British Army News and Discussion

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bdique

Member
Ah ha, I found my source. Combat Aircraft Monthly seems reliable to me, so I kinda took what it featured at face value...(Nov 2014 issue)

- Two 2000shp GE T700-GE-701D engines. More powerful, better fuel efficiency, able to hover in a wider range of conditions. Less power-limited.

- Capable of IMC operations

- Soon to be added to the E model: Link-16, improved missile warning system, improve sensors and UAV communication and control.

Sorry, I don't think this illuminates much in terms of the WAH-64D though...
 
RobWilliams

RobWilliams

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  • #142
As expected, following the end of operations in Afghanistan 16 Apaches have been mothballed with plans for them to be cannibalised to support a frontline fleet of 50 aircraft.

UK mothballs quarter of Apache fleet with end of Afghan ops - IHS Jane's 360

The decision for what exactly htm plan is for sustaining the capability (I.e AH-64E or whatever) is to be made in March 2016.

The UK has also got the ball rolling for integrating Brimstone in rotary platforms with a 'suitable test bed' being sought. One Apache airframe would work.

Brimstone offer to USA a test case for Europe, says MBDA - 3/17/2015 - Flight Global
 
A

Alkyonios

New Member
John Fedup said:
GE and P&W are both working on advanced turbine engine concepts for the Apache (GE3000 and HPW3000). The goal is a 3000 hp engine with better fuel consumption. If either of them achieves this goal it will certainly enhance the performance of several military helicopters.
Click to expand...
Thoose helicopter engines use quite much fuel, about 16 litres/km or so. Heard a number of 1200 dollars per fly hour, is that right?
 
RobWilliams

RobWilliams

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Good news for Wales, General Dynamics has moved the location for assembly, integration and testing for the UK's Scout series of armoured vehicles from Spain to the UK. The plan was for the first 100 to be finished in Spain and the future of the remaining 489 remained unclear, following a review this has been now set for South Wales.

GD Moves UK Vehicle Assembly From Spain to Wales

This follows an order earlier in the month for 515 CTA 40mm weapon systems

UK orders CTAS 40 mm cannons for new armoured vehicles - IHS Jane's 360

The 515 guns is a split of 245 each for the turreted Scout versions and the Warrior CSP and the remaining 25 guns are "ammunition qualification, trials and training".
 
RobWilliams

RobWilliams

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The UK has ordered additional Saab Giraffe AMB radars, this is part of the known planned upgrade of the air defence system on the Falkland Islands.

Britain Orders Giraffe Air Defense Radars for Falklands

No word on numbers, it is believed that the UK has 6 Giraffe sets and that the new order will take the number into double figures from an 'MOD source'. Deliveries are due to start this year through to 2018

This particular variant is designed to operate up to 100km range and from ground level* to 66,00ft. It also provides artillery/mortar location modes. One interesting point is this is the land variant of the primary air/surface sensor on the Independence class LCS.

The overhaul of the air defence network of the Falklands also includes a new battle management system (contract to be issued, contenders are LockMart, NG and Saab) and a new SAM - Land Ceptor - to replace Rapier.

*Dependent on positioning
 
aussienscale

aussienscale

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
RobWilliams said:
The UK has ordered additional Saab Giraffe AMB radars, this is part of the known planned upgrade of the air defence system on the Falkland Islands.

Britain Orders Giraffe Air Defense Radars for Falklands

No word on numbers, it is believed that the UK has 6 Giraffe sets and that the new order will take the number into double figures from an 'MOD source'. Deliveries are due to start this year through to 2018

This particular variant is designed to operate up to 100km range and from ground level* to 66,00ft. It also provides artillery/mortar location modes. One interesting point is this is the land variant of the primary air/surface sensor on the Independence class LCS.

The overhaul of the air defence network of the Falklands also includes a new battle management system (contract to be issued, contenders are LockMart, NG and Saab) and a new SAM - Land Ceptor - to replace Rapier.

*Dependent on positioning
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Pretty good piece of kit from what I hear, and also used in Australia, they are fitted to the Canberra Class LHD's, and I believe have also been ordered for Army as well ?

