Comments by "Orbital_Inclination" (@Orbital_Inclination) on "BFBS Forces News" channel.

  1. ​ @MrBonako why the homophobia? Why should someone as 'strong' as Putin care who a man or woman loves? How insecure do you have to be, to persecute people just for loving someone? How sad...
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  2. ​ @paulwalker427 because they're fighting a far larger force. The fact they've held out this long against one of the largest armed forces on the planet is incredible, and pretty embarrassing for Russia.
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  3. Why? It happened for hundreds of years prior to WWI
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  4. Molten copper is literally just how shaped charges work, forming a beam of plasma. This is a modication of that, as explained in the video, to better penetrate cage armour.
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  5. Krembots get easier to spot every day
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  6.  @ivancho5854  exactly, because the gas masks of the time were primitive, thus we had to make personnel shave to ensure their safety. Now, thanks to advances in materials and technology, we don't require our personnel to shave because kit like this exists, so there is no need to enforce a facial hair ban, except to appease those with sensitive feelings over what another man grows on his face.
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  7. Turkey is a NATO ally. Can't see that going down well with other NATO members. Also, after so many years of being attacked and killed by Cyriot EOKA terrorists, and the wider independence movement, I'm guessing British political and military sentiment wasn't particular pro risking more British lives to assist Cypriots at the time.
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  8. Doing what he did last time, filling his team with loyal yes men, until they speak out against him, then he'll fire them like last time. The guy is a narcissistic egomaniac.
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  9. You really think they're giving any actual operational information away here?
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  10. They don't wear it on ops, genius, they have helmets for that
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  11. Anyone can buy one of those patches, they're not restricted to US personnel
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  12. ​ @Dingdangdoo why? Losing some in a war doesn't make them pointless, that's just war.
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  13. If you genuinely don't think the UK has a lot of freedom, you really need to get out more.
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  14. Ah yes, the person who spent his last time in office celebrating and fan-girling the dictators of the world is the one that's going to keep us all safe... obviously
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  15. Anything is an easy target if you use it poorly, don't plan effectively, etc. Thankfully, we put more effort into protecting our kit that people seem to think.
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  16. Training the ships crew is not time wasted. The air wing are doing their own work-up on the other carrier, as this one shakes down any mechanical snags before CSG25 next year. The theoretical capacity is exactly that, theoretical. Only the US ever deploy with that kind of air wing. It also doesn't take into account deck and hangar space being used for other aircraft or storage. The French, probably a good comparison to the UK in this regard, usually embark between 15-25 jets on actual ops, and less for training or exercises.
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  17. Why would they be embarked on this carrier, when it's not the one involved in the current air wing work-up? What a pointless waste of resources that would be, just to appease the "hurr durr no aircraft" crowd.
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  18. What air threat is the UK currently under that would require an air defence destroyer?
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  19. You've missed out the US in that timeline
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  20. Tbf accidents happen. The US lost the USS Bonhome Richard to a fire in port
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  21. Then we use tents. This procedure doesn't mean we stop using tents completely, just that we don't immediately default to that option.
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  22.  @davidrobertsemail  that's because it was going to the US for trials, and those trials were conducted with USMC/RAF test and evaluation aircraft based in the US. Meanwhile, UK-based F-35s remained here to continue their routine training, rather than embarking on a pointless journey for no reason. There was zero need for embarked aircraft during either transit. It is a carrier with aircraft, but those aircraft are only embarked when actually needed, not just for a jolly across the Atlantic.
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  23. ​ @davidrobertsemail give it a rest. Why would they embark aircraft for a deployment that didn't require them? That wastes personnel, increases costs and maintenance, and reduces the number in the UK that could conduct useful training. It is a carrier with aircraft, but they only embark when actually needed, like any sensible individual would understand.
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  24. Thales is pronounced Tal-iss Starstreak was designed by Shorts Missile Systems of Belfast, before it was bought by Thales, so is indeed a British weapon system.
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  25. ​ @meme4one why not? Coastline doesn’t dictate the extent of a nation
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  26. Maybe they should try hiding it under a dock crane, like the Russian one
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  27. Do PCSOs have the largest combined military strength of any organisation on the planet?
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  28.  @Jimmythefish577  standard uninformed nonsense
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  29. Cheers dits.
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  30. Not sure we need an Indian clean sheet design when this one is ready to go
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  31. Can you try to at least make the rambling coherent?
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  32. ​ @MrBonako what's with the homophobia, Ivan?
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  33. They have been, as have many other nations
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  34. How so?
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  35. Yes, but every new bit of kit needs certifying. "This is how we've always done it previously" when applied to newer equipment hasn't always worked out very well
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  36. ​ @co8498 that's the same for UK forces. This is just a development to allow those with religious reasons not to need to.
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  37. ​ @Sjsuisbacsp because they're British citizens. To gain a UK passport you must be a citizen.
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  38. British citizens should be offered the chance to evacuate by the government. Many of the Brits living there are aid/charity workers, etc.
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  39. ​ @meme4one if those hospitals are also being used for other purposes (C2, military storage, etc) they're no longer protected buildings under the law of armed conflict
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  40.  @davidrobertsemail  correct, it has no aircraft on it in this clip, as is the case any time it enters port under normal circumstances.
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  41. They embarked when it got to the US, and disembarked before it returned home.
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  42. Sims greatly reduce the need for live hours, and have come a hell of a long way since the cold war. As for Leeming, the Hawks are jointly owned by Qatar and the UK, feeding pilots into the joint RAF-Qatari Typhoons of 12 Sqn. The money Qatar have paid for this to happen has paid for many of our own pilots training, as well as radar upgrades to Typhoon that we can now take full advantage of with much less development cost.
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  43. ​ @lachlanchester8142 when a joke is made, do let us know
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  44. No one said its going to entirely replace MERT, but kit like this could supplement the demand very nicely, especially if they allow a stabilised casualty to reach medical care within the golden hour.
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  45. Flying characteristics and ease to operate are different things to capability. Being an airbus aircraft with a lot of automation, the thing is pretty care-free to operate.
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  46. ​ @leeanderironside1898 haha awful take, Ivan
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  47. This isn't true, or they wouldn't bother aptitude testing RAF pilots before recruiting them.
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  48. It's not without F-35s, they're just embarked as required, which isn't the case here.
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  49. Why would it be? Russia has had ICBMs and other ballistic missile classes for decades, carried over from the Soviet days.
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  50. Pushing the obvious Kremlin propaganda line? Useful idiots are a gift to Russia.
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  51. Pretty weak credentials for such a key position
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  52. He has a doctorate in political science, and is the Director of the Centre on US Politics, so more than qualified to discuss matters of US politics. A basic google search is a wonderful thing.
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  53. Okay, can the UK have most of the rear fuselage and the entire LiftFan system of the F-35Bs back then, as a trade?
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  54. Because they fill a lot of the necessary admin roles that never deploy for a lower cost than a service person. They also don't count towards the total set military personnel count, which means the MOD can employ more personnel within the limits set for it.
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  55. Given the amount of stuff we all buy from China, anyone who says no isn't being completely honest
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  56. The male ego fragility in the comments? Agreed.
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  57. Only from the rear. At all other aspects it's considerably more stealthy than your average aircraft.
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  58. Yep, standard job in phase 1 training, had to do the same as an officer cadet
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  59. The Spanish chassis works really well, the problem was the MOD adding way more weight to that chassis than it was ever designed for. Complaining that the Spanish chassis is the problem is like fitting a Challenger II turret to a Mini Cooper and complaining that the mini isn't performing very well... it was never designed for what we're asking of it
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  60. Due to poor mine protection from beneath, not the open sides
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  61. ​ @bvrsqzr3569 there has never been any agreement or treaty regarding NATO expansion, made with either the USSR or Russia. Gorbachev himself said so, and I bet you can't find a single treaty to support the false claim. Stop mindlessly peddling Russian propaganda.
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  62. ​ @tiitustepponen9849 really? Russia can't even take on a massively inferior military across flat terrain convincingly. How are they meant to deliver deep strike and strategic depth across Europe?
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  63. ​ @MultiNike79 no, but thanks for the assessment, Ivan.
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  64. You don't have to watch it, genius. Just keep scrolling if it doesn't interest you.
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  65. They didn't launch a nuke
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  66. Ukraine wants to negotiate, but what defending nation would ever want to accept the demands of the invaders? Russia don't seem willing to compromise on any of the land they've stolen.
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  67. ​ @3limabean want to try that sentence again?
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  68. Not really, there are plenty of other nations, including many across Europe, who show the same adherence we do. We also bend the rules when it suits, so let's not act like we're always on the right side of the line, with British exceptionalism.
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  69. Did you live under a rock since the Crimean invasion of 2014? How did you miss the constant coverage of that significant event?
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  70. It works both ways, both are dependent on each other
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  71. What's so-called about it? It exists.
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  72. Military vs civilian functions. Civ police are there to conduct arrests, mil forces are there for punchier ops if the need arises.
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  73. Found the Serb 😂
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  74. Our old inventory was sent for free, with most of it reaching the end of its shelf life and therefore in need of disposal anyway. We've also provided loans and sold plenty of kit to Ukraine, which will be paid back over the coming years. We've sent nowhere near the value of kit to bring us anywhere close to bankruptcy anyway.
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  75. Oh I'm sure this won't be needlessly misogynistic at all...
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  76. ​ @danielkrcmar5395 From wiki: "Reuters reported that governments documents showed military spending would exceed $100bn in 2023. SIPRI estimated that it would reach $140bn in 2024, making 35% of all government spending." Don't confuse % of govt spending with % of GDP.
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  77.  @Sjsuisbacsp  irrelevant, these are still British citizens. No need to get weirdly xenophobic over a government offering protection to its citizens in Lebanon.
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  78. So you're saying there have been no river crossings in this conflict? And no, amphibious vehicles don't need to trade armour or weight, they just need buoyancy which is a result of displaced volume.
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  79. They're free to side with Ukraine if they wish, as they fall under the editorial control of the MOD, so already have political approval. Not that they need approval, given the UKs high press freedom index score.
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  80. This is incoherent
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  81. Mechanical complexity
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  82. No thanks, bot.
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  83. Cheers dits. Any woman who applies for specialist roles like SF needs to prove they can meet the rigours of the job, just as any male applicant does. Plenty of male or female service personnel wouldn't make the grade, but we let that get decided during selection, not by sexist morons on YouTube comments sections.
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  84. Nothing stopping one being formed, other than a complete lack of need for one.
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  85. Any ship is a target. This one would be far better protected than most.
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  86. The last CAS had plenty of medals and was useless. Not really any correlation between medals you get for turning up on deployment and ability. Plenty of average or sub-par people go on medal-attracting ops, and plenty of gifted individuals never do.
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  87. No, it does not make the UK or US valid targets, in the same way that Iran supplying Russia also doesn't drag them into being an active part of the conflict.
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  88. ​ @NewMinority there is a difference between masculinity and toxic masculinity. The toxic variety has no place in society, and people being called out for it is a good thing.
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  89. You clearly don't understand electric vehicles very well
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  90.  @Aryanchadrick  no, only 6.5% of the UK population identify as Muslim. That hardly sounds like an Islamic state to me. 9.5% of Russians identify as Muslim. Are we saying they're an Islamic State too? The stats don't lie, and undermine your xenophobic prejudice.
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  91. ​ @MultiNike79 they haven't erased Ukraine, their apparently vastly superior forces have failed to carry out the invasion as quickly as planned and 70,000+ Russian soldiers have died for no reason.
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  92. ​​ @leeanderironside1898 Russia literally invaded Ukraine, and Georgia. How is that 'not threatening any country'? Russia rolled tanks over the border. No one made them do it, there was no threat to Russia.
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  93. That tends to happen in a war
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  94. Literally not an issue at all. Certainly no worse than 15 years of tory cuts. We sign up to do the job no matter who sits in Number 10. Also has nothing to do with remembrance, so let's keep the politics out of it.
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  95. EMALS doesn't work for the F-35B, and is far less reliable than a ramp.
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  96. ​ @Graeme726 Not after visiting Liverpool
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  97. ​ @antique-bs8bb if it has no air defence, why has Russia been unable to gain control of the air?
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  98. ​ @saifskyline NATO hasn't been fighting Russia in direct confrontation, merely supplying equipment. That's nowhere close to the same thing as Russia going up against the combined NATO forces.
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  99. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 unless you have access to classified information, you have no way of actually knowing that. 'Stealth' isn't a quantifiable thing, it just means the airframe has a low observable design that gives it a lower RCS than a similarly sized airframe without LO design. Both the J-20 and F-22 have airframe design features which are intended to reduce RCS.
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  100. How, exactly? He has no political experience, or military experience at the relevant strategic level.
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  101. No reason people should have to go against one of the core practices of their religion, that realistically doesn't affect anyone else at all, in order to serve their country.
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  102. Given the previous genocide and current tensions, not really
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  103. Human beings, being human beings... shock! How dare anyone have a personality!
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  104. K/D? Are you a child?
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  105. ​ @mikewinston8709 are you saying all Muslims are terrorists? Should we not allow any Christians into the UK by the same logic, because they might be terrorists? Honestly, the xenophobic bigotry is amazing sometimes.
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  106. Any actual evidence to back up that ridiculous claim?
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  107. It would to some extent, because traditional flak jackets radiate out perpendicular to the weapon when it detonates. The actual HE shockwave damage dissipates pretty quickly with any kind of distance, such as is created by a cage.
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  108.  @davidrobertsemail  if we went to war, we could indeed embark our F-35s on them. We could also employ long range air power with our Typhoon force, supported by our Voyager fleet to provide them with massive range. Our carrier aircraft numbers could be bolstered by the USMC too, until such a time as the F-35B production line has delivered enough UK aircraft to meet surge capacity. We are in the production queue alongside every other F-35 customer though, so that's not something we have any control over.
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  109. ​ @catalanmart1612 because the Nobel prize is traditionally fairly Western-centric. Non-english language academic papers often get overlooked as it is, let alone in a different alphabet. Also, access to education, poverty rates, development, stability, etc all influence a societies ability to focus on academic pursuits.
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  110. Our air defence doctrine is centred around Typhoon QRA, not ground based SAMs
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  111. ​ @Вивсівідстій no, it doesn't. That's weak trolling at best. RAF QRA operates 365 days a year without any US assistance.
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  112. We can if we don't want other things like an NHS
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  113. Neither are ignorant dinosaurs
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  114. Why would the UK weaken itself by losing the mutual defence of NATO?
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  115. So it's okay for experienced marines to ignore an officer, regardless of gender? Those marines should have known better than to violate Queen's Regs and the Armed Forces Act by ignoring the orders of an officer, regardless of their experience.
