British Armed Forces Thread

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To Boost Strike Force, UK Delays Retiring Tornado Strike Jets

LONDON — The British government has temporarily reprieved a Tornado GR4 strike squadron from the scrap heap in order to maintain sufficient numbers of aircraft for a sustained campaign against the Islamic State.

To Boost Strike Force, UK Delays Retiring Jets | Defense News | defensenews.com​

Paveway IV Laser Guided bombs await being loaded onto RAF Tornado GR4's at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in this handout photo from the Ministry of Defence September 26, 2014. Britain's parliament approved air strikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents in Iraq by a decisive margin on Friday, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join U.S.-led military action with immediate effect. Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers were on standby to take part in initial sorties after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following a formal request from the Iraqi government.

A Paveway IV Laser Guided bomb awaits being loaded onto RAF Tornado GR4's at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in this handout photo from the Ministry of Defence September 26, 2014. Britain's parliament approved air strikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents in Iraq by a decisive margin on Friday, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join U.S.-led military action with immediate effect. Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers were on standby to take part in initial sorties after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following a formal request from the Iraqi government.

Ground crew load a Paveway IV Laser Guided bomb onto an RAF Tornado GR4's at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in this handout photo from the Ministry of Defence September 26, 2014. Britain's parliament approved air strikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents in Iraq by a decisive margin on Friday, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join U.S.-led military action with immediate effect. Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers were on standby to take part in initial sorties after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following a formal request from the Iraqi government.

Servicemen walk near a British Tornado jet at the RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus September 27, 2014. Britain's parliament approved air strikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents in Iraq by a decisive margin on Friday, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join U.S.-led military action with immediate effect. Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers were on standby to take part in initial sorties after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following a formal request from the Iraqi government.

Two RAF Tornado GR4s prepare to begin a combat mission at Akrotiri, Cyprus, in this handout photo from the Ministry of Defence September 27, 2014. Britain's parliament approved air strikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents in Iraq by a decisive margin on Friday, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join U.S.-led military action with immediate effect. Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers were on standby to take part in initial sorties after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following a formal request from the Iraqi government.

 

[HMS Astute]

Royal Air Force Tornadoes returning from bombing missions

UK-led Joint Warrior multinational exercise set to begin next week

Maritime forces from a host of nations are set to participate in the UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior 142, which will start on 7 October in Scotland.

Claimed to be Nato's biggest of its kind, the exercise involves 22 naval units and approximately 52 fixed-wing aircraft.

Participating nations include the UK, US, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, Belgium, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia.

Conducted by the UK twice a year, the exercise includes air, surface and underwater threat training.

UK-led Joint Warrior multinational exercise set to begin next week - Naval Technology​

 

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Babcock, BAE Systems win $5.2 billion UK naval contracts

Babcock International and BAE Systems have won contracts worth a total of 3.2 billion pounds ($5.2 billion) to maintain British warships, submarines and naval bases for the next five years.

The agreements secured 7,500 jobs across Britain and represented the second biggest defense contract placed by the government since it took power in 2010, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Babcock signed a 2.6 billion pound support services contract to continue running the Clyde and Devonport naval bases until 2020. BAE, Europe's largest defense firm, was awarded a 600 million pound deal to run the Portsmouth base until 2019.

Babcock, BAE Systems win $5.2 billion UK naval contracts | Reuters





BAE now able to invest £200 million in Clyde 'Frigate Factory'

Shipbuilders BAE Systems have confirmed that a contract to create a new £200m state-of-the-art facility at their Scotstoun yard in Glasgow will be put out to tender next week. Work on the construction of a hi-tech facility costing more than £200million is to go out to tender in a few months' time in the hope Glasgow will be chosen to build a new warship fleet. Defence giant BAE Systems has stayed silent on the future of its shipyards at Scotstoun and Govan in the run-up to the independence referendum.

Frigate factory plan gets the go-ahead | Evening Times​

 

[HMS Astute]

The Red Arrows flying in formation over the Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait City.This image shows the Red Arrows arriving in Kuwait, signalling their arrival with white smoke for a flypast over the citya. For the 50th anniversary of the Red Arrows the Team embarked on a Middle East Tour, visiting several countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE.

