Just a quick suggestion for something to watch on the BBC iplayer. For those not in the UK i suggest you get a proxy and watch it if you can or want to.

Heart of Oak: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00q2ly2/Empire_of_the_Seas_How_the_Navy_Forged_the_Modern_World_Heart_of_Oak/

Admin, did enjoy that trip into fantasy land. Mind you much of it is what is required. Maybe I should do a more realistic version. Wouldn’t be as much fun though ;-)

RFA and logistics in general will be a future post in the FDR series.

If you want to contribute, by all means get in touch

Fantastic comment Phil, now get back to earth :D

When can we expect a post on the privatisation of the RFA?

Umm… 20% Well I won’t bother with the detailed math but will treat this as a “What we should have and currently don’t have” GAP filler!!!

Sort out the funding of the Armed Forces welfare (housing, pensions etc.). This should come from central government or out of the DSS budget, thus leaving the Defence budget for Defence items! Now this we could now and I think this would free up £1-2 Billion are year minimum!!!

Now back to the extra cash first the Army:

1. First thing is to progress with the upgrade of the Army vehicles ASAP. We still need heavy armour, so lets have:
a. The Challenger upgraded with new gun and engine to bring it up the latest standard as the Germans have done with the Leopard 2
b. Upgrade the AS90s with 52calibre gun and auto-loader and MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact). Or probably easier replace with Pzh2000s, which has all that.
c. Purchase the Swedish Archer wheeled artillery system or make our own version using the Bofors auto-loader and targeting system but linked to a M777 gun (i.e. what the LIMAWS gun should have been). Bring back the LIMAWS rocket but mount on an SPV 600 chassis
d. Replace Warrior’s with the German Puma or a very advanced
CV90 (more powerful engine CTA and better mine protection etc).
e. Select the Universal engineering Ranger for the Utility and MRAP
Roles (i.e. FRES Utility). Keep Mastiff and Ridgback for areas where their off-road mobility will not be an issue.
f. Amend the SV (Support Vehicle orders to change the split between the less capable HX version (which we have bought most of for the much more capable military spec SX version and fit them with proper armoured cabs to provide protection from IEDs etc.
2. Now for the Light/COIN stuff (what will be used the most):
a. Buy either the Force Protection / Recaro – Ocelot or Supacat SPV 400/600/800 to replace the Snatch/MWMIK/WMIK/Jackal 1 and 2/Coyote plus Husky etc… (Basically the LPPV / OUVS). I know the Jackal has been popular with the troops and in its mk 2 version is a lot better, but the SPV range will offer the protection that is really needed without compromising mobility and situational awareness. In fact they have already trialled a Coyote with a telescopic mast sight and a RCWS with the gunner strapped in to a mine resistant seat. Let’s not forget most of the deaths from IED are the poor sods providing top cover.
b. Develop the Viking2 to give it proper IED/Mine protection (i.e. proper v-shaped hull with both deflection/absorption technologies, and ceramic to counter shaped charges, then produce numerous versions with the likes of 40mm CTA, 120mm AMOS/NEMO mortars, Anti-Tank and Air-defence version. This will provide our light forces and marines with a really useful light-weight range of fighting vehicles.
c. Progress with the Swedish SEP programme that will lead to a useful range of medium-weight fighting vehicles in the 15-24t class.

3. Progress PECOC and provide adequate funding to give the Army the decent uniforms and personal kit it needs. This is important as the good kit now issued is UOR and is not standard issue, so when it’s gone it’s gone.
4. Replace the SA80 with something better. I know it has been improved with the A2 and the latest sights and hand guard but a weapon that cannot be fired left-handed and therefore fired around right-handed corners without exposing the whole of the firer’s torso is crazy. There are other ergonomic and assembly anomalies that need fixing. I am not a combat rifle expert so can only suggest examples that seem to get a good right-up in the military media. Weapons to consider include HK416/417, HK G36, (although some have suggested that it melts in hot conditions, Tavor, and FN2000 and FN SCAR. The secondary issue is what calibre 5.56, 7.62 or 6.8?

