The Nimrod replacement P-8 or RC-135?

[McColm]

In the new copy of 'Jets Monthly-June 2012' page 10.
RAF to get Poseidon?
" The UK government is reportedly contemplating buying a fleet of Boeing RC-135 River Joint or Boeing P-8 Poseidon 'spyplanes'. The plan is to fill the capability gap left by the retirement of the Nimrod MR.2/R1 fleet and cancellation of the Nimrod MRA.4 project in 2010."
It goes on to say that UK crews are currently flying joint operations with USAF crews on leased RC-135s but is believed P-8 Poseidon aircraft could be acquired to replace them.
Meanwhile UK crews from RAF Lossiemouth were deployed on P-8s during 'Exercise Joint warrior 12-1'.

[PR19_Kit]

TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!

They disband the Nimrod MR2 squadrons, and then cancel the MRA4 project because of 'cost issues'm and THEN they plan to spend even more of OUR money on an inferior Boeing product!  

But according to the statements at the time of the MRA4 cancellation we have no need of maritime recconaisance aircraft, so why are they even thinking about it?

[PR19_Kit]

Erm, WHICH crews from RAF Lossiemouth would have been deployed aboard P-8s? Lossie is a Tornado GR4 base.............

[pyro-manic]

Well, that's just bad writing. The Poseidon is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine platform, not a "spyplane". The leased Rivet Joints are covering the signals intelligence role of the Nimrod R.1. Are they suggesting that P-8s could be modified for SIGINT? or are they just being lazy and not addressing the fact that the R.1 and MR.2/MRA.4 variants of the Nimrod were very different?

The RAF could (and I think probably will) get Poseidons at some point to replace the Nimrod 2/4, and the RC-135s might well get bought outright. The other possibility would be to buy extra P-8s and modify them for that role, or otherwise UAVs and ground stations. Either way, the whole thing is absurd (yet wholly unsurprising), as the aircraft for these roles have been designed and built at huge expense, and then chopped up.

[deathjester]

TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!

They disband the Nimrod MR2 squadrons, and then cancel the MRA4 project because of 'cost issues'm and THEN they plan to spend even more of OUR money on an inferior Boeing product!  

But according to the statements at the time of the MRA4 cancellation we have no need of maritime recconaisance aircraft, so why are they even thinking about it?

'Cos they're thick.

[Logan Hartke]

Fixed.

TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!

They disband the  Canberra  squadrons, and then cancel the  TSR-2  project because of 'cost issues' and THEN they plan to spend even more of OUR money on an inferior  General Dynamics  product!  

The P-8 is a fine machine and will serve its owners well, whether they be Americans, Indians, Australians, or Brits.  All that having been said, WHY would you get rid of the MRA4 when the money was already spent and the airframes built?!?!  The money's already gone, you can't get it back?  When they canceled it and tore up the airframes with such haste, I thought it smelled very much like the Arrow and TSR-2.



Cheers,

Logan

[deathjester]

Isn't it strange that their ministerial limousines never get cancelled...

[PR19_Kit]

All that having been said, WHY would you get rid of the MRA4 when the money was already spent and the airframes built?!?!  The money's already gone, you can't get it back?  

Exactly! AND we had to pay BAe's cancellation charges as well!

My MP better not appear on my doorstep just before the next election as he did before the last one. He'll wonder how he walked into such an ambush!  

[deathjester]

Oh I've been wishing for one of those gits to turn up on our doorstep, just so I can give 'em both barrels...

[rickshaw]

Isn't it strange that their ministerial limousines never get cancelled...

Of course not.  Can't have them using their own cars to get around!

When I become President of Australia, I will decree that all Ministers and MPs must use public transport, must use public hospitals and send their kids to public schools.  Anybody care to bet how long before any of those public institutions get more funding and other improvements?   

Oh, and I'd decree that the Minister of Defence has to live in Defence housing and spend at least 1 week every two months visiting and working from a different Defence base - including ships.  His office door at those times cannot be closed for longer than one hour, every second hour and he must accept visits from any personnel who seek him out.   

Ditto for each of the other Ministers, within their portfolio.   That'll make life much more interesting for all concerned. 

[Old Wombat]

Isn't it strange that their ministerial limousines never get cancelled...

Of course not.  Can't have them using their own cars to get around!

When I become President of Australia, I will decree that all Ministers and MPs must use public transport, must use public hospitals and send their kids to public schools.  Anybody care to bet how long before any of those public institutions get more funding and other improvements?   

Oh, and I'd decree that the Minister of Defence has to live in Defence housing and spend at least 1 week every two months visiting and working from a different Defence base - including ships.  His office door at those times cannot be closed for longer than one hour, every second hour and he must accept visits from any personnel who seek him out.   

Ditto for each of the other Ministers, within their portfolio.   That'll make life much more interesting for all concerned. 

OK, I'm a Monarchist but..... "RICKSHAW FOR PM!!!!!"

[McColm]

When I was a trade-plate driver I drove a few minsterial limos to various car auctions in Blackwater and Bedford.
This was raised in the House of Commons when Liam Fox was the Minister of Defence, his answer at the time was "the MOD was considering the P-8 and that a base in England would be used if ordered".
As to the recent exercise, Kinloss is closing down and Macrihanish is no longer a RAF base that's why Lossie was chosen.

[PR19_Kit]

...... his answer at the time was "the MOD was considering the P-8 and that a base in England would be used if ordered".

As to the recent exercise, Kinloss is closing down and Macrihanish is no longer a RAF base that's why Lossie was chosen.

'A base in England'? Presumably either Brize Norton or Waddington would get even MORE crowded than they already are! Or maybe sanity would prevail and they'd re-open St. Mawgan? Some hopes.......

So Lossie was where the operation was based? That's not quite the same as '.....crews from RAF Lossiemouth'. The MoD needs a few lessons in exactness.

[Thorvic]

...... his answer at the time was "the MOD was considering the P-8 and that a base in England would be used if ordered".

As to the recent exercise, Kinloss is closing down and Macrihanish is no longer a RAF base that's why Lossie was chosen.

'A base in England'? Presumably either Brize Norton or Waddington would get even MORE crowded than they already are! Or maybe sanity would prevail and they'd re-open St. Mawgan? Some hopes.......

So Lossie was where the operation was based? That's not quite the same as '.....crews from RAF Lossiemouth'. The MoD needs a few lessons in exactness.

Probably Waddington, don't forget they are only likely to order 8-12 aircraft at best and trying to keep those on MPA duties will be hard enough as the RAF are likely to want to add on all the extra mission crap they did with the Nimrod MRA-4 (Long range Strike with Storm Shadow as Tornado is too short legged unless it has dedicated tanker support, Battlespace co-ordination as Sentinel too small to carry the sensors and the command staff to fully utilise that platforms capabilities).

[Weaver]

They will probably wait until after the next election, when the only thing Joe Public can remember about the Nimrod is Lying Fox saying it "didn't work", until actually placing an order. Just like everyone, and I mean EVERYONE at Woodford said they would about oh, 18 months ago............... and breathe...........