Watchkeeper and Puma finished.
Discussion
Tony1963 said:
….but it looks like this is just about cuts to save money.
Unfortunately, it’s just as it’s always been 
we continually seem to want to do more with less. The C-130J was a similar case, a fantastic workhorse that excelled at its job, but still retired way before its time. Especially as they’d just been rewinged at a cost of millions. Easily the best aircraft I’ve ever flown, I’ve got thousands of hours on it and it was superb.
AndrewGP said:
Unfortunately, it’s just as it’s always been we continually seem to want to do more with less.
The C-130J was a similar case, a fantastic workhorse that excelled at its job, but still retired way before its time. Especially as they’d just been rewinged at a cost of millions. Easily the best aircraft I’ve ever flown, I’ve got thousands of hours on it and it was superb.
It’s surprising to me how old Watchkeeper is. 14 years old? And in a modern conflict the fleet would be gone in a week. we continually seem to want to do more with less. The C-130J was a similar case, a fantastic workhorse that excelled at its job, but still retired way before its time. Especially as they’d just been rewinged at a cost of millions. Easily the best aircraft I’ve ever flown, I’ve got thousands of hours on it and it was superb.
A mate on the Watchkeeper team was expecting it, but the suddenness of it has shocked them.
This isnt that big a deal that is being made of it, the Pumas were going next year anyway so not really a surprise, Chinooks are old donkeys, we’ve got loads in storage & more coming in 26/27.
Watchkeeper has been a waste of time from the start by the sound of it
Sad though, the Puma is a very cool helicopter, I just hope we dont replace it with the Blackhawk junk
Watchkeeper has been a waste of time from the start by the sound of it
Sad though, the Puma is a very cool helicopter, I just hope we dont replace it with the Blackhawk junk
Edited by zsdom on Wednesday 20th November 20:06
Tony1963 said:
BBMF and the Red Arrows must be on very borrowed time now.
Reds will go before BBMF...OSD of the T1's is at most only 6 years away, and there will be no replacement.BBMF come under the MOD historic budget allocation, so not under threat unless the Govt put a stop to the historic budgets of the Army and the Navy as well at same time, which will mean Tank Museum and HMS Victory get the chop as well.
However, there's still the SI to happen regarding the loss of the Mk.9 last year, so other factors might come into play, and RAF may decide to allocate their historic budget to something else?
Doesn't seem too dramatic, the 14 chinooks will be disposed of over 4 years, new ones are arriving in 2 years i believe.
Puma was out of service by 28, so brought fwd 3 years.
The ships are rarely used, have been mothballed for years and/or they can't be manned anyway.
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
Puma was out of service by 28, so brought fwd 3 years.
The ships are rarely used, have been mothballed for years and/or they can't be manned anyway.
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
zsdom said:
Sad though, the Puma is a very cool helicopter, I just hope we dont replace it with the Blackhawk junk
Sikorsky/LM withdrew from the bid process for the Puma replacement, as did Airbus, which means Leonardo are the only bidders remaining which likely means there won't be a Puma replacement, as IIRC, the MOD rules mean it has to be a competitive bid process, and so, with that not likely, unless they re-write the whole bid and finance, to make it attractive enough to bring either Sikorsky/LM or Airbus back into the process........so at best its pushed the replacement back a couple of years min, so the only helo the RAF will have access to will be Chinook for likely at least the next 3/4 years.aeropilot said:
Reds will go before BBMF...OSD of the T1's is at most only 6 years away, and there will be no replacement.
BBMF come under the MOD historic budget allocation, so not under threat unless the Govt put a stop to the historic budgets of the Army and the Navy as well at same time, which will mean Tank Museum and HMS Victory get the chop as well.
However, there's still the SI to happen regarding the loss of the Mk.9 last year, so other factors might come into play, and RAF may decide to allocate their historic budget to something else?
Some fresh thinking, outside the traditional old box, might mean the RAF has no choice.BBMF come under the MOD historic budget allocation, so not under threat unless the Govt put a stop to the historic budgets of the Army and the Navy as well at same time, which will mean Tank Museum and HMS Victory get the chop as well.
However, there's still the SI to happen regarding the loss of the Mk.9 last year, so other factors might come into play, and RAF may decide to allocate their historic budget to something else?
We, as a country, are screwed.
borcy said:
Doesn't seem too dramatic, the 14 chinooks will be disposed of over 4 years, new ones are arriving in 2 years i believe.
Puma was out of service by 28, so brought fwd 3 years.
The ships are rarely used, have been mothballed for years and/or they can't be manned anyway.
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
This.Puma was out of service by 28, so brought fwd 3 years.
The ships are rarely used, have been mothballed for years and/or they can't be manned anyway.
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
borcy said:
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
As has been shown in Ukraine, there's a role on the battlefield for drones. I'm sure that the MOD will be looking at a series of replacements, for various roles. Watchkeeper might not have had much of an operational record, but it's likely been a worthwhile learning experience so not a complete waste of time. tangerine_sedge said:
borcy said:
Watchkeeper seemed to be a white elephant it's whole career.
As has been shown in Ukraine, there's a role on the battlefield for drones. I'm sure that the MOD will be looking at a series of replacements, for various roles. Watchkeeper might not have had much of an operational record, but it's likely been a worthwhile learning experience so not a complete waste of time. RAF Protector is all that's left...?
CLK-GTR said:
This is a funny way to kick off the defence spending increase to 2.5% of GDP. Especially with Trump around.
I've seen gossip being spread in the USA suggesting that the Orange Oaf will be telling all NATO countries that they need to commit to the min 3% of GDP.....or else.I would guess 'or else' is USA withdraw from NATO...?
By what time line he might be giving that 3% has to be met is another matter, probably not a long one, maybe within 12 months? as UK Govt have pushed even 2.5% out towards end of their term IIRC.
Fun times ahead.
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