Now for the sophisticated and new technology kit:

5. Provide the Army with more UAVS and UCAV and other Advanced Sensors. We need more CoBRA (Counter Battery Radar systems and its smaller brother the MAMBA (MOBILE ARTILLERY MONITORING BATTLEFIELD RADAR ). We should definitely be using the Scan Eagle, this is a relatively cheap and very flexible system that can be operated on the frontline as well as from ships, The Watchkeeper/Hermes 450 are OK, the problem is that we are not getting enough of them and the Hermes 450 on which the Watchkeeper is based does not have satellite comms must remain in radio line-of-sight of the GCS (Ground Control Station) therefore you need a second vehicle that keeps radio line-of-sight with both the GCS and the forward deployed UAV id used over any significant distance. It currently does not carry any weapons, although the Israeli’s have been rumoured to have fitted a couple of Hellfires to theirs. I would want more of these plus more Reapers. I think the Reaper should also be under the control of the army not the RAF. I think we need somewhere in the order of 25+ Reapers and 100+ watchkeepers and several hundred Scan Eagles.
6. Do you know that this year the Army is withdrawing the Stormer based Starstreak Air-Defence system this year! That leave the Army with no truly mobile air defence. In fact all it will have is the Rapier/Jernas system, which is really not the most robust and easily deployable SAM system in the world. I know the air threat has lessened since the soviet union collapsed but it has not gone away completely and there are potential enemies out there that do have considerable air power and large stocks of cruise missiles. This situation needs to be addressed. The land version of CAMM should definitely be produced, the Starstreak missile is a very potent SAM and needs to be deployed widely on our new vehicles (see above). The THOR sighting system should be procured for these installations. I would also like to see us get the land-based version of PAAMs (i.e. SAMP-T) for area defence of the Army and a AAA (Anti Aircraft Artillary) system of some sort. This could even be Phalanx which could also be used to provide a C-RAM capability as well.
7. More Helicopters, if the Wildcat cannot be cancelled, lets a least get more of them (circa 100+) fit some with roof or better still mast mounted sights and weapons to perform the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter role, the rest can continue to operate in the Light Utility role. Increase the Apache from 67 to 150 and ensure that are fully marinised and make at least 24 available for the Marines. Cancel the PUMA upgrade and instead procure a standardised version of the Merlin (incorporating the ramp from the HC3s and the folding rotors and tail from the HM1 – i.e. as per the HH71 design for the Us CSAR-X). Now, how is this for radical thinking, Transfer the HM1 or the HC3/3a to the coastguard rather than leasing S92s and then buy the standardised Merlin for the Navy/Marines and Army. That way we can get a large order for a common helicopter that will reduce unit costs and dramatically ease training and logistic plus you have a very similar helicopter for the UK SAR.

Next the Navy, I will keep the rest simpler as that was in far too much detail, so here goes:

8. Modify the CVF to be nuclear powered and build as full blown CATOBAR and use F35C or Rafale or sea Gripen, even SeaPhoon (though doubt if this is really practical – ~If our Eurofighter partners agreed and allowed us a fairly substantial change as part of the Tranche 3, it might just be doable). But I don’t envisage any pink elephants flying past my window anytime soon!!!
9. Upgrade the T45s to carry more VLS, add CIWS and some form of Inner Layer Defence Missile (RAM / Startstreak/LMM) and buy an additional 6
10. adopt the BAE stealthy pentamaran C1 design, ensure it carries a very large number of VLS for both Air-Defence, Land-Attack and Anti-Ship and procure at least 12 LINKY to site. http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://media.bmt.org/bmt_media/bmt_images/29/legacynews/image13.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bmt.org/News/%3F/3/0/129&h=225&w=300&sz=7&tbnid=ii2GI02kQfkBUM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpentamaran&hl=en&usg=__JWGZ2bjSN2lmPhZewdoSTXa-vV8=&ei=CYFQS-yWPI_20gSHoI2vCg&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image&ved=0CAsQ9QEwAg
11. 20+ Absalon type C2s (ideally Electric Propulsion and Pod Drives (if they are reliable (I understand the ones on the QM2 have had bearing failures)
12. 30 Global Corvette supported by 4-6 large mother ships
13. At least 12 Astute submarines.
14. Sort out and standardise the navel guns, ditich the 4.5” and replace with 5”/127, introduce the 76SR for the smaller ships, and select a standard small calibre gun (say 27mm). Develop the 40mm CTA in to a new CIWS (if Possible), this could have multiple barrels if required and how about this for a name… Sea Dragon!!!
15. Build a replacement for HMS Ocean, based on the French Mistral but enlarge to take Merlin and Apache rather than NH90 and Tiger, equip it with PASCATs/CB90s and able to carry F35s or Harriers.
16. Fit both the Albion and Bay class with hangers and give them proper weapons to defend themselves. Equip these ships with PASCAT/CB90s and maybe the new BAE LCT (Landing Craft Tank) vessel in place of the LCU mk10s.
17. Move forward with MARS programme ASAP. BAE already have designs for this or simply buy more of the Wave Class