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  116. They earned the right to be there like any other recruit. You didn't earn the right to decide who is worthy or not.
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  117.  @Lindamarr1954  they get to choose whether to wear traditional female uniform or trousers
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  118. Why does this read exactly like a RT news report?
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  119.  @NewMinority  no, not just them, a broad spectrum of backgrounds, education standards, physical ability, etc depending on the role and skill sets required.
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  120.  @NewMinority  no, it is also not acceptable. Ideally, the right people, regardless of gender, race, etc, will be called up together. Equality is the best way of ensuring the best people are available when we need them.
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  121.  @admiralmallard7500  it's amazing how many people don't understand this fact, and assume we intend to run both carriers at the same time 24/7
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  122. ​ @TJ-wo1xt and? The addition of a crew makes no difference if it gets shot down, just more casualties to evac. As for this vehicle's use cases, it could easily be outfitted with a defensive aid suite, or provided with Apache escort in the same way MERT helicopters are. Besides that, it has a lot of potential for uncontested airspace, as you pointed out.
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  123. ​ @properjob2311 from what I've seen, most of the comments that disappear are abusive or trolling in nature, so as long as you're not being a tool, you should be fine.
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  124. Good thing no such place exists, then
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  125. There are, which is why they don't side with Russia and choose democracy over Putin.
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  126. A recruitment and public/international engagement tool, that's almost entirely funded by corporate sponsorship? A good use of money.
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  127. Not really, that's why formations disperse and don't just stand around in predictable clusters
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  128. Ah yes, a V-shaped hull for civil unrest... I don't want to live where you live, if your riots involve landmines
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  129. Not on an airfield, no. It's a FOD risk.
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  130. Toxic masculinity exists (not to be confused with masculinity, which is acceptable), as is clearly obvious by the awful misogyny on display on any BFBS clip featuring women.
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  131. Never, there's no race element to it
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  132. Yes, the RN advertised public tours whilst it is in port. You can probably still find tickets online.
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  133. Dollars? The UK doesn't spend dollars
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  134. Most ballistic missiles are hypersonic. Not the same thing as what is usually meant by 'hypersonic', which refers to recent hypersonic cruise missiles. These ballistic missiles don't have the same short kill window advantage of their cruise missile counterparts
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  135. The US would have known almost instantly what kind of missile was launched, thanks to their BMEWS system and space-based IR capability, so it will be interesting to see if they release any info.
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  136. ​ @just-incase3483 the US acts as the world police force, and enjoys great global freedom of manoeuvre as a result. If it wants to give up that role, fine, just don't come crying to us when it finds maintaining its global influence more difficult and loses out on trade and resources as a result.
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  137. If they can still perform their required task and pass a fitness test to remain deployable, which they clearly can, there's no issue
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  138. We're not in the EU, but very much still in Europe 😂
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  139. ​ @jessicayoung1190 a 15% drop in exports would be awful
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  140. ​ @tonmoyhasankakon201 pretty irrelevant when the UK is part of NATO. Now compare NATO with China.
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  141. He has no strategic experience of a senior officer, and no political experience besides appearing on TV next to some of them.
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  142. In your opinion. In any case, it makes zero difference to a person's operational effectiveness nowadays, except in a few limited cases where being clean shaven is still mandated, such as when wearing an aircrew oxygen mask. As for being unprofessional, nothing about maintaining a neat beard according to regs is unprofessional.
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  143. ​ @astebbin it isn't, and that has nothing to do with the fact the RN vessels steps in to save lives, as any other maritime vessel would and should.
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  144. ​ @patriotikekenge3593 Kosovo is a recognised state by the majority of the UN security council, whether it suits your political agenda or not. Serbia even asked the UN to rule on Kosovo's independence declaration in 2010, to which the UN declared it was legal.
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  145. It's Kosovo in English
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  146. They'd just become exposed targets. The benefit of ground based AA is it can hide
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  147. Not ideal, but still capable. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good, especially as there's no perfect system out there
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  148. Rent free...
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  149. The good thing about an audio-only podcast is that you don't have to keep watching the screen
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  150. Not particularly surprising given the educational advantage correlation that comes with household income. Accents are hardly a good indicator of socio-economic background though.
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  151.  @AverageWagie2024  what's the relevance of that stat?
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  152.  @dulls8475  There are many British citizens all around the world, not just in the UK. You need to learn how citizenship works. Anyone who holds a UK passport is a British citizen.
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  153. In this case, they're on standby to protect British citizens, not defend part of the UK
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  154.  @marknorville4192  you need to learn the difference between illegal immigration and asylum. They are not the same thing. In any case, your blatant xenophobia is a tragic personal failing.
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  155. People travel for work, or have dual citizenship, or have family overseas that they visit, and many other reasons.
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  156. Unless they're using relays, or masking the frequency within other noise
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  157. ​ @sonsofthesilentage994 so much wrong with that. Firstly, Hamas is not the same as Palestine - learn the difference. Secondly, those 'concerned citizens' were convicted of public order offences for violence, hate speech, etc. The military base on the Diego Garcia, the only bit of the entire island chain we care about in reality, is being retained by the UK/US. The current government have not decreased the budget of the armed forces at all, so any moaning there is purely speculation.
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  158.  @Iain1962  it has a hybrid-electric system. The 'hybrid' bit of that would indicate it does indeed have on board generation capacity, and there's nothing to say this couldn't be used on the ground
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  159. Why? Civil agencies have their own drones and other surveillance equipment
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  160. Nothing in this clip is classified. Any enemy will already know we operate this stuff without finding out via YouTube
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  161.  @Вивсівідстій  no idea why all the bots have decided that this defence review will be awful, when we have reviews as standard every time there's a change of government, and every 4-5 years normally. Is this just this weeks Kremlin PR line?
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  162. Speed is broadly irrelevant, as THAAD isn't chasing any missile from behind
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  163. They're expensive because hitting a ballistic missile isn't easy. Hitting a stationary ground target is basic ballistics, with a bit of GPS/INS thrown in
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  164. Out of a sad necessity, because a world where the overwhelming military might of the US cannot be relied on is a far more dangerous world.
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  165. The Tories didn't exactly do a lot for the armed forces, so blaming Labour seems a bit rich
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  166. It can't even recruit to fill the existing gaps, let alone increase personnel
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  167. ​ @s.wvazim6517 hardly. Throwing out sexist tropes isn't realism, it's just a personal failing.
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  168. ​ @bestgamescore4953 leading troops doesn't literally mean being at the front of a charge. Officers are there to make fast, effective tactical decisions and direct their troops.
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  169. That's fairly common in the military. Officers are generalists, NCOs are specialists. Your average officer would not be able to do many of the tasks their personnel could do, because they are not required to.
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  170. ​ @JaneGalvin you realise Vietnam was a while ago, right? Missile tech, sensors etc have all moved on a lot since then. You might as well be saying the longbow is the way to go, because just look how it performed at Agincourt. Tech moves on.
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  171.  @NewMinority  so will the middle class, as its usually done by age not bank balance or educational certificates
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  172. ​ @oceanic8424 last time I checked, beret style made no difference to someone's abilities as a soldier. Standards matter if they're relevant.
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  173. ​​ @TheLastCrumb.  A lot of the stuff we've sent was in storage or due for decommissioning/scrapping soon, so sending it to Ukraine is saving us money anyway. Scrapping military kit is more expensive than people realise
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  174. The RAF and FAA have shared pilots since at least the days of Joint Force Harrier. Why would they keep them separated when they do the same job in the same aircraft?
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  175. Why? The entire UK F-35 force is under 1 Group RAF anyway, regardless of the Sqn. They all have a mix of RAF and FAA personnel.
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  176. ​ @mememachine5244 shall I put it into easy words for you? A normal helicopter has one or two main rotors. If one fails, it falls out of the sky. This has multiples, and is designed to still operate with a loss or two, providing greater survivability.
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  177. The ill-informed xenophobia is tragic, but predictable. Looks like the bot farms have their standard phrases to include at the moment. Words like 'invasion' are a dead giveaway
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  178. Nothing secret was shown in this clip
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  179. The B-17 didn't arrive in Europe until years after the start of WWII, were they not paying attention?
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  180. Training
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  181. Nothing in this clip is secret
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  182. No, because the mk.1 eyeball is still the most widely used sensor in warfare.
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  183. It is, we don't use chemical weapons
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  184. ​ @thewomble1509 there's literally an entire report, the Wigston Report, that highlights the extent of the issue. Searching 'MOD sexual harassment' also provides plenty of stats on the topic from a variety of sources, including the MOD itself.
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  185. Does the phrase upset you? Given the awful rates of abuse and harassment against women in the armed forces, perhaps a few safe spaces are exactly what are required.
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  186. Constant state of war? Which war is that?
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  187. ​ @MultiNike79 the difference here is that no-one invaded Russia. They invaded Ukraine.
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  188. ​ @leeanderironside1898 none of what you've said is true. Ukraine was engaged in a conflict with Russian-backed separatists, legitimate enemy combatants. As for the 'peace deal' offered, it was an unrealistic farce. No one in their right mind would have signed it, handing Russia exactly what they wanted, rather than standing and fighting. Appeasement didn't work on Hitler, and won't work in the case of Putin either.
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  189. Numbers of nukes is irrelevant. Both sides have enough nukes to turn the northern hemisphere to glass, so who has the most is a pointless arguement.
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  190. The main gun isn't designed for anti-air fire at that range, and it wasn't in range of CIWS either
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  191. The days of us being the best are long gone, but we still manage well at times
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  192. ​@BaronFlyingClub have you seen the Royal Jordanian Falcons? Hardly a spectacle on par with a jet display team.
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  193. ​ @BaronFlyingClub again, poor form to speculate.
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  194. ​ @BaronFlyingClub the Reds cost next to nothing in the grand scheme, and most of that is funded via corporate sponsorship anyway. As a recruitment/PR tool, it's well worth it. I've seen the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, and whilst they're louder than the Reds, and other European teams, I wouldn't say they're any more impressive. Each team has their own strengths, and the Reds manage far more complex formation changes with 9 jets in front of the crowd than the Blue Angels, for example.
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  195. ​​ @BaronFlyingClub having met and worked with Schlongy, I can tell you he was an extremely experienced and capable individual. Turnbacks are a part of the training and perfectly safe if conducted correctly, but out of respect to him let's actually wait until the accident report is released. It's pretty poor taste to speculate about the event before that point.
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  196. ​Really? The Reds have been entertaining crowds with the Hawk for decades. The difference between the Gnat days and today is display regulation, designed to keep the public safe.
    3
  197. There's nothing suitable to replace them with, due to the reality of change in the training system that means we don't have plenty of spare Hawks just laying around. We could buy from overseas, but it seems like frivolous expense given we have no broader need for those airframes.
    3
  198. Never
    3
  199. ​ @Celtictribes it's not an insult to point out your arguement is narrow-minded, and relying on baseless stereotypes isn't helping your case.
    3
  200. ​no, we didn't. Northern Ireland was created by UK law in 1921, during the partition of Ireland, at which point the Southern part became an independent state.
    3
  201. There's air to air refueling, but aviation fuel is the best option for fighters
    3
  202. Leave the MAGA stuff out of anything UK related
    3
  203. They can't take off vertically with any decent payload or fuel
    3
  204. F-35s never take off vertically (outside of testing) due to the payload and fuel limit implications. They're STOVL jets.
    3
  205. Get a grip, man. Women being allowed to serve isn’t some form of failure. I'd recommend seeking some professional help for that misogyny, but I'm not sure people like you are worth the effort.
    3
  206. ​ @alanmcmillan6969 stand by for them to compare us to the US, failing to appreciate the difference in budgets and the obvious capability differences that brings.
    3
  207. ​ @dan79600 or it can use all the friendly ports along the way for replenishment. It's not like there won't be plenty of diplomatic port visits along the way, just like the other CSG deployments.
    3
  208. In the RN, it usually refers to the most prestigious ship in the fleet, usually a carrier
    3
  209. It switches between the two carriers
    3
  210. ​ @frankrenda2519 how's the weather in Moscow, Ivan?
    3
  211. They're not learning to fly F-16s in the UK, they're learning how to fly any aircraft designed for a NATO doctrine. The UK can teach them those skills, before they progress to their next stage of training.
    3
  212. It takes ages to fix stupidity, and there's a lot of that going around as your comment demonstrates
    3
  213. It didn't fail, it's just not the magical super weapon you seem to be implying.
    3
  214. ​ @jasfdbgbksd Russia also has nazi units, or have you forgotten Wagner?
    3
  215. Shave it if required, simple. Otherwise, for the rest of the year when they're not doing CS drills, crack on.
    3
  216. Far less than the cost of a sunken fuel tanker or cargo ship, and the effects that would have on global shipping in the aftermath
    3
  217. ​ @nameisbad why would India come to our aid? They enjoy sitting at the diplomatic cross roads of the west and Russia, hence their jumble of military kit from both sides
    3
  218. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 so you're basing your opinion on factually unsupported gut feeling? Cool.
    3
  219. ​​​ @ricardosmythe2548 your claim that it does not allow for the same level of stealth is completely unfounded, with no actual data to support your assertion. As for relevant expertise, does being a qualified electronic warfare officer count? The whole point of the J-20 is to go after AWACS/tankers, outranging their fighter escort/CAP before turning and heading home. They're literally there to keep US tankers and AWACS at greater range from China to severely limit the US' ability to operate in that part of the world.
    3
  220. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 again, without access to data I'm certain you don't possess, there is no way of knowing the RCS of an aircraft. I'm not sure what aircraft you've been looking at, but the J-20 is no more of a flying brick than the F-22. It has the same flat surfaces, same angled panel lines, same chined nose, its just larger because it needs to carry more fuel and long range missiles, but that doesn't mean its RCS scales accordingly.
    3
  221. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 you clearly don't understand the basics. The 'brick' appearance is exactly what many stealth aircraft favour because it reduces the number of angles that give a large radar return. The belly of the F-22 is a large flat surface for that exact reason. The important aspect is frontal RCS for an initial engagement, which the J-20 minimises fairly effectively with many of the same features as the F-22 and F-35
    3
  222. You realise that, like F-35s, Chinese 5th gen jets fly around with radar reflectors fitted?
    3
  223. ​ @jayjohnston3080 storm shadows serve a different purpose. Both subsonic cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles have a place, and valid use cases
    3
  224. ​ @landenjones9374 you've illustrated my point. He's had no strategic military or political experience. He's as qualified as anyone else with a degree and military service, which is a pretty broad pool, but not who you'd expect to lead at a senior level.
    3
  225. ​ @vinezero no strategic command experience or senior political experience for such a key role. Not having one or the other would be okay, but neither is a poor show.