Paratroopers land following the 70th anniversary re-enactment of the iconic World War airborne operation at Arnhem. The parachute drop was marked with an airborne jump onto the original British landing zone 'Y' at Ede.Soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade joined veterans, Dutch civilians and airborne troops from across the world to mark the 70th anniversary of a Second World War operation that defined the character of the British Army's airborne forces.

 

[HMS Astute]

Royal Marines Commandos​

Royal Marines Launch Final Assault on Exercise Albanian Lion. As darkness began to cover their tracks Royal Marine Commandos launched their final assault on a disused submarine base in Albania as part of a long-planned annual exercise.Alpha and Bravo Companies from 40 Commando were landed ashore by Landing Craft Utility (LCU) and Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) in preparation for the attack on the Porto Palermo Submarine Base, Albania.As part of Exercise Albanian Lion the Royal Marines joined up with Albanian forces to practise their core amphibious fighting skills, with the objective to recapture the base from opposing forces.While pushing their way forward the men were met with fierce resistance as the enemy used the tunnels of the submarine pens to their advantage, ensuring a challenging fight. Several hours later and, once the tunnels were cleared, Delta company then launched their own attack on enemy occupying higher ground after being landed on nearby beaches by Chinook (CH47) helicopters.

 

[HMS Astute]

Typhoon jets with long-range strike capability

Typhoon jets to get long-range strike capability - News stories - GOV.UK​

 

[HMS Astute]

London's affiliated warship HMS Westminster has sailed through the Thames Barrier and will today host guests to demonstrate her capability. The Type-23 frigate will also open her gangway to the public on Saturday where people will be able to glimpse life on board a Royal Navy warship.

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[HMS Astute]

UK armour on its way to Poland

'The Flying Test Bed', which can fly as if it were an Uninhabited Air Vehicle (UAV), has undergone a series of flight trials and completed it's first maiden flight of a surrogate UAV in UK shared airspace.

The Archerfish Mine Neutralization System (left) and the Artisan 3D Radar (right).

SkeetIR Thermal Sight & RED-I Helmet Mounted Display.

M88 Hercules Recovery Vehicle (left) and Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (right).

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[HMS Astute]

The C-17 gives the RAF a long-range strategic heavy-lift transport aircraft that offers the ability to project and sustain an effective force close to a potential area of operations for combat, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions worldwide.

A soldier of C Company 2 Royal Anglian shares a joke with a friend as they prepare for departure on a security patrol to the west of Camp Bastion. The patrol included an attachment of Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers who were integrated into the patrol to learn from the experience in order to teach their comrades. The patrol visited local bazaars where locals trade various different consumable products.

An Army Air Corps Apache takes part in a dramatic display at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, one of the biggest international Airshows in the world.The Apache attack helicopter can operate in all weathers, day or night and detect, classify and prioritise up to 256 potential targets in a matter of seconds. It carries a mix of weapons including rockets, Hellfire missiles and a 30mm chain gun, as well as a state of the art fully integrated defensive aid suite.In addition to the distinctive Longbow radar located above the rotor blades, this aircraft is equipped with a day TV system, thermal imaging sight and direct view optics.

Lancasters Vera & Thumper fly towards the Derwent Dam in the Derwent Valley on route to RAF Coningsby.

Seen here the first pre-production prototype of the Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV) at the UK's biggest military vehicle demonstration, Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD). The vehicle is part of the Future Rap[id Effect System (FRES).The event, held at Millbrook near Milton Keynes, brings together the MoD's equipment and support organisation (DE&S), the Army and industry to showcase the vehicles used by the military.

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[HMS Astute]

Royal Marines Practice Amphibious Skills on Exercise Albanian Lion

 

[HMS Astute]

The Royal Navy's Response Force Task Group has exercised with the Hellenic Navy in the Ionian Sea while on their annual deployment, Cougar 14.

Fleet Flagship HMS Bulwark, HMS Ocean, RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Wave Knight joined HS Aegean and a Greek submarine for two days while they practised close range manoeuvres.

They also held an anti-submarine and a surface exercise, and practised their air defence with Mirage planes from the Hellenic Air Force.

Image by LA(Phot) Des Wade shows (L-R) RFA Wave Knight, HS Aegean, HMS Bulwark, HMS Ocean and RFA Lyme Bay.