Cheers
 
S

StobieWan

Super Moderator
Staff member
bdique said:
Ah ha, I found my source. Combat Aircraft Monthly seems reliable to me, so I kinda took what it featured at face value...(Nov 2014 issue)

- Two 2000shp GE T700-GE-701D engines. More powerful, better fuel efficiency, able to hover in a wider range of conditions. Less power-limited.

- Capable of IMC operations

- Soon to be added to the E model: Link-16, improved missile warning system, improve sensors and UAV communication and control.

Sorry, I don't think this illuminates much in terms of the WAH-64D though...
Click to expand...
In terms of absolute power, that'd be a downgrade for the UK Apache as each of the two RR engines put out 2100 shp.
 
D

dumpster4

New Member
British Army Used Israeli Tamuz Missiles in Iraq, Afghanistan
Campaigns:

"Israel provided the British army with Tamuz missiles from its emergency stock,
starting in 2007, to assist the British in fighting Al-Qaida and Taliban squads in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Following their satisfactory deployment, the British ordered
more from Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

The tamuz guided missiles, from Rafael's "Spike" family of missiles, were used
after the British found they had no available solution to quickly strike small,
mobile enemy targets in the two war zones. According to military journal Jane’s
Defence Weekly, the British army purchased the missiles to deal with Taliban
cells laying explosive charges and mortars that were threatening British patrols in
the Basra area of Iraq and Helmand Province in Afghanistan."

See:

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.677691


So, I guess this means the British and the Israelis have gotten over that ugliness
from the Falklands War?

Israel 'supplied arms to Argentina during Falklands War' - Telegraph


According to the Haaretz article, the missile is used in conjunction with spotting
UAVs. What advantage does this missile have over other long-range weapons,
such as GPS-guided MLRS, artillery & mortar rounds, etc?

Will ISIS and/or Al-Qaeda get much (if any) propaganda benefit from the fact that
the British are using Israeli missiles against arabs?
 
FormerDirtDart

FormerDirtDart

Well-Known Member
dumpster4 said:
British Army Used Israeli Tamuz Missiles in Iraq, Afghanistan
Campaigns:

"Israel provided the British army with Tamuz missiles from its emergency stock,
starting in 2007, to assist the British in fighting Al-Qaida and Taliban squads in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Following their satisfactory deployment, the British ordered
more from Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

The tamuz guided missiles, from Rafael's "Spike" family of missiles, were used
after the British found they had no available solution to quickly strike small,
mobile enemy targets in the two war zones. According to military journal Jane’s
Defence Weekly, the British army purchased the missiles to deal with Taliban
cells laying explosive charges and mortars that were threatening British patrols in
the Basra area of Iraq and Helmand Province in Afghanistan."

See:

British Army Used Israeli Tamuz Missiles in Iraq, Afghanistan Campaigns - Diplomacy and Defense - Haaretz


So, I guess this means the British and the Israelis have gotten over that ugliness
from the Falklands War?

Israel 'supplied arms to Argentina during Falklands War' - Telegraph


According to the Haaretz article, the missile is used in conjunction with spotting
UAVs. What advantage does this missile have over other long-range weapons,
such as GPS-guided MLRS, artillery & mortar rounds, etc?

Will ISIS and/or Al-Qaeda get much (if any) propaganda benefit from the fact that
the British are using Israeli missiles against arabs?
Click to expand...
That information has been listed on Wikipedia for at least a couple of years.
Hell, Jane's officially reported on it two years ago Special Report: Exactor, the 'missile that never was', comes in from the cold
And a simple google search will show that the same information was "unofficially" plastered all over the internet years before that.

Hint: Haaretz regularly reports on stuff like it's new "News", when it's far from it.
 
RobWilliams

RobWilliams

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UK Surges Ahead With Challenger 2 Upgrade

About damn time but even then won't deliver in the lethality sector which the CR2 is sorely lacking nor upgrading the powerpack. Seems as though with updating the turret electronics they're doing the bare minimum to keep the program alive.