    3
  226. Because what happens in US politics affects the rest of the world, including in a military sense, so who they put in positions of power has implications for us too.
    3
  227. Because his academic background, including a relevant doctorate, give him far more authority to speak on the subject than most.
    3
  228. ​ @8731GC but is to do with politics, and political appointments. The role of Sec Def isn’t one of actual military command, thats for the various chiefs of the services, but of political instruction. He provides the government's intent, and the generals decide how best to meet that directive. Someone with no strategic command experience, having only been an operational/tactical level infantry officer, or with any political leadership experience, seems like a weak choice for such a role.
    3
  229. ​ @ivancho5854 because the technology of the time necessitated that. It no longer does, so I don't know what point you're trying to make.
    3
  230. Easy if it isn't an integral part of your religion
    3
  231. How do you feel about catholics in our armed forces, given the UK is a CofE (protestant) nation? I'm guessing your problem isn't with all religions, just those primarily practiced by people who look different to you. What exactly does 'western life' look like to you?
    3
  232. Because there's no valid reason to ban them 99.9% of the time, that's why. If your role or the situation demands you be clean shaven, you still have to do it.
    3
  233.  @williamlocklear1283  it's cute you believe that. There is a whole lot of "we've always done it like that" with no decent justification, in the military. Luckily a lot of that is being re-examined, and a lot of the dinosaurs have retired. The armed forces is already struggling for numbers, so why would it not try and make its kit more accommodating to a broader demographic? Also, just because we already have kit that does the bare minimum doesn't mean we shouldn't keep on improving its utility.
    3
  234. Get a grip, not all Muslims are part of some fictional 'jihad army'
    3
  235. ​ @patriotikekenge3593 either are fine, like Germany/Deutschland, Turkey/Türkiye depending on what language you choose to use
    3
  236. ​@patriotikekenge3593 confidently incorrect 😂 literally google Kosovo
    3
  237. We have civil agencies for that
    3
  238. ​ @EvoraGT430 tbf missiles have come a long way since Vietnam, so it's not really a valid arguement anymore and was referring to aircraft anyway, which is a different situation entirely
    3
  239. ​ @scroggins100 can you make that first part more coherent?
    3
  240. The EU have no control of our armed forces. We're not even a member of it 😂
    3
  241. The point of 'no vote, no say' is that you have no right to complain about the the state of your government if you didn't even bother to engage in democracy by voting
    3
  242.  @AverageWagie2024  it's a genuine question. Gender casualty ratios have no relevance here, especially as women were not allowed in front line combat roles for most of the Afghan conflict.
    3
  243.  @nickybluechips7567  that's probably not the case for the vast majority of evacuees, but makes a nice right wing dog whistle I suppose.
    3
  244. ​ @madqueefbeef5137 A British citizen is anyone eligible for a British passport
    3
  245. Why would they have? Internal public safety matters are dealt with by police
    3
  246. Very few, if any at all
    3
  247. So has the Duchess of Cambridge, but no one moans about the military roles she holds
    3
  248.  @whya2ndaccount  like the Princess of Wales (former Duchess of Cambridge), you mean? She's also never served.
    3
  249. Should we ask the same of the Duchess of Cambridge?
    3
  250. Most modern aircraft are heavily reliant on electrical systems
    3
  251. The booms on these can be moved in 3 axes, unlike drogues which can only be moved in and out
    3
  252.  @raywhitehead730  aircraft are only embarked on carriers when required to meet operational or training need. The rest remain at Marham for routine training/operational duties. On this particular trial, the jets used were test jets from the joint UK/US Integrated Test Force, which embarked when the carrier reached the US coast. We have around 40 F-35Bs that can embark when needed, with more awaiting assembly in the US.
    3
  253.  @davidrobertsemail  the Harrier is no longer relevant, and far worse than the F-35B in basically every measurable way. Our carrier fleet is designed to have one at sea and another in refit/maintenance at any one time, so your constant talk about two full carriers is irrelevant anyway. Just accept that things have moved on since the days of the Harrier. Dinosaurs longing for the past does nothing to alter the reality of the present. We retired our carriers because we needed the budget for the new ones. That's the reality of balancing a defence budget, compromises get made. Going forward, our two carriers will ensure we always have one available should any situation requiring one arises.
    3
  254.  @raywhitehead730  No UK jets were required to meet the aims of the trials, and aircraft disembark before returning to port anyway.
    3
  255. ​ @nothingToReadHere1  sure 😂 your assessment of global naval operations is laughably lacking in any understanding of the intent behind them.
    3
  256. ​ @typhoon2827 not really, you didn't specify what you meant by equivalent in your first comment. I replied with an equally correct comment depending on context, which you then clarified, and then I provided an oversight of how the past and current flying training systems don't really align anymore.
    3
  257. Stuff gets destroyed in war, that's not really a shock to most people. Doesn't mean it isn't worth having.
    3
  258. Fatah-1 is ballistic, which means it can be intercepted if detected early enough
    3
  259. Yes, it can be used against hypersonic ballistic missiles
    3
  260. CAS in WW2 was an engineer. Until 1950, the CAS role was not limited to aircrew. Pilots see one small part of the big picture, the same as any other branch. They actually get far less experience in management, command, etc until far later in their career than any other officer branch. AOCs need to be operators, as do Commander Air Wings, but CAS does not due to the nature of the role. CAS has operator input from Air & Space Commander, for all operational decisions.
    3
  261. Plenty of deployments also don't attract medals. In any case, he's an engineer, and it's fairly common for that branch not to deploy on ops regularly. Why would someone working in a CAMO, DT, Depth maint, etc environment need to deploy?
    3
  262. ​ @pplesandoranges the US dominated militarily in Afghanistan. The issue there was political, not military.
    3
  263. ​ @xsqweasd there are noticeable visual differences between the F-22, F-35, J-20, KAAN, Boromae, Su-57 etc, despite all being optimised in the same way. The forward fuselage sections of the F-35 and J-35 are virtually identical.
    3
  264. Really? There's plenty of info out there
    3
  265. We do invest. We have one of the largest defence budgets in the world.
    3
  266.  @AverageWagie2024  don't serve then, if you're not happy to fight for the people of your country over some pathetic prejudices Sorry that someone using different pronouns to you upsets you that much, you delicate thing
    3
  267.  @giorgipiorgi  wow, that's added a lot to the discussion, thanks for that 👍
    3
  268. No, 9-inch heels would not be suitable in that situation
    3
  269. ​ @bestgamescore4953 they will be at the front, as captains, but not the people doing the majority of the fighting. They'll be directing their sections in a firefight by delivering orders and making constant assessments.
    3
  270.  @redman6709  the men moaning in YouTube comments won't be the ones going to the front line, they're too mentally fragile for that
    3
  271. Civilian shipping completely unrelated to the Israel conflict has been hit by Houthi missiles and drones
    3
  272. How is it defenceless with escorts, F-35B, crowsnest/pinger Merlins?
    3
  273. What exactly would a carrier do in the channel? It's not an invasion, get a grip, switch off GB News and go for a walk 😂
    3
  274. Any kit that gets fitted to an RAF aircraft goes through extensive testing, both computer simulation and real world. This is a cost-effective way of achieving the latter before type-specific flight trials
    3
  275. We still have 41 Sqn for exactly that purpose, but this is a far more economical test bed for the vast majority of systems, before they need their shake-down on their intended airframe
    3
  276. The point about everyone knowing where you are when you transmit isn't always true. Low observable data links used by aircraft such as F-22 and F-35 (eg MADL) for short range communication within a formation have high atmospheric attenuation, so they only travel relatively short distances and are very hard to detect by an enemy. No idea if Russia has anything similar, but they may well do.
    3
  277. What problem?
    3
  278. ​ @landieman6044 storm shadows are launched from within Ukraine, either by air or modified land vehicles. They are not guided by an operator during flight, but pre-programmed. As for satellite data, there's nothing about sharing intelligence that makes a nation an active participant in a conflict, and tbf there are plenty of civilian satellite companies that Ukraine can use for that purpose. Does Iran supplying kamikaze drones also make them an active participant, or do you only apply that logic to Western nations?
    3
  279. What exactly is that? Fire a few nukes in a pathetic tantrum and get turned to glass in retaliation?
    3
  280. ​ @jeromedamian5740 essentially no different to triangulation by ground-based sensors, and relies on the aircraft transmitting, which they don't do much of unless really required to, when under strict EMCON.
    3
  281. No, you cannot target aircraft using satellites. You might be able to locate them slightly easier, but only slightly, and even then you can't target them.
    3
  282. The F-23 doesn't exist
    3
  283.  @col.waltervonschonkopf69  yes. Look at how much of the national budget goes on health and social care, how extensive the benefit/welfare system is (even after over a decade of cuts by the Tories, it's still strong), how much greenhouse emissions have dropped in the last 30 years (52% since 1992)
    3
  284. They do, a basic look at the spending and efforts in those areas shows that.
    3
  285. ​ @johnpapa1916 the F-4 also didn't have all-aspect missiles, and Vietnam was a long time ago, time to move on
    3
  286. The in-service target is 2035, and it is on schedule currently with a demonstrator due in the next 2 years
    3
  287. Why first? Equality is the goal, so both called up as equals would be the way to go.
    3
  288. We can't recruit enough people in as it stands, regardless of their quality. The armed forces literally need to take anyone who passes the standard because there are so many gaps. The wider a pool we recruit from, the better candidates we attract. That's not the fault of any one individual signing up, regardless of gender, and fair play to them for volunteering instead of moaning on YouTube.
    3
  289. Setting and assessing attitude and standards through things like room inspections, etc, is an important part of military training
    3
  290. That alcohol culture is becoming a thing of the past. The younger generation of soldiers spend less time in the bar and more time in the gym than previous generations, on average.
    3
  291.  @johnallen7807  Every generation of jets gets more expensive to buy and maintain, so that means we get less airframes for the same funding.
    3
  292. The UK is getting 72 in total. This is alongside 100 or so Typhoons
    3
  293.  @georgemorley1029  at the time, cuts needed to be made due to shrinking budget and a need for funding of replacement aircraft, and the Tornado was far more useful in the current conflict in Afghanistan.
    3
  294.  @dallasyap3064  there is a strong arguement for the RN retaining its own air arm, as it does, due to a better understanding of the maritime environment. This is the same reason attack helicopters working closely with ground forces are controlled by the Army Air Corps. Also, from a budgetary point of view, handing off aircraft to the RN frees up RAF money to spend on other things. That being said, for a force as small as the F-35 force, pooling resources between the RN and RAF allows for far greater flexibility. Coming under a single command (1 Group, RAF) allows for more efficient organisation too.
    3
  295. Not really that mysterious, unless you're a Russian troll pushing a pointless and insensitive narrative
    3
  296. What? Are bots just coded poorly, or do you just not understand what this clip is about?
    3
  297. ​​how exactly is it underpowered? What data do you have to hand? To gain EASA approval it will need to demonstrate acceptable flight conditions in a broad variety of failure modes, just like any helicopter. It's literally no slower than any medical helicopter when in the most vulnerable phases of flight, and lightweight by design due to lack of a crew and associated systems. Again, no one is saying it will entirely replace MERT, but it is a great addition for getting personnel back to a trauma centre within the golden hour. As for the 7.62 comment, that's a moot point as there are plenty of examples of actual helicopters being taken down by that kind of fire too, so this isn't a unique vulnerability to a drone.
    3
  298. Same as what happens if a MERT helicopter is shot down, or your ambulance hits a landmine. The idea is to put effort into the planning and protection so that doesn't happen very often.
    3
  299. ​ @SWGOHWARS-66 not on this demonstrator, but that doesn't mean the final in-service product won't. This is just an evaluation trial, not a final acceptance test.
    3
  300.  @simosoritis6019  was that still a valid guarantee after the Greek Cypriot coup and attempted unification with Greece?
    3
  301. Captain and co-pilot sit on the left and right respectively, but share the flying between them as Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring, so the stick location is just something they have to learn to deal with.
    3
  302. There's nothing in this clip they don't already know, or couldn't get from a basic Google search
    3
  303. ​ @mowgli2071 I agree, but slang will always be a thing too
    3
  304. ​ @petrolhead1960 In times of war it would still be completely unacceptable to sexually harass female colleagues, so not sure what you're trying to say here? Are you saying we should treat people unacceptably all the time because one day they might see conflict? Ridiculous arguement.
    3
  305. ​​ @petrolhead1960  irrelevant, as the report was commissioned and the findings accepted in full by the MOD before his stint as CAS, and covers a completely separate issue.
    3
  306. It has, no steroids here, just hard work and good nutrition
    3
  307.  @leeanderironside1898  it really shouldn't, it's just towing the usual Kremlin lines
    3
  308. Another 'citizen' spewing the same old lines. Gets easier to spot the Russian bots every day.
    3
  309.  @Aryanchadrick  you do realise that not all foreigners are Muslim, don't you? Or are you such a xenophobic bigot that you don't care? Honestly, every single person in the UK has foreign ancestry, but for some reason, only the ones that have arrived in the last 50 or so years are bad? Get a grip, this country was built on the exploits of immigrants. It's a part of our history, and always has been.
    3
  310. ​ @MultiNike79 awful take, Ivan.
    3
  311.  @basedglennuk  the only joke here is you
    3
  312. ​ @leeanderironside1898 move on Ivan, you're not needed or wanted here
    3
  313. ​ @derf9465 you joined up yet? Or just trolling others for sport?
    3
  314. Nothing like a good cathartic moan, is there? The 'anti-woke' crowd sure do love one.
    3
  315. The sorts of weapons they're looking for can't be defeated with a missile shield, and would most likely incur a retaliation from a Vanguard submarine
    2
  316. And yet the actual cost of a drone strike would be far worse, both for the ship it hits and the wider economy as a whole.
    2
  317.  @jayspik6498  Diamond is still awaiting her PIP fix for the propulsion system, but a workaround has been in place for years anyway. Type 45s have been fully capable for years, since the propulsion system problem was identified and new procedures put in place. The PIP upgrade removes the need for those procedures, reducing burden on the crew.
    2
  318. That issue was solved years ago. Your information is a long time out of date.
    2
  319. ​ @BaronFlyingClub oh you're one of those... never mind.
    2
  320. Why? Our Hawk T2s are more than capable of training our pilots. Why would we buy an untested US option when there are plenty of other options, including a UK one, on the table? If not for Hawk, we'd probably be better off buying the M-346, given the international success the Italians are having with their flying training school. VR training has already been trialled, and simulators are in common usage in UK flying training, to supplement live hours.