 

[HMS Astute]

Royal Navy medical ship arrives in Cornwall ready to help tackle spread of Ebola in west Africa

A team of 750 military personnel and a Royal Navy medical ship has arrived in the Westcountry to load before deploying to west Africa to help the effort to contain the Ebola outbreak.RFA Argus, which has a fully equipped hospital including critical care and high-dependency units, arrived in Falmouth, Cornwall, yesterday, for loading before it sails to Sierra Leone next week.It will travel with three Merlin helicopters, aircrew and engineers to provide transport and support to medical teams and aid workers.The ship is now moored at Falmouth where crew have been seen loading supplies on to the vessel and checking the first load in preparedness for deployment.

 

[HMS Astute]

Exercise Prairie Storm 3

1 Yorkshire Regiment (1 York) Battle group on Ex Prairie Tempest enter the village of Tarmek. This is part of the tactical effect simulation (TES) Phase of Exercise Prairie Storm 3 in The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) the vast training area near Suffield, Alberta, Canada.

The Battle group is made up of attachments from C Squadron Kings Royal Hussars (KRH), 26 Royal Engineers (26 RA) 8 Armoured Engineer Squadron, Artillery Regiments from 19th, 5th,12th and 39th.

Combat Service Support (CSS) Battle group is made up of 4 Royal Logistic Corp, 4 Battalion Royal Electrical Engineers (4 REME), 4 Mediical Regiment (4 Med Reg) and 174 Provo Company Royal Military Police.

BATUS is the British Army's largest armoured training facility and it can accommodate live-firing and tactical effect simulation (TES) exercises up to battle group level.

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Work begins on first new OPV for UK Royal Navy

Work begins on first new OPV for UK Royal Navy - IHS Jane's 360

 

[HMS Astute]

HMS Diamond Meets The Red Arrows

HMS Diamond was on tasking in the Mediterranean as part of OP RECSYR (Removal of Chemical Weapons in Syria). Meanwhile the Reds were on their annual pre-season display training out of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

 

[HMS Astute]

Astute class nuclear-powered stealth advanced attack submarines

The Astute-class are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world leading sensors, design and weaponry in a versatile vessel. The following images depict the compartments and the general characteristics of the boat as well as its most important weapon systems and electronic equipment. The boats of the class are believed to be the world's most powerful nuclear attack submarines. The Sonar 2076 sonar suite has the processing power of 2,000 laptop computers while it has the world's largest number of hydrophones (13,000!), providing the Royal Navy with the "biggest ears" of any sonar system in service today. This sonar is so sensitive that one lurking in the Solent would be able to detect a ship leaving New York harbour 3,500 miles across the Atlantic! In 2012, during simulated battles with the United States Navy's latest Virginia-class submarine USS New Mexico, it was reported that the Americans were "taken aback" by Astute's capabilities. Royal Navy Commander Ian Breckenridge was quoted saying: "Our sonar is fantastic and I have never before experienced holding a submarine at the range we were holding USS New Mexico. The Americans were utterly taken aback, blown away with what they were seeing." Swiftsure and Trafalgar Update manager, Captain Ian Hughes said, "A good analogy for the performance of Sonar 2076 is that if the submarine was in Winchester it would be able to track a double decker bus going round Trafalgar Square" (a distance of about 60 miles). The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. Two boats have been commissioned, the third one was launched recently while four more are under construction.

 

[HMS Astute]

UK F35 flying alongside US F35s during the interoperability test.

 

[HMS Astute]

Exercise LEOPARD STAR 1.

Reservists from 158 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) travelled to Sennelager, Germany for their annual training camp – Exercise LEOPARD STAR 1.During the camp, soldiers will undertake various training objectives designed to demonstrate their operational credibility. These objectives will afford the soldiers an opportunity to conduct platoon level training in their core tasks of transport logistic support and the provision of essential supply tasks.Soldiers have already completed a scenario based on an indirect fire attack on a harbour area, where their reaction and command tasks were tested. Commanding Officer of 158 Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Hughes said: "As we enter into a period of contingency operations the aim of this exercise is for us to ensure that our soldiers are properly prepared and trained to a standard, confident in the knowledge that we can hand them to our paired Regiment [7 Regiment, RLC] knowing they will be able to undertake any task asked of them."

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