Now for the Brylcream boys…

1. Sell off the T1/T2 Typhoons, develop the T3 to the max’ ensure it has the more powerful EJ200 engine, which I believe is capable of being extended to 29,000 lbs of thrust, and fit with TVC (Thrust Vectoring Control). Add the conformal fuel tanks, add the CAESAR radar, I would like to see more 27mm cannon ammo carried as well, even better a second cannon. We need at least 160 of these. I would also do what the French have done with Rafale and make some fully operational 2 seaters.
2. If F35 can be made to work then buy a small amount of F35Bs to provide a Harrier replacement, if not then buy more Typhoons (The SeaPhoon! if this is possible).
3. More C17s to make a fleet of at least 16, more like 30 if A400M dies.
4. More C130s and the C27 Spartan for tactical intra-theatre lift, say about 40 and 20 respectively.
5. Scrap the PFI for the Tankers and buy at least 24, equipped to the Australian specification.
6. We have spent the money on Nimrod, let’s build the bloody things and get the MR2s and R1 replaced with these essentially NEW airframes. Plus build enough of them to use some as long-range bombers.
7. Give the RAF regiment back its Air-Defence role and equip as per Army (CAMM, SAMP-T etc)
8. At least 80 Chinooks (all to the CH47F standard, plus some Gs)
9. Develop UAVS and UCAV as a matter of urgency, the BAE Taranis and Mantis etc..

Now that as probably blown the 20% and some but I did enjoy putting the UK Armed forces to Rights!!!

Depressing to come back to reality though!!!

Sptifire dude, I agree entirely, mediocre the lot of them, no one got the guts to stand up and campaign on any principles – even if it was “I am a communist and I will completely dissolve the armed forces” it would be refreshingly honest !

Jed,

No it used to be the role of HM Opposition, apparently now the Tory party. I challenge you to find a difference between Red Gordon and Red Dave.

Euan – kudos for actually thinking about it

Dominic – depends on how old you are, but how about SkyDiver from Jerry Andersons UFO – I got the boxed set of all 26 episodes for Xmas, I also think their ‘Mobiles’ look like good MRAP/APC…..

Actually, screw carriers, lets invest in the flying airbase from Captain Scarlet, complete with all female fighter squadron….. :-)

13th Spitfire – is the SGBS role not that of the Tory party ??

I was being serious!!!

I want a super carrier that can submerge below 10m (the point where waves stop I think), emerge in short order, lift some fast jets to its deck, launch them, submerge, emerge when they return, collect them, and then go back under.

I think I would just settle for the beer, fags and hookers

SGBS – Special Gordon Brown Service, a unit dedicated to the slander, badmouthing, terrorising, annoying, spying, throwing foul stuff at, kicking, wanking on, cuddling and finally burying Gordon Brown.

Hmmm! An extra 20% of the defence budget means £7.2 billion pounds extra PER YEAR if we accept that the defence budget is £36 billion according to projections for this year. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/Organisation/KeyFactsAboutDefence/DefenceSpending.htm or if you mean growing 20% over a few years then bugger as a 20% boost in one year is nice :-) This would have been a good christmas post i think.