    2
  321. ​ @muzammilahmad6768 no aircraft ever goes one-on-one in actual conflict
    2
  322. Because A2s are commonly used for training, whilst A3s are more heavily used on ops.
    2
  323. Yes. Every single society in history has had a military force of some kind. They don't actually deploy until they're adults, but there's no harm in training them before then. Saves those who drop out of or leave school early sitting around doing nothing till their 18th birthday.
    2
  324. Wow, you're so far off the deep end there. Get a grip.
    2
  325. No mention of the fact Ukraine was shelling Russian-backed separatist terrorists at the time?
    2
  326. RUSI did a comprehensive analysis of Russian tactics at the first anniversary of the invasion. It covers the meat grinder waves and how they were utilised. It'll be available on their website. Can't post links here sadly.
    2
  327. ​ @Celtictribes France is statistically the most successful military power in history. It participated in 50 of the 125 major European wars that have been fought since 1495, including the whole empire and Napoleon thing. Limiting it to 100 years is pretty narrow-minded, probably to support your feeble arguement.
    2
  328. He said a lot of things, very few of which turned out to be true
    2
  329. There are probably a lot of things you haven't personally seen
    2
  330. It's called mutual defence, under the NATO alliance. Oddly enough, defending our allies also benefits UK security by keeping the Russian border further from us that it might be.
    2
  331. Unrelated entirely to standards 😂
    2
  332. Mentioning socialists is highly telling. No other political ideologies try to dictate people's lives?
    2
  333. Are you trying to suggest that the military was cut on the lead up to 1939? The exact opposite is true.
    2
  334. ​ @discipleaj it's a 4 month old bot account
    2
  335. This provides an additional fuel source for times of war, so it's not exactly a bad thing
    2
  336. Who said anything about war? Having both fossil and sustainable fuels available for use is actually an advantage in conflict, when supply lines are disrupted
    2
  337. Less than using pure fossil fuels in the engines
    2
  338.  @death_parade  both Russia and China have large submarine fleets capable of inflicting significant damage in that regard
    2
  339. ​ @death_parade relying on US supplies of fuel just adds logistical burden, as we saw in WWII with the huge efforts taken to protect atlantic convoys. This won't ever entirely replace that, but if it reduces the number of tankers needed, that's a win
    2
  340.  @TheLastCrumb.  no, they're not. They do a couple of test flights a year, alongside hundreds of operational sorties and thousands of training sorties
    2
  341. Your comment is the joke. The military aren't concentrated on it, they just allowed some of their aircraft to be used as a proof of concept demonstration during sorties that would have happened anyway.
    2
  342. What nonsense?
    2
  343. Given the awful sexual assault and harassment rates in the armed forces inflicted overwhelmingly by men on women, she's not wrong for wanting some extra female company.
    2
  344. Ethos, heritage, etc are key parts of military power. That, combined with teamwork and discipline, is why parades are still conducted.
    2
  345. Get a grip, it's frankly embarrassing
    2
  346. And the worst part is, people would die to protect ignorant people like you. Can you at least volunteer to serve yourself, so that at least one casualty won't be a loss to society?
    2
  347. It doesn't say anything about leaf position in dress regs
    2
  348. They also fly CAS and rotary aircraft within Ukraine
    2
  349. The air wing is on the QE for a work-up. POW has no jets on board for this training/shake-down period
    2
  350. It's a RN ensign. The Union Flag forms part of it's design.
    2
  351. ​ @Peacewar2020 no, all pensioners get a state pension. We shouldn't be giving them free cash for heating that many don't even spend for that purpose. The cash should be spent on those that need it, which is now what happens.
    2
  352. They're getting far more than a couple of weeks. They do this course, then Alpha Jet, then F-16. Many have also had previous L-39 experience.
    2
  353. We don't use Tutors to train our current generation of fast jet pilots. They're now only used for cadet flying and UASs, as well as some instructor training. Our fast jet pilots fly Prefect, then Texan, then Hawk, so this training pipeline has no impact at all on that.
    2
  354. ​ @antique-bs8bb you just claimed there was no air defence, and now you're saying Russia don't want to test it? At least stick to one narrative. Russia sure have lost a lot of aircraft against an enemy with no air defence...
    2
  355. And? It's been within reach for decades. Russia wouldn't risk a hor war with the West because it is struggling on one front, let alone fighting across its entire western border.
    2
  356. ​ @globalpower6967 hang on, are you saying that Russia has chosen to put its nukes on the NATO border? That's the kind of behaviour that Russia would be moaning about and threatening WW3 over, if the US did it to them.
    2
  357. ​ @JamesBond-bj7wc now try that again, but coherent this time
    2
  358. Ballistic missiles are incredibly easy to detect due to their flight profile, and an interceptor doesn't need to chase the missile, it just needs to get in the way during descent.
    2
  359. ​ @assassin3003 what does lgbtq have to do with anything? Does that just live rent free in your head?
    2
  360. ​ @jasfdbgbksd my point is, the nazi argument is moot because both sides have utilised far right forces. The difference is that Russia chose to do so, whereas Ukraine was forced to do it as you can't afford to be picky when fighting a war of national survival.
    2
  361. It only needed that life support because Russia invaded. Let's not forget that.
    2
  362. The war never should have started. All the dead soldiers are on Russia. No one asked them to invade.
    2
  363. ​ @jasfdbgbksd to stop a repeat of the 'referendum' held in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory, so that Russian puppets can't sign any peace deals without government approval.
    2
  364. You realise we kept the strategically important part of the Chagos Islands, right? The bit we handed back was the bit you probably didn't even know existed until the news started talking about it.
    2
  365. In what world is this a 'lefty warmonger' issue? Both the main US political parties are further to the right than both main UK parties, and the Tories (right) were in power when the UK first started giving aid to Ukraine. Honestly, some people will do anything to make this a right vs left issue, it's tragic. NATO also have no interest in taking Russia.
    2
  366. The US has also provided loans, and the EU have provided direct aid alongside their loans.
    2
  367. We have been. European nations have paid a lot toward the joint effort.
    2
  368. And those people in Ukraine who would rather not be part of Russia.
    2
  369. It's more to do with the abysmal recruitment system, bad wages and a generally bad deal vs civilian jobs, rather than a lack of 'real men'.
    2
  370. Anti-air missiles tend to be far more expensive than similarly sized anti-surface ones, due to the much greater complexity involved in hitting a fast, maneuvring target rather than a car or a building
    2
  371. ​ @thegoat11111 cluster munitions are a problem because they prevent post-war recovery, as they create unmapped minefields which indiscriminately kill civilians.
    2
  372. How, exactly?
    2
  373. No, far right thugs are called far right thugs. Patriots who actually join up to defend their country aren't the same as the morons who go out rioting because they don't like brown people.
    2
  374. ​ @madkabal look at the history of women's rights, gay rights, black rights, etc if you want good examples of how campaigning pressure brings about societal change
    2
  375. Not really. A hell of a lot of positive social change has come about through public campaigning.
    2
  376. Or we just remember the last time he was president, empowering neo-nazis and sucking up to the dictators of the world.
    2
  377.  @johnnunn8688  standard bleep test, press-ups, sit-ups, just like everyone else in the UK armed forces
    2
  378. If a good seal is required, rules can be tightened. RAF pilots in aircraft with oxygen masks aren't allowed beards for that reason, but that's no justification for banning everyone else from having one. The same applies to a respirator. If the CBRN threat rises, get rid of the beard, otherwise it's fine.
    2
  379. Bit rich from the USAF, given the awful upper lip hair grown by many members of their fighter squadrons, to complain about beards looking bad.
    2
  380. I was not expecting this kind of balanced thought from a YouTube comment section, fair play!
    2
  381. Why?
    2
  382. ​ @yuyu-zr8dn the F-22 is not made in China
    2
  383. ​ @ellingwood1651 what exactly is wrong?
    2
  384. J-20 and F-22 aren't designed for the same role. The J-20 is a long range interceptor, while the F-22 is an air superiority fighter.
    2
  385. And yet they told you all about them? 😂
    2
  386. They do work, they're just not unstoppable super weapons like some people believe
    2
  387. ​ @SengpoSatbang the Chinese government literally released a statement confirming the event
    2
  388. ​​ @MAG1C-ez4de that sailor was found not guilty, so the fact he was charged is irrelevant. I didn't make anything up, I just didn't think that irrelevant, outdated info was relevant given he was cleared of the charge.
    2
  389. You realise Chinese citizens have been educated in many of the world's most prestigious educational establishments for years now? The copy-paste jokes do hold truth, of course, but there's also a hell of a lot of innovative capability being taught to the Chinese in Western universities.
    2
  390. ​ @landenjones9374 yes, I do as one myself. He never got past a junior officer rank, so his focus would have been tactical/operational at best. Strategic direction is the job of senior officers. A bronze star does not in any way indicate strategic command ability, it is an indicator of meritorious service or heroism.
    2
  391. ​ @tomhenry897 how, exactly?
    2
  392. ​ @8731GC how, exactly? Does it make you feel uncomfortable that someone has a different lifestyle to you? Are you worried you might catch trans from them?
    2
  393. ​ @8731GC so not running the military then?
    2
  394. ​​ @lukedelport8231 those pieces of paper take a lot of effort to get, especially PhDs, and do indeed make him more qualified than most to talk on the issue.
    2
  395. ​ @31terikennedy the moment they spoke out against him, they were replaced with someone else who Trump hoped would go along with him, and the pattern repeated. He only wants blind obedience, not competence in his government.
    2
  396. ​ @ivancho5854 luckily, respirator technology has now reached a sufficient standard that WWI grooming standards are no longer required
    2
  397. ​ @user-buck-b7j so are you saying that the military pre-WWI, when facial hair was commonplace and actively encouraged in many cases, had low standards? Do you have any metric for the measurement, or is it purely a "back in my day" assessment?
    2
  398. Why would we not design kit that better meets our troops needs? Should we also stop offering clothing in different sizes, and make larger or thinner troops wear kit that doesn't fit them very well?
    2
  399. That's what the current policy is
    2
  400. ​ @MrSatyre1 there's no reason beards are not okay anyway 99.9% of the time
    2
  401. The only reason people needed to be clean shaven previously was because the kit available was technically limited.
    2
  402. The NASA story is false. Graphite shavings from pencils cause signficiant damage to electronics in zero G. Both the US and Russians used pens designed for zero G conditions.
    2
  403. We can't address anything but the top issue at any given time?
    2
  404. Clearly a military invasion by the Nazis is the same as civilians crossing the Channel via illegal routes after the government dismantled the legal options 🙄 Switch off GB news and go for a walk.
    2
  405. ​ @aleksagvozdenovic4138 you've literally just disproved your own point. Nowhere does it state that Kosovo is sovereign Serb territory. In fact, in 2010 the UN confirmed that Kosovo's declaration of independence was legal.
    2
  406. Resolution 1244 is about Yugoslavia, a nation which no longer exists, and therefore no longer matters. It makes zero mention of Serbian sovereignty.
    2
  407. ​ @FueledNexus if the UK tried to commit a genocide against the Asian community, probably, yes.
    2
  408. ​ @ognjendjuric5726 that last part is a hell of a reach, and not grounded in any fact.
    2
  409. ​​ @tracyhall9560  the 'cash' you speak of is £50 a week to live on, whilst they are processed within the asylum system ( which itself is a legal right). This provides barely a basic quality of life whilst they are processed. The hotels are needed because the last government severely underfunded the asylum system to the point where the existing processing centres overflowed. As for other law breakers, they are provided with free accommodation, food, education, legal representation, clothing, etc etc through the prison system. In any case, the reason all current asylum seekers have to do so illegally is because the UK closed down all legal routes to do so. They have no choice but to break the law in order to claim asylum here.
    2
  410. ​ @andrewhartley3 It actually does. All people who cross illegally are met either in the channel or on the coast by authorities who detain them for processing through the correct legal channels. You don't need weapons or violence to defend a border most of the time.
    2
  411. ​ @MarkD-pl4fu shall we list all the UK tech the US has bought or adapted over the years next, for balance?
    2
  412. Economies of scale. It would be extremely expensive to set up an entire UK production line for a handful of guns
    2
  413. ​ @chieftandriver703 there's nothing 'woke' (the favourite word of the under educated) about understanding basic maths. The armed forces had £55bn spent on them last year, with a £3bn uplift in this budget. Migrant/refugee costs are around £4bn, but from an existing aid budget of £15bn, with no additional uplift. Even if the migrant crisis went away overnight, that £15bn aid budget wouldn't be spent on defence, as it's literally ringfenced for aid, so no idea what you're whinging about. The facts are that the MOD has way more money spent on it than migrants, is getting a way larger uplift than migrant spending (which is getting zero uplift) and that the money spent on migrants has no impact whatsoever on defence spending as it comes from an entirely separate existing budget.
    2
  414. ​ @chieftandriver703 so you're literally admitting you're incorrect, then? £4bn on migrant/refugee processing as part of a total £15bn budget is way lower than a >£55bn defence budget. No new money was allocated to migrants, it has come from the existing overseas aid budget, so you're claiming that £0 is somehow more than the defence uplift of £3bn.
    2
  415. This is blatantly false. The migrant/refugee costs (around £4bn) come from the existing overseas aid budget (around £15bn). The armed forces alone gets over £50bn, and has just received a £3bn increase from the budget. That doesn't even factor in the budgets of things like intelligence services, etc. We also haven't given away a "strategically vital" island. We have kept the actually strategically important base.
    2
  416. How is Saville relevant, or do bots just insert any name into their comments?
    2
  417. Good thing no man ever submitted one of those... oh, wait.
    2
  418. That's a baseless generalisation. There are a lot of guys who'd choose flight over fight, just as there are a lot of women who'd opt to fight. Outdated, pathetic gender generalisations need to die out. They stray dangerously close to similarities with the whole debunked race eugenics arguement at times.
    2
  419. Why would it be?
    2
  420. Military training isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to push people, to see if someone can handle the mental pressures of military service.
    2
  421. ​@BritishFreedom if you seriously don't know the difference between armed invasion and migration, you need your head checking. Europeans didn't just migrate to the New World, they deployed military forces. Asylum seekers aren't doing that. That's how it's different.
    2
  422. Any relevance?
    2
  423. ​@TheProcessofRecoverythe fact you don't know the difference between what happened during the Afghan withdrawal, and this evacuation, undermines any point you try to make on the subject. The only people being evacuated here are British citizens, unlike the Afghan relocation programme that happened with that withdrawal.
    2
  424. You think all Muslims hate the UK? Do you apply the same generalisations to other groups?
    2
  425. No, that's what civil agencies are for
    2
  426.  @dulls8475  no, that's not what I said. I'm guessing English isn't really your first language, given the poor grammar and lack of comprehension. Either that, or a lack of education.
