SimonD

A little farming….tech, project delivery, in any order you see fit. Absolutely not a consultant, possibly, perhaps.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

There’s a theme to this

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

🚨Against a backdrop of jazzy videos, loud music and handshakes between Mark Rutte and various dignatories, NATO made these announcements about new allied kit - all based around air transport and surveillance

- NATO will replace a fleet of airborne early warning aircraft known as AWACs. It will buy 10 Saab GlobalEye planes to replace its fleet of aging E3s

- There will be a new fleet of military transport aircraft of Airbus A400Ms (though slim in detail about size)

- The 10th Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft of the multi-role transport and air-to-air refuelling fleet will be delivered in September

- There will be a new purchase of five TRITON intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone for NATO ISR

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@RonDeSantis 🤦

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@JimmyThomist Man of War, in a conflict, holding carriers at risk, fair target.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@markhellsbells @UKDefJournal O.N.O.F.F.O.N…..

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@AlistairCarns @BeaverWestminst National Resilience Minister?

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@mpwarwick Must admit I too am struggling a bit with that conundrum

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@SKinnock @Keir_Starmer @andyburnham 🤦‍♂️

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@DavidBillinge @FlightAcesHigh @GarethJennings3 @847NAS @HMSPWLS @IBallantyn @TomSharpe134 @Gabriel64869839 @NavyLookout @UKDefJournal If it were a choice I’d keep Wildcat and sell Apache which is an expensive asset to keep

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@BoeingB52BUFF Called panting if I’m bit wrong

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@GarethJennings3 @JanesINTEL I would sooner have Wildcat AH than mass Chinook. Utilisation of Wildcat goes beyond heavy left which ultimately is what chinook offers.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@Hush_Kit But it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the general employment of the platform

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@nicholadrummond In fact your statement shows a lack of understanding of the light utility helicopter role which Wildcat does in parallel to recce. I expect that this decision will be reversed once the savings (limited) are understood.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@nicholadrummond This applies to ground units as well then?

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@chevronsauvages Brilliant

[chevrons sauvages 🇫🇷 @chevronsauvages]

Soyez un père responsable : faites des activités d'extérieur avec vos enfants.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@FlightAcesHigh @DavidBillinge @GarethJennings3 @847NAS @HMSPWLS @IBallantyn @TomSharpe134 @Gabriel64869839 @NavyLookout @UKDefJournal In Norway these platforms are key to moving people and equipment. There’s been a sharp focus on part of Wildcats role vs wider employment.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@GarethJennings3 @FlightAcesHigh @DavidBillinge @847NAS @HMSPWLS @IBallantyn @TomSharpe134 @Gabriel64869839 @NavyLookout @UKDefJournal And small ships flight Heli Delivery Service post 2030. I hope New Med Lift becomes an AAC role. The noise ahead of contracts been let should have warmed us up to the removal of AAC Wildcat. Effectively Wildcat is being replaced by NML

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@DavidBillinge @GarethJennings3 @847NAS @HMSPWLS @IBallantyn @TomSharpe134 @Gabriel64869839 @NavyLookout @UKDefJournal @FlightAcesHigh They’ll go as well. They won’t keep a V niche fleet of c. 6 aircraft. A shame but that’s going to be the reality unless they can get some funding to upgrade them to RN version.

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@John_ForemanCBE @TBrit90 They are 2030+

[SimonD @TweedNo]

@MtarfaL @TBrit90 Would make sense wouldn’t it. Puma crews are long gone so would have to rebuild capacity.