David Frigate

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

Why I think the RAF needs a Light fighter alongside GCAP, a thread 🧵:

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@QuietSupporter @rude_mechanic @FennellJW @Mallard143 @Dr_W_E_Bulmer @pegge49 In capability but not to the treasury bean counters.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@rude_mechanic @FennellJW @Mallard143 @QuietSupporter @Dr_W_E_Bulmer @pegge49 Still half the price of T26 though...

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 NAO projected lifetime cost is where the numbers came from.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

F-35B being cheaper than Typhoon is complete and utter bollocks.

F-35 programme lifetime cost: £71bn
Units: 138
Unit cost: £518m

Typhoon programme lifetime cost: £37bn
Units: 160
Unit cost: £231.5m

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW 138 was always an unfunded pipedream.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW 74 would have allowed for for 24+ surge on each carrier, yes.
But that is gone now 12 B's ➡ A's.
now it is more like 20 B's+

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW Which budget cut?

[Allan Reid @areid602]

@NavyLookout @TomSharpe134 The unit cost of RAF Typhoons was about £73 Million. The current fleet of 111 aircraft is the core of British combat air power.
The F-35B currently costs about £130M. We have about 40. They are limited in flying hours, weapons fit - and sovereignty.
https://t.co/L0GqK5onch

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW 1) A wartime surge would mean like 40+ F-35B's
2) AAC, and RAF helicopters still need somewhere to be.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW No, what I'm saying is the reality, that for most of the time the carriers will be around northern Europe with 12 fighters. Every 4th year we could put 2sqn's on.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@Mallard143 @GarethJennings3 @Adm_Hindsight @FennellJW Sensible idea when based on knowledge of rule of 3, but it ignores a lot.
4 out of every 5 years carrier only needs 1 sqn.
Only 1 airwing is needed because carriers also rotate.
So 3 sqn's only needed total.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@MtarfaL @IBallantyn @seanleicester1 @pegge49 i.e. each LRG needs 2-3 ships to maintain readiness or availability, depending on which is picked, x2 then no more budget or crew for ships left.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@MtarfaL @IBallantyn @seanleicester1 @pegge49 No, Not at all. FCF and UK policy is to sustain two LRG's.
You can't have multiple classes.
And MRSS procurement being slow isn't just MRSS, it's like every major procurement right now.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@JUitdeketting How is sigma 12516 developed but ASWF not?

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@IBallantyn @seanleicester1 @pegge49 We need a LPD to carry 250+ rm's, vehicles, landing craft and 3 merlin, not ships that can at most carry 100RM, a helicopter and a few UAV's.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@seanleicester1 @IBallantyn @pegge49 What do you mean "RN contracts towards a much less expeditionary role"? 40 commando, 45 commando, LRG(S), LRG(N)....

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@FennellJW @pegge49 The UNITY contract was a lot more than just AUKUS, it includes support for Astute and Dreadnought reactors.

Quote: " including the beginning of the previously announced SSN-AUKUS contracts".
Given UNITY contract is for 8 years, IMHO it only covers design work.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@FennellJW @pegge49 I'm talking about major procurement's.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@ric_cole @VirtualBayonet @MtarfaL @pegge49 @RoyalMarines 42 commando is getting quite big now with it's obligations.

[David Frigate @Davidfrigate]

@pegge49 You do realise it's not just MRSS it's basically every defence procurement? It will only resume when the Defence Armaments Director is appointed/ when the Defence Command Paper comes out in the Autumn.

Buy that point Labour basically wouldn't have ordered anything for 18 months.