    2
  427. ​ @terenceballands1374 literally not a single bit of evidence to support anything you've said
    2
  428. ​​ @wor53lg50 you didn't answer the question. I get it, you don't like people with skin colour different to yours, but that's your problem, not an issue of ethnocide.
    2
  429. What ethnocide?
    2
  430.  @dulls8475  tbf, most of the right wing morons out rioting recently want the same things as some fundamentalist Muslims when it comes to homosexuals and women, for the former not to exist, and the latter to be the lesser, subservient gender to men. That does not mean all Brits or Muslims want that. In any case, it's still irrelevant, as Lebanon has a varied mix of religions within it.
    2
  431.  @dulls8475  when was the last bomb threat in the UK? There have been loads this year. Just search for 'Northern Ireland bomb threat' and loads from this year come up. In any case, it's irrelevant, because we don't treat all Irish people as potential terrorists just because some of them are, so why do racist bigots always treat Muslims, or sometimes even just brown people, like that?
    2
  432. ​ @dulls8475 you need to pay attention to the whole Northern Ireland Protestant/Catholic thing, if you think Christians can't also be terrorists.
    2
  433. Doesn't change the fact they're citizens
    2
  434. Which folks might they be?
    2
  435. Get a grip
    2
  436. Ah, good, the anti-semites have arrived. Just what we need. This kind of rhetoric was popular in 1930s Germany, but has no place in modern society.
    2
  437. ​@TheProcessofRecoverythere is as much genetic variation between any two unrelated white people as there is between anyone else. The science does not support your bigotry.
    2
  438.  @marknorville4192  no, it's not easy. To get a UK passport, you need to be a UK citizen, which means you need to pass all the various citizenship criteria (significant financial burden, legal process, an exam, etc and multiple years in the UK). If you naturalised in the US, gaining citizenship and therefore being able to access a US passport, you would legally be a US citizen. The same goes for the UK. Whether they look or sound like you, they're still UK citizens if they hold a UK passport. Therefore, even if you don't like people with different skin colours living in the UK, they are still afforded protection.
    2
  439. ​ @marknorville4192 what if those individuals of different skin colours are British? How do you square that with your racist prejudices?
    2
  440. Not everyone has the means or opportunity to evacuate
    2
  441. ​ @Expatred66 that is not true. There are around 45,000 people on the MI5 watch list, but that comprises everything from Islamist, to Northern Irish, to right wing, etc etc. No one is saying right wing terror is the main threat. Islamist lone wolves are still listed as the top terror threat, but that doesn't make all Muslims terrorists, and also doesn't mean it is okay for right wing morons to spout hate speech and perform acts of public disorder and not expect to get arrested when they break the law.
    2
  442. ​@TheProcessofRecoveryunless he became a Chinese citizen, then he could call himself British and Chinese, until he revoked either of his citizenships. That's the whole point. Where you are born is just luck and chance, and does not determine your citizenship, besides any automatic rights applied at birth.
    2
  443. ​​ @Expatred66 because you're an expat. Do you still have your UK citizenship? Just wondering if you're abusing that dual citizenship too, or gave up your British citizenship when you emigrated.
    2
  444. ​​ @dulls8475 that's not what citizenship is either, you really need to learn the basics first. I also wasn't asking you, but thanks for offering your thoughts anyway. You're not despised by anyone for being 'indigenous', whatever the hell that means in the UK (and I can almost certainly guarantee you're not, based on the ancestry of virtually everyone on this island). That is, however, a commonly held view by the kinds of smooth-brained, xenophobic morons who go around shouting about 'muh freedoms' or 'native brits' as a poorly veiled way of masking their ignorant prejudices, then complaining when they get arrested for hate speech or public disorder at riots.
    2
  445. ​ @Expatred66 as an ex-pat, what's your current citizenship status?
    2
  446. So the criteria for someone being a TV personality is if you yourself know who he is? Are you regulated by Ofcom, given the pivotal role you clearly play in UK TV?
    2
  447. Why does his sexual orientation matter? You appear to be obsessed with his homosexuality, despite it having no impact on anything at all.
    2
  448. Why does his homosexuality have anything to do with this? You seem weirdly focused on his sexual orientation when the clip has nothing to do with it
    2
  449. Why? Honorary titles are granted all the time, and given his background of legally representing military personnel, he's got a better claim than most
    2
  450.  @whya2ndaccount  Kate is not the monarch, an heir to the throne or a successor to it. Her only claim to fame is shacking up with a royal. Rob Rinder, on the other hand, much like Carol Vorderman, has been a long-time advocate for the Armed Forces.
    2
  451. Carol Vorderman was made an honorary Gp Capt years ago, this is nothing new.
    2
  452.  @Iain1962  yes, that's exactly what a hybrid system is. A small fossil fuel engine of some kind providing electrical power generation. As for your second point, to charge a battery, you need to be generating power in the first place.
    2
  453. It will generate power on the ground thr same way it generates power in flight, or use a GPU
    2
  454. ​​ @trs4u hitile is a common term in the military armourer world, the people who actually work with these munitions on a daily basis, so it's perfectly fine to use.
    2
  455. ​​ @nc1609 you're right, I was mistaken. The M3 Bradley is actually lighter than the USMC ACV. Buoyancy doesn't depend on weight, as long as the former outstrips the latter.
    2
  456. Testing a tracked vehicle on sand, as part of a broad testing package across many environments, is hardly unheard of.
    2
  457. That's to full capability, not just to get any kind of med cover going
    2
  458. Such as?
    2
  459. How do you feel about the Russian military? Do you treat their war crimes with the same contempt?
    2
  460. They did, it's just that people like you don't seem to understand that there's no all-round magical invincible solution. Any new kit introduced just helps to slightly alter the balance.
    2
  461.  @davidrobertsemail  I'm stating that a carrier does not always have or need aircraft embarked upon it. That's not a bad thing or a 'gotcha', it's just a fact. All UK F-35s are under RAF control, regardless of whether they are embarked or not. Every F-35 FAA/RAF Sqn is a mixture of FAA/RAF personnel, which makes sense given the fact they do exactly the same job with exactly the same aircraft. This is exactly the same as the days of Joint Force Harrier.
    2
  462. No, just returning following a successful deployment
    2
  463.  @MrBlondino  no need to be condescending when you make an incoherent point and get asked for clarification as to it's meaning. What does 'look like the future' even mean in this context? You want more sci-fi styling, or maybe some flashy lights?
    2
  464. What does that even mean?
    2
  465. What went wrong with 5G? It works well.
    2
  466. Some basic research, such as a Google search of 'current RN operations' would give you this answer. The answer is a lot, across the globe.
    2
  467. Yes, for years on Op Shader
    2
  468. Still needs to be trialled and tested to work out any issues. It's not just about the jet, but the ground support elements too.
    2
  469. Probably on another speaking tour
    2
  470. ​ @Jimmythefish577 'abandonment of veterans'
    2
  471. Not really, the Texan is a turboprop, so handles differently.
    2
  472. It can, if those hypersonics are ballistic
    2
  473. ​ @frank-ko6de not true at all
    2
  474. Are you really attributing the holocaust to an imaginary friend, rather than Nazi crimes against humanity?
    2
  475. Bots talking to other bots 😂
    2
  476. Were you going for 'garbage'?
    2
  477. I think you're confusing two different conflicts
    2
  478. 'obsolete', the favourite word of the ill informed commenter
    2
  479. ​he has Air & Space Commander as his senior operator, to advise on that. CAS's role is about more than fighting wars, which is why he has a broad, varied senior officer team around him to provide specialist input.
    2
  480. ​ @wadders5675 he did deploy, just not to anywhere that attracted medals. Also, nearly all engineering roles, even front line ones, are desk jobs. Why would an engineer need to be on the front line to do their role?
    2
  481. ​ @winnie796 Techies, and a JEngO to manage it. The vast majority of RAF engineering officers at any given time are not JEngOs. CAS worked on Nimrod, not much deployed JEngO work on that fleet, especially not medal-earning.
    2
  482. ​ @BaronFlyingClub can you try that again, but coherent this time?
    2
  483. Not really, times just change, along with officer demographics
    2
  484. ​ @AirplaneDoctor_ how, exactly? Trump literally incited an attempted coup, undermining democracy and emboldening fascists. He also went on a tour of his favourite global dictators and sucked up to their authoritarianism. How is that better?
    2
  485. ​ @billsun3923 US citizens do indeed go to prison for things they say, if it amounts to incitement or hate speech, the same as in the UK. The 'land of the free' has one of the highest percentage prison populations on the planet.
    2
  486. Makes a refreshing change from all the usual right wing bigots that emerge whenever women, homosexuals or minorities are mentioned.
    2
  487. Having a beard has no impact on his ability to perform his role
    2
  488. ​ @kinwaisiu9414 literally none of that is true, incredible.
    2
  489. ​​​why would they? They're not in a military alliance with any US or European nation. Why would they give other nations the data on how to defeat them by exercising against them? When was the last time the US invited Russia or China to take part in an exercise against their F-22s or F-35s? Even when the US trains against allies, it doesn't use war modes of its radars to keep those frequencies and power radiation magnitudes classified.
    2
  490. A simple look at the forward fuselage shows almost a perfect copy of the shape of the F-35, far more than would be expected of pure coincidence.
    2
  491. The front end similarities of this aircraft and the F-35 are too uncanny to claim that. The F-22, F-35, J-20 etc all have noticeable differences. The forward fuselage of the J-35 and F-35 are virtually identical.
    2
  492. China supports India? Really? 😂
    2
  493. They serve as both troop transporters and refuelers
    2
  494. ​ @thecoin5394 leave the whataboutism out of it, KremBot
    2
  495. No, it wouldn't, as the weapons would still be being used by Ukraine. Its also not mission creep in any way, as the UK is still just a supplier
    2
  496. This isn't directly the UKs war, but keeping Russia busy is good for the security of the UK. There have been less QRA scrambles since Ukraine kicked off, as Russian bombers have been tied up in conflict. There's also a broader messaging point about showing other countries along Russia's European border how we can assist if things go south
    2
  497. There's no invading force in the UK, get a grip. You don't like foreigners, especially if they're brown, we get it, but no need to spew xenophobic nonsense on this channel
    2
  498. They didn't say patriotism was wrong at any point, but a lot of 'patriots' are simply right-wing morons who use it as an excuse for xenophobia, hate speech, rioting, etc and deserve every punishment they receive.
    2
  499.  @GMU8  more people have been killed by blizzards and avalanches than by dinosaurs. In any case, who are the snowflakes? The ones who get upset every time women or gay people are mentioned?
    2
  500. Good, we don't need fragile, sexist morons in the armed forces
    2
  501. ​ @thatwhit1 neither do many men. Anyone who passes the relevant courses and demonstrates that ability should be able to serve. We don't need dinosaurs like you making sweeping sexist generalisations. Good riddance.
    2
  502. No one is saying replace men with women. The whole point is to augment those 150k storming the beaches with a huge amount of women too, adding far more mass to the fighting force than recruiting men alone would manage. Why is that so hard to grasp?
    2
  503. No men have ever gone hysterical in warfare? Take your sexist generalisations somewhere else
    2
  504. ​ @johnbobson1557 you don't think someone with that kind of money and power couldn't ruin someone's life? That's called naivety.
    2
  505. Nothing to do with physical ability. Far more to do with his power, money and influence and how he could use that to destroy their lives.
    2
  506. Now look at the percentage of men in NHS management positions and reassess your farcical point. Gender is irrelevant in an organisation brought down by awful government spending, pay and working conditions.
    2
  507. Are you saying the Army was better before this 'DEI mess'? Was the Deepcut era a fantastic time?
    2
  508. There's no such thing. NATO and the EU are separate organisations.
    2
  509.  @cagdas135  they did. They were transiting the Red Sea when they were struck by missiles with no warning.
    2
  510. No, only 2 carriers and both STOVL. The only CATOBAR kit seriously being looked at is for drones
    2
  511. How exactly would we use an aircraft carrier in the channel? What would you have it do?
    2
  512. Civilian shipping not related to Israel has been targeted
    2
  513. The bot/scam accounts are talking to each other 😂
    2
  514. What would we use a carrier for in the channel?
    2
  515.  @cornelius9180  about what? It's literally a fact.
    2
  516.  @grahamstrouse1165  they're not split, they're a combined force, like the Joint Force Harrier model, all under control of the RAF
    2
  517. We have approx 40 F-35B. That's more than enough for sustained ops from a carrier
    2
  518.  @UnknownEntity334  Current serving here. Putting a carrier into that region would be needlessly risky, given how we could just operate a tanker and typhoons/F-35s out of Cyprus, Al Udeid, or any of the other Middle Eastern airfields available to us. The Red Sea is a relatively narrow channel, meaning our escorts wouldn't be able to provide as effective a screen between threats and the carrier as they should. Sending a Type 45, as we have done, is the right call. It has an excellent radar and tracking capabilities, and datalinks to any aircraft we deploy (including parter nations) too. Nothing woke or left about it (as if either of those is a bad thing anyway).
    2
  519. Take a break from GB News and take a walk 😂
    2
  520.  @pepperroni6252  Operational deployments are a subcategory of deployments in general. Most soldiers will deploy. Whether that deployment is op related varies massively. Plenty of front line deployments don't attract medals, and anyone getting a hard-on for shiny metal needs to take a look at themselves. As previously stated, the former CAS had op medals, and was useless. They don't define ability.
    2
  521.  @pepperroni6252  you can be deployed to plenty of places that don't attract medals. Many people do their whole careers without ever getting an op medal, despite numerous deployments.
    2
  522. ​ @Chubby_T0511 plenty of non-medal earning ops out there. Plenty of people deployed all the time with few medals to show for it.
    2
  523. Perhaps the deployments he went on weren't any of the few that come with a participation medal.
    2
  524.  @JammyDodger45  she is able to perform her job as well as anyone else in her position. Gender has nothing to do with it.
    2
  525.  @meme4one  Cyprus is of significant strategic importance to the UK, and to a lesser extent the US, so what you're saying doesn't make sense.
    2
  526. CDS rotates between the three services, regardless of the current operations happening around the world
    2
  527. We already have jet transports and helicopters for that
    2
  528. Given this is a testbed aircraft, that's a good assumption. That being said, Rivet Joint operates on the Russian border with the same number of defensive aids.
    2
  529. It's used as a flying testbed, nothing else, so doesn't need to be too fancy
    2
  530. This is an economical testbed aircraft, it doesn't need to be able to fight
    2
  531. No, militaries don't usually shoot their own drones down. They're usually programmed to fly to a designated position near their home airfield if control is lost
    2
  532. ​ @muhacnt7988 keep coping, Ivan
    2
  533. Better than giving Putin freedom to do whatever he likes in Ukraine
    2
  534. That's often the case. Hitting a moving air target is difficult, so it requires expensive kit to do it, or a lot of inaccurate fire from flak, etc.
