Defence in a Competitive Age describes Defence's contribution to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
It may be downloaded here.
Monday, 22 March 2021
Saturday, 20 March 2021
The Six Aeroplanes: Prefect,Pegasus,Perseus,Centaurus,Falcon And Furious
Further to an earlier piece on rationalising the United Kingdom's naval and military helicopter fleet and another on Hector,Hercules and Hermes,herein we shall list the only aeroplane types which the United Kingdom's armed forces actually need (rather than have or want).
The Prefect is an aeroplane of approximately one and a half long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military initial aeroplane pilot training.
The Prefect shall eventually be replaced by an aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
Picture: Grand Logistics
The Pegasus shall be an aeroplane of approximately ten long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military multi engine aeroplane pilot training,low intensity combat operations and for other,noncombat,tasks for which a larger aeroplane is unneccessary or impractical such as the Waterguard Service (surveillance and search and rescue) and Scottish Ambulance Service (air ambulance) charters.
The Pegasus shall be an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
Picture: Grand Logistics
The Perseus shall be an aeroplane of approximately fifty long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military multi engine aeroplane pilot training,combat patrol and for other,noncombat,tasks such as Foreign Office (secure transport) charter.
The Perseus shall be an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
The Centaurus shall be an aeroplane of approximately three hundred long tons maximum take off weight used for military four engine aeroplane pilot training,strategic transport,tactical transport,naval mine laying,aerial refuelling and for other noncombat tasks for which a large aeroplane is necessary such as the Foreign Office (foreign aid) charter.
The Centaurus shall be an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
The Falcon shall be an aeroplane of approximately ten long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military combat aeroplane pilot training,and for other noncombat tasks such as weapons trials and the Aviation Medicine Flight.
The Falcon shall be an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
The Furious shall be an aeroplane of approximately fifty long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military combat aeroplane pilot training,air defence,air attack and aerial reconnaissance.
The Furious shall be an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's aeroplane industry.
Tuesday, 2 March 2021
The Three Helicopters: Hector,Hercules And Hermes
Further to an earlier piece on rationalising the United Kingdom's naval and military combat helicopter fleet,herein we shall list the only helicopter types which the United Kingdom's armed forces actually need (rather than have or want).
The Hector shall be a helicopter of approximately three long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military initial helicopter pilot training and for other non combat tasks for which a larger helicopter is unneccessary or impractical such as the Trinity House (lighthouse support) and police force (surveillance) charters.
The Hector shall be a modified existing type,such as the elderly AW109 or AW119,or an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's helicopter industry.
Picture: Grand Logistics
The Hercules shall be a helicopter of approximately six long tons maximum take off weight used for both naval and military combat helicopter pilot training and for other non combat tasks for which a larger helicopter is unneccessary or impractical such as the Waterguard Service (search and rescue) and health service (air ambulance) charters.
The Hercules shall be a modified existing type,such as the AW139M or AW169M,or an all new aircraft designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's helicopter industry,in the interim AW159 Wildcats may perform some of the roles of the Hercules.
The Hermes,or Ultra Merlin,shall be a helicopter of approximately twenty long tons maximum take off weight used for both military and naval combat and for non combat tasks which require a large helicopter such as the Waterguard Service (search and rescue),Home Office (secure transport) and Foreign Office (hospital ship) charters.
The Hermes helicopter shall be a Super Merlin helicopter with a new,longer,composite air frame (Super Merlin being a twenty long ton class helicopter which combines the air frame of the Merlin's transport variant with larger rotors,uprated engines and transmission and systems capable of detecting,identifying,tracking and engaging air,surface and submarine targets) designed and built in the United Kingdom to stimulate the United Kingdom's economy and secure the future of the United Kingdom's helicopter industry.