I think for a kick off I would allocated the .2 billion to a “if sh1t happens fund” basically somehow hiding that money from the bean counters for a rainy day when not if it appears. The lion’s share of the money I would allocated towards making my fantasy coastguard say around £3 billion. Resources would also be transferred from the current MCA, Customs etc so the real figure could be a bit higher. That is quite a bit of money and could be used to create and equip quite a decent coastguard with its own patrol aircraft and vessels. Not to mention the core capability of search and rescue would possibly be more effective as this would be performed by independent dedicated fixed and rotary wing assets. The idea is to remove responsibilities and roles from the 3 main services and combine the current organisations such as the MCA this should result in a far more efficient and effective service. This would be no trivial coastguard as the RN runs on a budget of around £7 billion and has to run SSBN’s, SSN’s all the rest of the navy stuff as well as the Royal Marines. This would not just be a mainland UK confined coastguard they would patrol places such as the Falklands and South Atlantic territories. Some of the larger vessels could even deploy into the Mediterranean or further afield and cooperate with the USCG to train foreign coastguards as well as expand their own knowledge and experience.

Before allocating the rest of the money I would make some organisational changes such as moving the Support helicopter fleet under the responsibility of the AAC. Maybe not popular but their role is to move squaddies around so why not have them flown by squaddies and maintained by them. It should also be a cheaper way of providing the capability as there should be less management and it would eliminate bickering between the RAF and AAC. Joint helicopter command would be kept as RN fleet helicopters such as the Merlin and Lynx being under FAA control so I have no quibble there. The FAA would regain full control over navy fixed wing aircraft although fixed wing training would remain a joint affair.

The remaining £4 billion would be allocated as £750 million to the Royal Air force to be spent on more or less what they need within reason such as most of it being spent on transport and refuelling aircraft. Arguably this money could easily vaporise improving maintenance and availability which would be a good place to start getting more from what we have. Also some money could be spent on odd things like snow blowers as did you know we could not keep Brize Norton open? I mean it’s a strategic transport hub FFS it should be open 24/7. I’ve no idea about the air defence stations but I doubt they were open but guess what Lakenheath and Mildenhall were open and making a noise.

The Army would get a larger slice £1.5 billion so that they can better cope with recovering from Afghanistan and Iraq as I would get out of there ASAP. Worn out and old equipment would need replaced and I would want to move towards standardising on something like the CV-90 or a new armoured vehicle. Change would be the main priority moving away from heavy armour and artillery designed for the cold war battlefield and towards a lighter mobile armoured force with more infantry. A chunk of this money would basically go immediately considering the larger helicopter fleet which would need looked after so it’s not a great deal of additional cash.

The Royal Navy we are discussing at the moment so what would happen with additional money should already be known to regular readers. The additional funds I would allocate would be in the region of an extra £1 billion which is a reasonable boost when everything is considered. The Coastguard would have taken over things such as the EEZ security and patrol duties around the UK and the Falklands. They may even be deploying further afield such as helping to chase pirates in the Caribbean and providing help to the UK’s dependencies and friends or providing a presence in the Mediterranean. This should free up a slice of the budget pie to help pay for the carrier and air groups which would change from STOVL to CATOBAR and the aircraft type would also be changed. The change would depend primarily on the maturity of EMALS and also that of the F-35C, EMALS would be adopted if it works which it must be for obvious reasons. Nonetheless additional funds would be spent on getting a decent number of vessels under the FSC program to replace and grow the current surface fleet. The Royal Marines would get some extra money for equipment etc such as new helicopters to replace the junglies with a Merlin version and whatever they want elsewhere like new vehicles. The RFA MARS program would be accelerated with vessels ordered from South Korea so they are really cheap and able to be built in decent numbers as well as delivered in a short time period. Generally in UK shipbuilding both surface and submarine the idea would be to start a drumbeat planning far in advance dipping into the “if sh1t happens fund” if needed to fill production gaps.

If you’ve added it up that leaves £750 million unallocated, this could be spent on joint capabilities such as satellite communications or areas of joint training. Cash could also be spent on welfare such as housing, healthcare, family and individual services etc to make life better for those who serve. Even a simple pay rise would be a good idea although people generally don’t join up and stay for the money but I think it would be welcome.

I see from the comments I’m the only one who decided to go a bit nuts and take it literally ahh well I can dream at least. Nice suggestions especially Jed’s it would really piss off the yanks if we done that and managed to keep it hush hush.

those big walker thing from empire strikes back.

Space based particle beam weapon, mwuh ha ha ha……

A submersible supercarrier