    2
  535.  @Pincer88  Military Flying Training System, a contracted flying training system meant to be far more cost effective than the previous military system, but in reality providing less hours over a longer training time.
    2
  536. That's a false equivalency. The US is giving Ukraine, an active war participant, weapons to strike its enemy. If Russia were to do the same, they'd have to supply them to a nation not currently at war with the US, so that would be an escalation as it would itself start a conflict that was not already ongoing. As Putin keeps insisting, he's all about avoiding that kind of escalation...
    2
  537. Cheers for the assessment, Ivan.
    2
  538. ​ @GRS4HlK2 storm shadow has already been used against Russian targets. There is no legal difference between attacking Russian forces I'm Ukraine, or in Russia, so if that was another one of Putin's 'red lines', it was passed long ago so there's no harm in these long range strikes. If Russia didn't want to hurt at home, Putin never should have invaded.
    2
  539. Not really, it's progressing as planned within the MOD alongside Japan/Italy.
    2
  540. Visual camouflage isn't really very important in a BVR fighter. The whole camera-camo screen arrangement is just sci-fi, not really practical in any way.
    2
  541. ​ @Scaadoo QRA, for a start. A bomber would be totally ill equipped to fly QRA, and doing so with CCA would mean scrambling more aircraft every time, which is a needless drain on resources. For a B-21/CCA combo to remain reasonably low observable, they'd also need to remain pretty close due to the limited range of LO datalinks like MADL (which are LO due to high atmospheric attenuation), which means putting a manned bomber close to any action you want the CCA involved in. Not a great idea.
    2
  542. That won't fulfil the roles being asked of Tempest
    2
  543. They're shielded, like most military aircraft. The actual practicalities of an EMP mean they don't work as well in practice as science fiction would have you believe
    2
  544.  @paulwood6729  austerity isn't a myth, it was just targeted to hit the poorest hardest. Between 2010 and 2019 more than £30 billion in spending reductions were made to welfare payments, housing subsidies, and social services. Between 2012 and 2019, the number of children receiving food from food banks tripled. There was no central function or risk assessment made to predict the impact of the austerity programme on services and budgets in the long term. There were however "big strategic moves" to protect groups more likely to vote Conservative, and make cuts elsewhere. This meant that the richest 20% of the population were largely protected. A report by the Arts Council England revealed that arts and culture had suffered a £236 million (20%) decline from 2010 to 2020. By 2023 arts council funding had declined 63% in Northern Ireland, 21% in Wales, and 30% in England. Shortsighted people like to say that the arts are a frivolous waste of money, ignoring the massive revenues generated by successful film, TV and other entertainment media worldwide. Look at the massive recent surge in S Korean media being exported globally for clear evidence of that. These are just a few examples.
    2
  545. The UK, and various iterations of states on the British Isles previously, were literally founded and built on immigration.
    2
  546. What are you talking about? They have the budget for the next order of F-35 already ringfenced
    2
  547. Different uses. AI is far better at large data processing and interpretation than a human, in the same way a scientific calculator is better at solving difficult equations. Doesn't remove the need for smart people to work alongside it though.
    2
  548.  @johnpapa1916  about what?
    2
  549.  @JaneGalvin  I see the point that you're stuck in the past. Guns were used because missiles either didn't exist, or because they were not good enough to engage an enemy in any situation. We now have all-aspect, high off boresight missiles that make the idea of going to guns on an enemy's tail almost completely redundant. We didn't have that in Vietnam, which is why guns played a role.
    2
  550. ​ @HYUKLDER1 all those things require an armed vessel, hence the OPV requirement. Unarmed civilians crossing in dinghies fall under the remit of the police, border force, coastguard and RNLI, amongst other civil agencies.
    2
  551. Because it's not their job, that's what civil agencies are for. Why do those who use the word 'invaders' not even understand the basics?
    2
  552.  @BritishMilitaria  plenty of men staged behind in protected professions too, and baby formula exists for nursing needs anyway, although we probably wouldn't send new mothers off to war
    2
  553.  @BritishMilitaria  any of the men or women not eligible for military service
    2
  554.  @IWarpI  what metric are you using to measure his performance?
    2
  555. ​ @nicksykes4575 no he hasn't
    2
  556. What makes you say that? Seems he's doing better than the Tories, in that he hasn't sold off any more national assets yet
    2
  557. Why not?
    2
  558. No mention of Russian nazi forces (Wagner)? Funny how the pro-Kremlin mob always leave out that detail whenever they mention Ukrainian far right paramilitary groups.
    2
  559. Not really, it hasn't been the case for many conflicts since WWII
    2
  560. It took many different factors coming together to provide the victory, but this clip is specifically about Dowding's part
    2
  561. Nonsense
    2
  562. Bore off with that conspiracy nonsense
    2
  563. ​​ @phucknuts.7065 your question is grammatically weird, almost like English isn't your first language... Anyway, explain how you think you are detested. Besides baseless rhetoric or parroting things you've seen on GB News, what actual substance is there to your claim? Despite what some people claim, this country still provides adequately for the vast majority of it's citizens. The UK scores highly on both Human Development and Freedom Indexes, which is something we tend to take for granted. We have strong human rights, a developed legal system independent of government, a strong state welfare system, etc etc. None of that is indicative of a state which detests its people.
    2
  564. It doesn't, but if you truly feel that way, I hear Moscow is nice this time of year
    2
  565. Parroting the same old lines, huh? Another 2 year old account having a moan
    2
  566. We're a long way from the third world, get a grip.
    2
  567. Our gdp doesn't suck. It's the 6th largest in the world in gross value, and the 21st per capita.
    2
  568. Why not start with making any unemployed, able-bodied Brit sign up instead, given they're the people we actually spend the most money on? Immigrants bring in far more money, per capita, to the economy than native Brits do.
    2
  569. It was defined by sea power at a time when ships were the only thing capable of defence away from the shore. Then aircraft came along and changed that.
    2
  570. Outdated? 😂 Honestly, it's amazing you can look at most of the world and their 4th gen (at most) fleets, and yet call one of the most advanced aircraft in the world outdated
    2
  571. ​ @cluckingbells correct, although no weapons drops because we haven't needed them to yet
    2
  572. ​ @gcarter1973 that's the range of an AMRAAM, and Meteor is even further, so it's entirely possible it will be a 100 mile engagement
    2
  573. ​ @gcarter1973 100 miles, so not exactly the WVR turning fight you seem to be imagining 😂
    2
  574. Top speed is generally irrelevant as a stat, because any fighter travelling supersonic without supercruise will empty its fuel tanks before it manages anything useful.
    2
  575. ​ @johnallen7807 what individual freedoms have you lost as a result of LGBT people, women and ethnic minorities being able to express themselves without fear of prejudice?
    2
  576. ​​ @johnallen7807 I've served nearly a decade in the RAF and counting, so probably best to keep your assumptions to yourself. Any defence spending has to be grounded in reality, and that reality has changed somewhat since 1815.
    2
  577. ​​ @johnallen7807 you do understand that the situation is somewhat different to Waterloo? We had an empire to exploit back then to fund it, which we no longer possess. The NHS would be in a much better state if more people give up smoking, drinking, lost weight and went for a jog once in a while, but this is the situation we live in. Expectation has to match reality.
    2
  578.  @tomsoki5738  only 28 Sea Harriers were available for use in the Falklands, so the RAF supplied 14 GR.3s. We already have around 40 F-35 available, so a comparable sized fleet of far superior aircraft.
    2
  579. The plan is to have one carrier available at any given time, with the other in maintenance. We don't have the personnel to man both simultaneously, and it was never the plan to.
    2
  580.  @1IbramGaunt  Inter-service rivalries in a professional military should be limited to sports/social events and crew room banter, not the actual business of warfighting.
    2
  581.  @stephencook6188  that was nothing to do with the pilot though, so we can forgive them that one
    2
  582. The crest pretty clearly printed onto a temporary sticker for this ceremony
    2
  583. Still under 1 Group RAF control 😉
    2
  584. A mixed fleet would increase costs (low parts commonality, so essentially like operating two different aircraft types, plus no UK weapons integrated onto A variant), reduce force capability (less carrier-capable aircraft) and limit their utility (can't refuel A variant).
    2
  585. ​ @alangunningham5667 how is that relevant? The production lines can only work so fast, so the fact we don't have all the aircraft we've ordered yet is nothing to do with the capabilities of the aircraft, but of the fact the production line is busy fulfilling thousands of orders.
    2
  586. No, they've been flying for years. The recent flight trials involving HMS POW were for a new lighting system to aid with rolling vertical landings
    2
  587. The carriers were originally designed for STOVL aircraft, with space left in case of the need for future CATOBAR conversion. That space was then taken up later in the design process
    2
  588. The UK satellite industry is already massive, so UK launch sites make a lot of sense for a lot of high inclination orbits
    2
  589. ​ @Pussla55 it's irrelevant. Focusing on it is pathetic.
    2
  590. ​​ @whya2ndaccount bowing heads during moments of remembrance is pretty common, especially as you don't salute indoors. She was reflecting in a respectful manner. To pick her up for failure to stand to attention is pathetic. Marking the occasion is the important bit, not the specifics of how each person chooses to do it.
    2
  591. Not unless she has some amazing eyesight superpower, as her eyes are closed.
    2
  592. The whole problem there is that the contributions of black and foreign service personnel has historically been minimised. The contribution of white service personnel has never been questioned, and very regularly recognised.
    2
  593. This is just pathetic. Plenty of people of African heritage serve in the armed forces. Why would this good news story cause division, unless you deliberately went looking for some to stir up?
    2
  594. Maybe, but shooting something with the red cross symbol is a war crime
    2
  595. ​ @JJ_Khailha the same is true of a regular helicopter, which is why the people who actually plan military operations put effort into ensuring the risk is minimised.
    2
  596. ​ @_Breakdown EASA is the European Aviation Safety Agency, the people who regulate all aviation activity across Europe. MERT are medical emergency response teams, basically another name for medivac helicopters. The golden hour is a concept that if an injured person reaches treatment in the first hour, their odds of survival are far higher
    2
  597. ​ @JJ_Khailha it won't just drop, it has far more redundancy than your average helicopter, so total power loss is highly unlikely. You have no idea how much armour this could take, it's excess thrust, etc, so that assertion is baseless. It literally has fewer points of critical failure than your average helicopter
    2
  598. ​​ @JJ_Khailha still far more propulsive survivability than a normal helo, and this is just a proof of concept trial. The final product could easily be more armoured and feature a defensive aid suite. This vehicle also has a smaller profile than any MERT aircraft due to lack of crew, as well as lower noise due to electric propulsion. Not sure if you've ever stood near a chinook, but turboshaft engines and massive rotors aren't quiet. Electric motors and higher frequency rotor noise (so greater attenuation) means lower acoustic footprint.
    2
  599. ​ @JJ_Khailha not really. The rotors here are in pairs, and there are plenty of examples of air taxi prototypes, etc, where the other rotors instantly compensate for loss of thrust or sudden perturbation, maintaining stability.
    2
  600. A lot of propulsive redundancy vs a conventional helicopter
    2
  601. ​ @TJ-wo1xt where did I say that?
    2
  602. ​ @seanwoodyatt7342 You've perfectly proved my point. Let's address the battery materials first. They're predominantly lithium, and over 99% recyclable. Your arguement over making fuel from plants is moot because that doesn't happen on any significant scale to make any actual impact, and the land/water/agricultural machinery and processing requirements for such an operation are unfeasible at any decent scale. Let's also not deny that plenty of the materials found in modern ICE vehicles aren't also mined, or that the fuel that powers them doesn't primarily come from environmentally disastrous drilling operations. As for the recharge time, that would only be a factor if you only operated one or two. On an average squadron of helicopters, there are a dozen or more. The odds of them all being airborne at any one time are practically zero, due to necessary time on the ground for maintenance, and rotation of airframe use for fatigue life management. That leaves plenty of time for recharging, which can be done by any military diesel gen-set that are widely available, if renewable grid options aren't available. It is also far easier to swap an electrical drivetrain than a conventional turboshaft or piston one, due to far less plumbing involved, and far fewer components. That makes maintenance far easier.
    2
  603. It has a red cross on the rear of the vehicle
    2
  604. This is quieter, exposes less crew to danger, cheaper to operate and maintain, greater redundancy and less critical failure modes than a helicopter, to name just a few. I don't see this replacing medivac, not by a long shot, but it is a good addition
    2
  605. Trump is looking to impose 10% tariffs on nearly all foreign imports, which means less trade with the EU. That will encourage them to shift that trade to China, fuelling the Chinese economy even more. Combine that with any retaliation China imposes on the rumoured 60% US tariffs, and you have a US with less trade partners and expensive imports.
    2
  606. Luckily things have indeed changed in the last 50 years. The Haddon-Cave inquiry is a good indicator that things were not exactly better in the old days
    2
  607. Apples and oranges. They're designed to meet completely different specifications. F-22 is pure air superiority, with extremely limited ground attack (GPS only) and no carrier capability. It's also far more expensive and no longer in production. F-35 is multi-role, carrier capable (B/C), with more electronic warfare and ISTAR capability than any other non-dedicated fighter.
    2
  608. If you genuinely believe that, you either don't understand what those words mean, or what this jet can do
    2
  609. All UK F-35Bs are under 1 Group RAF control, whether Fleet Air Arm or RAF jets. They are operating, but were not required on this deployment
    2
  610. @@JimCarner your previous reply indicates you don't know what a 'catastrophic' engine failure is. I'll put it into simple terms. The engine goes bang, something comes loose and then collides with the rest of the blades and the casing. Flames erupt from one or both ends, and debris flies out in a big mess. None of that happened. As for your inability to accept the findings of the MAA report, and instead generate a paranoid cover-up theory despite no evidence to support it, that screams conspiracy theorist, or tin foil enthusiast.
    2
  611. @@JimCarner or maybe I've seen the accident report and deemed it factually accurate based on my experience as aircrew. Could be that 🤔 Based on your dreadful takes in other comments, it's clear there's some serious Dunning-Kruger going on 😂
    2
  612. @@JimCarner honestly, there's no helping some people 😂
    2
  613. @@JimCarner catastrophic engine failure doesn't mean a random loss of power for no reason, it means some part of the engine gives way and wrecks it. That leads to a loud bang, flames, debris, massive vibration etc, none of which were visible in the footage. I've seen the report, and it highlights the many errors that led to the event. Like most air accidents, it follows the 'Swiss cheese' model of a sequence of missed opportunities and errors that aligned on the day. Let's not get into pointless, baseless conspiracy theories that don't hold up to basic scrutiny.