If they really want it to keep going until 2035 then it needs a new turret.
 
harryriedl

harryriedl

Active Member
Verified Defense Pro
RobWilliams said:
UK Surges Ahead With Challenger 2 Upgrade

About damn time but even then won't deliver in the lethality sector which the CR2 is sorely lacking nor upgrading the powerpack. Seems as though with updating the turret electronics they're doing the bare minimum to keep the program alive.

If they really want it to keep going until 2035 then it needs a new turret.
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Its good news in Janes Defence a month or two ago had a big piece on Challanger 2 and the upgrades they did bring up replacing L11 with 120mm smooth bore and bringing up the fleet at a unified state and how with the rolling upgrades of the M1 have shown the huge benefits of upgraded electronics.
 
S

StobieWan

Super Moderator
Staff member
harryriedl said:
Its good news in Janes Defence a month or two ago had a big piece on Challanger 2 and the upgrades they did bring up replacing L11 with 120mm smooth bore and bringing up the fleet at a unified state and how with the rolling upgrades of the M1 have shown the huge benefits of upgraded electronics.
Click to expand...
I'm given to believe that the Smoothbore replacement would be a major deal since the ammunition is a bit harder to manage (semi-combustible case with a brass stub so the current storage arrangements with all the HESH and bagged charges below the ring, and the charges in wet racks won't work as is)

I have a nagging feeling you may as well order some Leo's and have done with it if you're doing the power pack and gun plus TOGS update.
 
harryriedl

harryriedl

Active Member
Verified Defense Pro
StobieWan said:
I'm given to believe that the Smoothbore replacement would be a major deal since the ammunition is a bit harder to manage (semi-combustible case with a brass stub so the current storage arrangements with all the HESH and bagged charges below the ring, and the charges in wet racks won't work as is)

I have a nagging feeling you may as well order some Leo's and have done with it if you're doing the power pack and gun plus TOGS update.
Click to expand...
The big thing is new electronics and ammo both of which are being dealt with at the moment in a piecemeal basis the new contract is far more comprehensive. The biggest thing regarding regarding the Challys in Janes was how far behind the rest of the armour fleet they were electronics wise and how vastly more impressive the Ajaxs are compared with the Challys regarding electronics and the piecemeal Iraq upgrades have left a fleet with various different upgrades. Also a fair amount of envy at American M1s electronics

New SABOT rounds along with upgraded rounds for L11 are in the works. contractors and Army both mentioned smoothbore upgrade as plausible if the price is right and the appeal of unified NATO logistics and better DU performance (Support for Poland was the implicit link as came with images of Challys and polish Leo2 on excise).
Not a huge amount on the state of CV12 other than no more than adequate for increase in weight
Amour is still regarded as superior to pretty much anything else so no desire to go the Leo or M1 route. All this was written before SDSR.
More info on the direction should slowly come out
 
S

STURM

Well-Known Member
Tried my luck on a couple of militaria forums without any success. Was hoping someone here's able to provide assistance. Does anyone here know how to determine the year of manufacture of DPM smocks by looking at the NATO Serial Number [MSN]? Thank you.

8415-99-130-5882

8416-99-132-1821

8415-99-130-5887
 
FormerDirtDart

FormerDirtDart

Well-Known Member
Milne Bay said:
UK returns to Boxers
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has announced that they will re-join the Boxer program via the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation, or OCCAR.
Need to be a premium subscriber to see the full story, but it is mentioned here:
UK returns to Boxers - Australian Defence Magazine
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Here's a free article.
UK to re-join Boxer program, 14 years after opting out - Defense News
LONDON — Fourteen years after exiting development of the Boxer wheeled armored vehicle, the U.K. Ministry of Defence has opted to rejoin the program with the intention to equip the British Army with the 8x8 starting 2023.

“The U.K. will re-join the Boxer program and explore options to equip the Army with the 8x8 troop carriers to modernize its vehicle fleet and meet the Army’s mechanized infantry vehicle requirement,” the MoD said.

The British left the program in 2003, citing changing requirements as the reason behind the move and claiming at the time that vehicle weight growth made the Boxer too heavy for transport by Royal Air Force C-130s. Germany and a new partner, the Netherlands, have gone on to order several hundred vehicles for themselves and export customers.
Click to expand...
 
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