of inflationary trends, but the can be severe. “Even if the Bank of England increases interest rates in response to the crisis, the enormous growth rate set out by the defence minister will be difficult to meet,” continued Wild.
Changes to interest rates have implications for long term equipment plans, inflating prices and increasing the cost of programmes that have been planned. “Many ongoing procurement programmes for large platforms are governed by multi-year contracts, thus spreading the cost but making them vulnerable to fiscal changes,” said Wilde. The increase in pressures on the state’s budget may be counter-productive at a time when the Treasury is attempting to demonstrate financial soundness. “The British government is already borrowing a huge amount; to nearly double the defence budget by 2030 will have a significant impact on state spending as a whole.”
A reduction in the value of the pound can be expected to give a competitive edge to UK exporters in the defence industry, but as the currency’s purchasing power drops the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) current purchasing plans with US companies becomes too costly. “The weakening of the pound against the US dollar will make it harder for the UK government to fund the £100 billion 2030 defence budget that was recommitted by Defence Minister Ben Wallace yesterday.”
Through the next ten years, 23% of MoD funds currently allocated for platform acquisitions have been awarded to US suppliers, according to GlobalData. “For planned programmes, if the pound remains weak against the dollar in the longer term, it could result in US contenders being too expensive,” said Wilde.
They can just blame China - Just like how they blamed Russia for the Nord Stream explosions.
In fact, I found a new material where Britions can pile their blame on China for the woes currently facing the Prince of Wales.
Notice the overhead crane that is being used in Queen Elizabeth's drydock during her construction.
Go check out what ZPMC is.
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But the issue is with the shaft isn’t it? I don’t think the cranes are involved with installing the shaft. This would be like saying that wearing Chinese made sunglasses causes colorectal cancer.
The components and compartments required to build the shaft would still have to be lifted into the drydock. And nobody would have 5 thousand shipyard workers together to carry those components and compartments on their backs into the drydock today.
So you scratched your butt with a pair of Chinese made shades and you are blaming it for giving you colorectal cancer.
I suppose you still didn't get the point (or the joke, to be honest). But that's fine.