    2
  614. ​@@JimCarnerit wasn't, it was an engine blank. If it had been an engine failure, you'd have seen flames, sparks, debris ect out the exhaust when it headed up the ramp.
    2
  615. And? Stuff gets destroyed in conflict, that isn't news. Plenty of Spitfires got downed in WWII. Was still a very capable machine.
    2
  616. Not quite. Whilst the darts do not home in on laser energy reflected from the target, the aiming unit projects two laser beams which paint a two-dimensional matrix upon the target. The lasers are modulated, and by examining these modulations the sub-munitions sensor can determine the dart's location within the matrix. The dart is then steered to keep it in the centre of the matrix.
    2
  617. The term hitile is used fairly commonly in weapons engineering to describe missiles designed to actually strike their target directly (such as this), rather than via proximity fuses and blast-frag/expanding rings etc (such as AIM-9)
    2
  618. Only if you assume that soldiers don't have warm kit, or waterproofs, and will sit in a vehicle like this if engaged. It's not meant to be leading a spearhead, it's a way of moving people around fast
    2
  619. Standard pax helmet
    2
  620.  @frankyswanky4603  if you want a more specific answer, ask a more specific question
    2
  621. What exactly is junk here?
    2
  622. These absolutely decimated a whole load of Taliban fighters. The ones that handed it back to the Taliban were the ANA and their leaders who couldn't control the situation without foreign help.
    2
  623. Boring.
    2
  624. It's still a big part of annual military skills refresher training
    2
  625. It's part of the job. Ceremonial duties like this are fairly sought after
    2
  626. ​ @LucasAlpe-c7m that's not true, and steroid testing forms a regular part of service life so he'd never get away with it
    2
  627. Out of interest, what civvie role did you go into? Asking for future me 😂
    2
  628. No they're not, turn off GB News and go for a walk 😂
    2
  629. ​ @MultiNike79 if nukes start flying, Russia turns to glass just like most of the northern hemisphere, so that's irrelevant
    2
  630. ​ @MultiNike79 haha you really do live in an alternative universe 😂
    2
  631. ​ @MultiNike79 Putin is a liberal? Are you high? He has introduced some of the most oppressive anti-LGBT laws in Europe, regularly kills off political opposition, and employs literal Nazis (Wagner) to do his dirty work. You're living in a fantasy world.
    2
  632. Oh great, a COVID conspiracy nut adds their voice to the debate - just what we need 😂
    2
  633. ​ @RJM1011 the government isn't killing anyone. Any pensioners on benefits, the ones who need the help, will still get winter fuel allowance. What's stopping is the flat rate paid to any pensioner, that more often than not gets spent elsewhere or banked. The taxpayer shouldn't be paying for pensioners to go on holiday or enjoy a few nice meals if they can afford to heat their homes with their own money.
    2
  634. ​ @MultiNike79 Stalin worked with Nazis when it suited him (invasion of Poland), and Putin worked with Nazis when it suited him too (Wagner group - Ukraine, Africa, etc). At least Russia are consistent in their collaboration with Nazis.
    2
  635. If the US had stayed out of Europe, millions more people would have died in concentration camps, and Russia would have been a far more dominant power in the wake of WWII.
    2
  636. ​ @MultiNike79 Russia is no stranger to war crimes, and the USSR went one further with crimes against humanity, or have you forgotten the whole Stalin 'Great Purge' episode? Russian shill bots really are blinkered.
    2
  637. ​​ @meme4one environmental impact always comes second to military capability when it comes to defence priorities, and rightly so. That doesn't mean the MOD can't also work on reducing its impact in areas where it doesn't affect capability.
    2
  638.  @rovercoupe7104  you prefer the dreadful, ill-fitting blues that make us look like bus drivers from the past?
    1
  639. What don't you like?
    1
  640. Yes, one of their primary roles is to track and identify previously unidentified objects in space and the upper atmosphere
    1
  641. ​ @death_parade because if nukes are on the way, the only thing we care about is alerting the PM so they can authorise our subs to return fire.
    1
  642.  @GarmondPhil  that depends on the engagement range
    1
  643. You're ignoring the bigger picture. If that £500 drone hits a cargo ship, it causes millions in damage to global trade as companies reroute their vessels. That drives up costs, which are passed onto the general public, so it costs us all more.
    1
  644. By who?
    1
  645. Rent free.
    1
  646. ​ @malcpaul996 that's why so many military aircraft techies leave after a few years and go earn 2-3x the money overnight, actually being paid the industry rate for their skills. Can't blame them really, many of them end up earning more than the officers they used to serve under.
    1
  647. No, there are a lot of fundamental differences which would be completely uneconomical to modify
    1
  648. Nothing they're talking about here is classified.
    1
  649. The history of military juntas running countries is not a good one. Democracy, however many flaws it has, is the best option going
    1
  650. When the invasion met the requirements for military conflict set out under the Law of Armed Conflict
    1
  651. They only release info they're happy to release. Anything above official doesn't get mentioned.
    1
  652. Remember when the armed forces weren't "woke", whatever that means to you? Remember people killing themselves at Deepcut because of how awesome things were back then?
    1
  653. The UK hasn't been in an actual war? What exactly are you smoking? 😂
    1
  654. That's completely false. The targetting cycle takes time, it's not like a FAB just appears whenever a bridge is laid, and that they'd be used without air defence
    1
  655. Either spelling is fine. Fulfil is the UK spelling, fulfill is the US one, but either is fine.
    1
  656. ​ @BaronFlyingClub the F-35B would be needlessly expensive for airshow display team duties, which is the whole point of using the Hawk T.1s. We may as well use up any remaining life in the type, as they've been withdrawn from all other RAF service. Most young people are still impressed by the aerobatics. Age doesn't really matter in that regard. As for the Hawk type generally, it has seen constant development and the latest models, including the T2, are very capable modern jet trainers.
    1
  657. ​ @BaronFlyingClub half the point of the Reds is to display UK industry with our BAE-built Hawks. An Extra won't do that. As for pilot skill, there are no issues there. The Blades aerobatic team flew similar types and they were ex-Reds
    1
  658. No, as they cost next to nothing to run. The disbanding of the Reds has been a constant threat for the last 15 years or so, but has never come to fruition because it makes very little sense.
    1
  659. ​ @BaronFlyingClub supersonic doesn't really matter for jet training, as all training can be conducted subsonic with no added benefit to going faster than Mach 1. There's just no real need to buy a fleet of replacement jets exclusively for airshows, especially when every other government deoartment is being asked to save money. It would be hard to justify when the money could be spent on other things.
    1
  660. It looks similar, but the airframe is actually almost completely new. There are very few components from the lynx used on wildcat
    1
  661. Pakistani second generation would be British, so what's your point? 😂
    1
  662. An offensive capability can often have defensive uses, such as stopping an enemy from being in a fit state to attack
    1
  663. No aircraft is invisible to detection, and no one has ever claimed that. That being said, "stealth" jets are way harder to detect than conventional 4th gen fighters, regardless of new detection methods.
    1
  664. ​ @ShredCo copying and pasting that same comment around the place, are you?
    1
  665. ​ @klaunwelt4404 gay sex lessons for kids is an obvious one. Teaching kids sex ed isn't teaching them technique. Nothing wrong with prosecuting hate speech. Don't confuse valid criticism with hate speech, they are different things and only the latter gets prosecuted. Drag queen story time does zero harm to anyone, so no idea why you've even included that. Net zero policies that focus on reductions in green house emissions help to improve air quality, which also isn't a bad thing, and improve energy efficiency, also not bad. Childlessness and abortion are a personal choice, and should be left to the individuals directly affected to decide, ultimately the mother as it's her body.
    1
  666. ​ @bennygreene1421 Russia only had to step in to defend its 'own people' because they backed separatist terrorists activity in those regions, forcing Ukraine to take military action to counter that. Russia created the mess, then used it as a justification for invasion (one of many laughable justifications they swap between whenever suits them).
    1
  667. Iran, China and North Korea. Not a club anyone who enjoys human rights wants to be a part of.
    1
  668. Attackers do usually suffer far higher losses, in fairness. Also, Russia has been using meat grinder assault tactics with prisoners and barely trained recruits, so losses from those would have been pretty horrific.
    1
  669. ​ @Celtictribes you're going to need to put a timescale on that claim for it to be anywhere near accurate
    1
  670. ​ @ResultGeneral that's not what civil unrest means. Get the basics right first.
    1
  671. That would only happen if the MOD wanted to pay for the weapons integration trials
    1
  672.  @PaxBritannica34563  the stated range is 40+ km. My other points still stand.
    1
  673. Different seeker, shorter range, not as versatile
    1
  674. No it isn't, hell fire doesn't have deployable wings
    1
  675. Both
    1
  676. No idea, I'm assuming some ill informed social media clips?
    1
  677. Ever seen a map? Russia's doorstep happens to be the sovereign territory of many Eastern European NATO states who don't want to be invaded, so their allies police their airspace to deter Russian aggression.
    1
  678. NATO isn't fighting in Ukraine, it is simply providing training and equipment. Russia wouldn't last long in Ukraine if the entire force of NATO got involved, but that would probably devolve into Russia slinging nukes around pretty quickly so it's not something anyone wants.
    1
  679. That's the tough reality for the Western world. We all need China for our economic sustainment, but their ideology is fundamentally opposed to western democracy. Not an easy thing to square for any government.
    1
  680. Give it a rest, we are perfectly capable of defending our borders. That isn't needed against civilian immigrants, however, which is why we detain them for legal processing instead.
    1
  681. It will also reduce the US defence export market, as Europe builds up its own industries to reduce reliance on Trump's America
    1
  682. Bot name, 3 year old account, making irrelevant points
    1
  683. SAF does not affect performance in any way, and means more available fuel sources
    1
  684. What are you on about? No one is saying the RAF are only going to be using SAF from now on. You're having a whinge over something that isn't happening
    1
  685. ​ @BuddySpike101 performance on SAF isn't any worse than on fossil fuels
    1
  686. The lethality of the Typhoon isn't degraded with this fuel, so no idea what your point is.
    1
  687. SAF is more expensive than fossil fuel.
    1
  688.  @irinashidou9524  no, absolutely no degradation in performance despite what others have suggested
    1
  689. RAF Regiment are not engineers, it's not in their remit or skill set. As for F-35, they're STOVL jets in practice. They have virtually no payload or fuel load with a vertical take-off, which is why it has never been done outside of a handful of Lockheed Martin test sorties.
    1
  690. It doesn't
    1
  691. No, but better is still better
    1
  692. ​@robshirewood5060 the point is the work has already been done to make the cooking oil, so no additional extraction is needed, unlike using cooking oil for your chips and then using a refinery for your oil needs.
    1
  693. Not really, it's still far more efficient
    1
  694. Looks don't really matter for testbed aircraft
    1
  695. Looks like an exhaust, possibly from a heat exchanger
    1
  696. ​ @cdl0 simply not worth it vs conventional ailerons, given the RCS disadvantage
    1
  697. ​ @cdl0 it does cause far more fatigue across the wing though, due to torsion, so not ideal
    1
  698. Wing warping alters the geometry of the wing, which means it alters RCS like an aileron
    1
  699. Function over form.
    1
  700. They already exist
    1
  701. What a stupid comment. Anyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, etc who passes the required courses can pilot a Typhoon.
    1
  702. The NHS budget is far larger than the defence budget.
    1
  703. They get the choice to, personal preference
    1
  704. No they wouldn't, grow up.
    1
  705. You heard wrong
    1
  706. I agree, Russia should withdraw from its invasion and none of this would need to continue
    1
  707. Different military capabilities have different uses. Over-reliance on one over another is a poor strategy
    1
  708. ​ @constitutionloversue There has literally never been a treaty between NATO and Russia that stated anything like that. The idea that there was is just a Russian lie to try and sway useful idiots abroad
    1
  709. Russia's Wagner group was literally named in honour of Hitler's favourite composer because one of their founders idolised him.. but sure, Ukrainian Nazis are the issue here 😂
    1
  710. Nothing in this clip is secret or above. They literally advertised the Liverpool visit months ago, as the public can buy tickets to go on-board when she's in port, so no need for a media blackout.
    1
  711. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 tbf Russian metallurgy is so notoriously bad that their jet engine life is measured in 100s rather than 1000s of hours. I imagine that extends to other engineering too.
    1
  712. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 it hasn't been sea-worthy in years. Russia is effectively without any carrier capability.
    1
  713. ​​​​ @elel928 you realise that the actual ships crew (not the air wing crew) need training in operating the ship itself, right? It's not all about the air wing. The whole point of training the air wing on the other carrier is to give the POW a chance to train without the air wing getting in the way. Comparisons with the US are largely pointless, as literally no other nation on earth operates carriers like they do. Even so, they do indeed shake down their carriers without embarking air wings, as do many other nations.
    1
  714. ​​ @GonzoTehGreat I never said Falklands, I said Ascension. We could base a single squadron out of there with a few tankers and essentially deny the Argentine air force any capability over the Falklands, with Meteor and Storm Shadow. The issue of range is eliminated with tanker support in the south Atlantic, and there would be plenty of jets back home for air defence. Combine that with even a moderate carrier force, whose aircraft could also use the tankers for greater stand-off range, and some P-8s on Ascension, and we end up with a lot of air power over the South Atlantic in a very short space of time.
    1
  715. ​ @GonzoTehGreat No, I'm referring to the approx 100 Typhoons and fleet of Voyager tankers in the UK, who could start dishing out weapons toward Argentina before the carrier was out of port.
    1
  716. ​ @GonzoTehGreat the Falklands situation would be different now anyway, as our Typhoons can easily get within reach and launch Storm Shadow, with modern tanker support from Ascension, without the need for some kind of Black Buck massive effort, so the F-35s (which have much greater range and payload than harrier ever did) wouldn't be alone.
    1
  717. ​ @dan79600 or delivered to a friendly port, and loaded on during visits/minor maintenance periods
    1
  718. ​ @GonzoTehGreat they've had aircraft embarked previously, they just don't need them for this training period. The ship has been in normal refit and maintenance recently so this kind of shake-down is standard stuff.
    1
  719. Excellent observation skills. They're on the other carrier for a work-up
    1
  720. Until it's not.
    1
  721. ​​ @squirepraggerstope3591 Project Ark Royal is looking at a UAV-only catapult option, not for fighter use. We have 48 F-35 ordered, with 72 funded. So far, 37 have been delivered due to US production rate. None of these require the changes proposed under Ark Royal to be able to operate.
