£76m contract boosts F-35 Lightning fleet support

[MoD_RSS]

A £76 million aircraft support contract, supporting more than 170 jobs, will maximise the availability and capability of the UK’s F-35 Lightning stealth jets, ensuring they are ready for combat operations across the globe.

Continue reading...

 

[Yokel]

Will it help speed up the delivery of our jets and the build up the the RN/RAF Lightning force?

The Lightning Force forms a key part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group and plays a central role in protecting our interests at home and abroad.

Is that how MOD/HMG see it? In other words going to sea will be seen as a core activity for the whole force?

 

[PhotEx]

Is that how MOD/HMS see it? In other words going to sea will be seen as a core activity for the whole force?

To boldly go on a Pussers Holiday…
…and pick fights with the natives

 

[Yokel]

Natives? Really? Perhaps the Carrier Strike Group will be doing things such as SLOC protection, with the task group doing AAW and ASW, just like during the Cold War. See the comments from @ECMO1 here,

The UK has declared the carrier capability to NATO, we have made exercises like Steadfast Defender 21 coming up this year, the Atlantics SLOCs are one of NATO's centres of gravity, and the North Atlantic is the only geographical region to be mentioned as part of the Future Navy planning.

 

[Filthy_contract]

In other words going to sea will be seen as a core activity for the whole force?

So no different form Joint Force Harrier.

 

[Yokel]

So no different form Joint Force Harrier.

That was the plan at the apart, but then the Sea Harrier was axed, reducing the number of carriers capable aircraft, and then the Harrier GR7/9 fleet was committed to Afghanistan, and when that commitment ended everyone more jets to be embarked for longer periods to ramp up skills to get ready for the new carriers (the FAA Conmand Warrant Officer said so in briefs) but someine decided to cut the size of the fleet.

Then SDSR 10 happened.

 

[Stovepipe]

you'd think, given the cost of the things, that £75M worth of support would be part of the original package. "Oh,you want to leave the UK with them? Really? On a ship?!...well,that's gonna cost you extra,innit!"

 

[PhotEx]

Natives? Really? Perhaps the Carrier Strike Group will be doing things such as SLOC protection, with the task group doing AAW and ASW, just like during the Cold War. See the comments from @ECMO1 here,

The UK has declared the carrier capability to NATO, we have made exercises like Steadfast Defender 21 coming up this year, the Atlantics SLOCs are one of NATO's centres of gravity, and the North Atlantic is the only geographical region to be mentioned as part of the Future Navy planning.

It's not 1985 and we are not going to be fighting REFORGER through against the Red Banner Fleet and its Backfire Regiments.

CSG is about global force projection, not acting as a replacement Invincible Class ASW carrier

 

[Yokel]

Are you saying that STDE21 is not going to take place? You may have noticed that the international situation has changed, that nice Mr Vlad is not quite so friendly and there are NATO forces deployed to keep him at bay, with other forces committed.

Did this news miss you?

UK Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said on 4 June, “Be it projecting influence for peace, standing ready to fight, or delivering vital aid around the world, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship, ... Prince of Wales , will fly the flag of a Global Britain. Nothing symbolises the leading role that we play in NATO more than our nation’s future flagship being ready to respond to any challenge that the alliance may face.

 

[PhotEx]

UK Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt said on 4 June, “Be it projecting influence for peace, standing ready to fight, or delivering vital aid around the world, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship, ... Prince of Wales , will fly the flag of a Global Britain.

you really are struggling today, aren't you?

 

[Yokel]

you really are struggling today, aren't you?

Not at all. We have committed the capability to NATO, but not at immediate readiness - it is within thirty days in response to a developing crisis. In the old days the CVS were committed to NATO and dealing with the submarines and Bears of the Red Banner Northern Fleet, but we still deployed them all over the World for global deployments.

 

[PhotEx]

Not at all. We have committed the capability to NATO, but not at immediate readiness - it is within thirty days in response to a developing crisis. In the old days the CVS were committed to NATO and dealing with the submarines and Bears of the Red Banner Northern Fleet, but we still deployed them all over the World for global deployments.

Our supply’s of pencils are technically ‘commited to NATO’

QE will not be used as a 75,000 tonne ASW carrier, its a completely different creature with a completely different mission to CVS.
The clues in its official mission definition as ‘Carrier Strike Group’

 

[Yokel]

The point is that commitment to the NATO theatre does not stop a ship from deploying elsewhere. Even at a steady twenty knots she can transit 3360 nautical miles in a week - so the idea of building a force that can assemble in under thirty says means she can redeploy from anywhere.

As with most things - larger means more capable and more flexible.

 

[PhotEx]

The point is that commitment to the NATO theatre does not stop a ship from deploying elsewhere. Even at a steady twenty knots she can transit 3360 nautical miles in a week - so the idea of building a force that can assemble in under thirty says means she can redeploy from anywhere.

we could send RFA Argus up to the North Atlantic to do ASW patrols, but it’s not her day job.
QE’s day job will be global power projection - see the deck load of stealth fighter bombers. See her first deployment will be to the Far East to reassure allies and friends - and annoy the crap out of the Chinese.

 

[Yokel]

They will routinely contribute to the ASW capabilites of a task group with 820 NAS and Merlin. You might have noticed the Merlin on the UKCSG badge.

The CSG21 deployment involves exercises and activities in three oceans. Let me guess, that will start and finish in the Atlantic, so I guess NATO exercises may be on the menu.

Wait and see.

 

[Yokel]

One of the points I tried to make is that the UK deployed a CVS out of the NATO area during the Cold War, on a number of occasions, but if the situation had demanded they would have returned to the UK/Atlantic in short order.

NATO and global commitments are not mutually exclusive!