    1
  722. ​ @squirepraggerstope3591 such exquisite whit
    1
  723. They're on the other carrier doing their pre-deployment work--up, whilst this one does a shakedown and conducts this port visit
    1
  724. F-16s do have radars, and interceptors is exactly what they need anyway. What are you talking about?
    1
  725. No, we stopped paying those pensioners who didn't need the money. Those on benefits still get it.
    1
  726. ​ @Peacewar2020 Yawn, change the record Ivan
    1
  727. No, it isn't. That's old news from a couple of years ago.
    1
  728. This is only one of many courses
    1
  729. ​ @Peacewar2020 compared to Russia? 100%. Any basic research into press freedom, democratic standards, LGBT rights, etc would show you that.
    1
  730. No, because they're Ukrainians, and they don't want Russia targetting their families back home.
    1
  731. What are you trying to say, rather incoherently?
    1
  732. Putin is the one escalating it. He invaded (twice), used ballistic missiles, fired long range weapons then moaned when Ukraine threatened to do the same.
    1
  733. Pretty standard for ballistic missiles, which is why RAF Fylingdales is constantly scanning
    1
  734. All it tells you is that they don't want US citizens getting killed by Russian missiles. Seems pretty sensible.
    1
  735. For what? To appease a dictator by handing Putin exactly what he wants?
    1
  736. Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine is just fighting back.
    1
  737. Ah yes, those famous NATO Russian intermediate ballistic missiles 😂
    1
  738. The missiles use GPS and INS, neither of which is particularly groundbreaking. Anyone with Google maps could input the relevant co-ordinates.
    1
  739. Sure it will, 3 year old account. No way Putin would risk a full NATO response along the entire western border when he can't even convincingly win against Ukraine without having to resort to a war of attrition.
    1
  740. ​ @veshugnet despite Russian paranoia, NATO has never invaded Russia or made any threats to. Ex-Soviet states joined NATO after the awful treatment they received under the USSR, and the emerging threat of potential invasion (as seen in Georgia and Ukraine), so Russia trying to play the victim of 'NATO Expansion' is really weak. At the end of the day, NATO has never invaded Russia. Russia has invaded ex-Soviet states. I know which I'd rather be under the protective umbrella of.
    1
  741. Russia couldn't manage an all-out war with NATO. They can barely manage against Ukraine, hence resorting to a war of attrition.
    1
  742. Western media don't face the same kind of constant censorship as Russian media, so no need to shut their mouths over anything.
    1
  743. ​ @michaelzoelisch6738 because Ukraine's IADS isn't infallible, nothing ever is. Russian planners aren't stupid, they employ weapons in such a way to distract or overwhelm the few suitable SAM systems Ukraine has.
    1
  744. ​ @nicholassimorangkir9093 they absolutely can detect and intercept a hypersonic ballistic warhead because it travels on a very predictable path, with a large part of the flight being so high that plasma inteference isn't an issue (and when that occurs, plasma throws off even more IR), which is easily calculated by the US BMEWS and space-based IR sensors, passed to the anti-missile batteries, and used to tell their fire control radars where to look.
    1
  745. ​ @michaelzoelisch6738 there is, anti missile systems can fairly easily calculate the trajectory of re-entry vehicles and intercept them from below.
    1
  746. ​ @eugenx9900 anti-ballistic missile capability is a thing that exists.
    1
  747. ​ @lymitutit3046 you think those systems only come online after a launch? At high readiness, they're constantly scanning or at least can react within a minute or so.
    1
  748. ​ @user-zi3tq3yu1u sure, 2 year old account, whatever you say...
    1
  749. ​ @Vladimir-ru9zm how, exactly? So Russia can invade more nations with no NATO military response? That's not just.
    1
  750. It's not impossible to intercept a ballistic missile, no matter how far it travels, because they can be tracked from the moment they launch, and interceptors don't have to catch up, they just have to get in the way.
    1
  751. That's a common Kremlin line, but falls apart with the slightest investigation, just as the whole denazification arguement does.
    1
  752. ​ @MSie-bt2oz NATO hasn't dragged any member states into conflict, ever. It does not have the power to do so. Even Article 5 does not compel other members to respond with military force, just to treat an attack on one member as an attack on the rest.
    1
  753. Ah yes, we should all be withdrawing from the organisation that has provided the longest period of uninterrupted peace across Western Europe in history.. you're like a Kremlin wet dream.
    1
  754. ​ @Bilbo56 it doesn't require a debate in parliament. The elected government has the mandate to act as they wish, which is the whole reason we have elections. For someone so wise in political affairs, it's worth mentioning his name is Keir, not Kia.
    1
  755. Not really, a £3bn uplift next year
    1
  756. ​ @antique-bs8bb it's not an SMO, it's an invasion. Call it what it is.
    1
  757. If trump does that, he's literally siding with Russia.
    1
  758. Russia have been making that claim for years
    1
  759. Trump will hand Ukraine to Russia, through an awful peace arrangement (just like the Afghan withdrawal agreement he oversaw) and the stopping of supplies to Ukraine. That's why he's a threat.
    1
  760. High explosive
    1
  761. I'm assuming you've heard of nuclear weapons? The Houthis don't have any, and Russia does. Nuclear deterrence works, in other words.
    1
  762. No, it's an air defence destroyer, not a civilian coastal patrol vessel.
    1
  763. Warships can't be everywhere at once. They do, however, have the ability to intercept a large amount of the weapons being fired at commerical shipping
    1
  764. The coastguard are responsible for peacetime coastal defence
    1
  765. Why would it need to? We have a coastguard for peacetime coastal patrol.
    1
  766. Take the anti-semitism elsewhere, Ivan. This war has nothing to do with religion.
    1
  767. People who use the word obsolete when discussing the military rarely actually have a clue how warfare works. Jammers don't always just have one stationary frequency, they can hop across wide bands depending on what the Russians are using. Also, drones aren't the ultimate solution to every problem people seem to think they are, just another threat to be countered
    1
  768. People are far more likely to suffer abuse at the hands of a family member than they are at the hands of a migrant, but keep spinning the same old xenophobic nonsense if it makes you feel better
    1
  769. Get a grip
    1
  770. Get a grip Ivan
    1
  771. Special forces casualties never get mentioned, that's just how it works. Nothing new or unusual in that
    1
  772. ​ @geraldtir how does corruption have anything to do with the fact it was invaded by Russia? Was it the fault of corruption in Georgia in 2008? That's no excuse, and this is a pattern for Russia.
    1
  773. We've tried that attitude in the past, and it led to WWII, so I'm not sure it's a great idea. The problem with letting Russia act with impunity is that eventually they might turn attention to us, and all our allies will no longer be there.
    1
  774. No, we have civil agencies for that
    1
  775. ​ @mikewinston8709 name a major religion that hasn't been used as a justification for violence
    1
  776. Take your bigotry back to GB News
    1
  777. Why the arbitrary distinction? It seems, well, arbitrary.
    1
  778.  @jameskellard5075  you talked about the services maintaining a higher standard. I pointed out that allowing facial hair doesn't lower standards. Sorry if you struggled to see the link.
    1
  779. Trimmed and maintained beards don't lower any standards 😂
    1
  780. Facial hair can be shaved when a need arises. This is already the case in the RAF, where aircrew who need to use oxygen masks are not allowed a beard. It doesn't stop anyone else from having them.
    1
  781.  @jameskellard5075  no it isn't. Removing unnecessary rules isn't the same as standards. They can still be ordered to shave if the situation or role requires it for practical purposes. How does it make anyone less capable or effective at their job?
    1
  782. ​ @jameskellard5075 growing a beard isn't lowering any standard 😂
    1
  783. Civilians are always the worst casualties in war, but that doesn't mean Hamas should get a free pass to continue operating when they've made it very clear they will never settle for a peaceful solution.
    1
  784. ​ @archstanton6310 the channel crossings issue is a matter for civilian agencies, not the armed forces.
    1
  785. No, it shouldn't. That's the role of civilian agencies like the Coastguard and Border Force, not a military air defence destroyer.
    1
  786. Ages ago.
    1
  787. Oh no, they'll be devastated.
    1
  788.  @paolodechipiece1027  "Most of them", get a grip 😂 It was a conflict, oddly enough that tends to involve losses. Argentina lost 45 aircraft in the conflict, 15 as a result of ship-based air defence. Anyway, let's keep on topic shall we?
    1
  789.  @paolodechipiece1027  You seem to have missed my point. Destroyers specialise in air defence, and frigates specialise in sub hunting, even if they are both capable of engaging sea targets. That's their primary role. Why would we use these highly specialised and expensive military vessels to turn around rubber dinghies when there are plenty of Coastguard vessels designed to deal with the situation far more efficiently? It would be a complete waste of military resources to deploy them to the channel to do the job of a civilian agency.
    1
  790. ​ @faithosadebe5293 three civilian vessels have been hit recently, causing ships to reroute to avoid that shipping lane. That drives the price of global trade up, which means we all pay more.
    1
  791. It's only overkill if you fail to take into account the total global cost of a drone hitting a commerical vessel.
    1
  792. That would be the job of the border force and Coastguard, not military vessels. It would also be the job of a legal asylum system, but the Tories dismantled that, so we're stuck with the illegal routes we have no control over.
    1
  793. That's not really a secret, we work co-operatively with other nations routinely. Even the MODs over-all defence plan is built around how we fit into our small part of the NATO defensive structure. People who only view UK defence in the context of UK-only assets don't understand how European defence has worked since the end of WWII.
    1
  794. Take your caps lock off and try again. All caps is usually the sign of an ill-informed rant, so maybe they have a filter for that 😂
    1
  795.  @RoughWalkers  no, you don't seem to have a grasp on how the law works. Preserving life comes above all else in maritime law. When they get to shore, they are handed over to authorities for processing. That is also not illegal. "Fighting age Muslims", language like that makes it really easy to spot the bigots. I doubt you ever use similar language for any white, non-muslim individuals. I'm also glad you no longer serve, with an attitude like that. Good riddance.
    1
  796.  @RoughWalkers  their job above all else is to preserve life. They carry individuals to shore to be dealt with by immigration authorities, rather than allowing thousands of civilians to die in the channel to appease a minority of bigots.
    1
  797. That's a job for the coast guard, border force, and legal asylum system (which the Tories destroyed), not the military.
    1
  798. *borders. Not a job for the military, unless under armed attack. In peacetime, like now, that falls to the coast guard and border force, as well as the legal asylum system the Tories have already dismantled
    1
  799. Nations join NATO of their own free will. Countries like Estonia and Romania probably don't want to end up like Ukraine, so the protection of NATO membership makes perfect sense to them.
    1
  800. "fighting age", language like this makes it so easy to spot the bigots 😂
    1
  801. ​ @ricardosmythe2548 so nothing of substance? Got it.
    1
  802. ​ @Puntonghua pretty irrelevant given the fact that fighters spend nearly all their operational life subsonic anyway, and the F-35 can still go supersonic when required to
    1
  803. Are Russia planning on invading you too?
    1
  804. Tell that to the foreign territories of Tibet or Taiwan.
    1
  805. When? Recently enough to be relevant?
    1
  806. ​ @jayjohnston3080 they are, they have a far smaller intercept window and reduce the ability of enemies to react
    1
  807. Clearly you're not from Taiwan, or Bhutan, or India.
    1
  808. ​​ @SengpoSatbang people do indeed build subs on rivers, why would they not? Seems like a weak counter arguement as a desperate cope, especially with so many people parroting it as fact. As for the nuclear sub claim, that's easily verifiable by looking at the shape and comparing it with China's inventory of subs.
    1
  809. ​ @SengpoSatbang and the imagery? How do you explain that? Were they just testing their recovery cranes out?
    1
  810. ​ @ellingwood1651 no, it didn't. There's imagery evidence of it having sunk
    1
  811. ​ @GoodCitizen-gm1tl +1 citizen score to you, you've unlocked food for your family for another day.
    1
  812. TSR2 suffered from requirement creep and ended up being a money-sucking nightmare of a programme.
    1
  813. The RAF had to choose between Harrier and Tornado to free up money for other projects, and Tornado was the more useful aircraft for the conflicts we faced at the time
    1
  814. The USMC are replacing their Harriers with F-35B. An upgraded harrier would never have come close to an F-35 in terms of capability
    1
  815. Harrier II was a joint UK-US project
    1
  816. The majority of our aircraft fleets are fairly new, and still very much up there in terms of capability. The oldest aircraft we operate are the RC-135s, but they get a complete overhaul every few years to remain on the cutting edge
    1
  817. They're still Harriers, just modernised under the Harrier II programme
    1
  818. Retrofitting new tech to an old design only gets you so far
    1
  819. These are AV-8Bs, made by the US
    1
  820. Harrier II was a joint UK-US project. The advanced harrier programme was cancelled, but both nations carried on developing a second generation separately.
    1
  821. We did, for decades.
    1
  822. That's the reality of having finite defence spending. The MOD had to decide between Tornado and Harrier
    1
  823. Worth pointing out that a significant percentage of the components on every F-35 was designed or manufactured by a UK company. Then there's the Typhoon programme. To say British aircraft engineering is dead is to deny reality.
    1
  824. They don't. The USMC is replacing all Harriers with F-35B
    1
  825. Retrofitting existing airframes only goes so far. Even Harrier II has now almost run out of time and is being universally replaced by the far more capable F-35B
    1
  826. The government thinks about money because bankrupting a nation is an awful way of running an economy. Liz Truss was a good reminder of that.
    1
  827. The UK earns money from every single F-35 sold, as BAE, RR and others produce a significant share of the components, depending on the variant
    1
  828. The F-35B is significantly faster than the Harrier, and far more capable in nearly every single quantifiable metric.
    1
  829. Israel operate a modified version of the F-35A, which has a far greater production line output than the B or C variants due to the massively larger demand. We sold our Harriers to the US as spare parts for their Harrier IIs. The F-35B is a vastly superior aircraft in terms of technology and capability
    1
  830. It was the US who backed out of the joint UK-US advanced Harrier programme
    1
  831. This is categorically false.
    1
  832. F-35 and F-22 have both been involved in conflict.
    1
  833. The F-35 that's more capable than a Harrier in nearly every measurable way
    1
  834. It can be both. A spitfire is iconic, but I wouldn't choose it for a modern air force
    1
  835. ​​​ @landenjones9374 yes, exactly, but they're not all equal. A captain is in no way qualified to carry out the role of a general, or even of a colonel. This is like making a deputy manager at a shop the CEO of the entire corporation, after that manager has had years out of the retail world.
    1
  836. ​ @landenjones9374 what's wrong with anyone who meets the standard being allowed to serve in combat roles?
    1
  837. ​ @drdepena1958 no experience of strategic military command or political leadership of any kind.
    1
  838. ​ @tomhenry897 chill out 2 year old bot account, you've earned your pay for today
    1
  839. ​ @davidrobertsemail I do. Which individuals in command of the US military are 'dudes in dresses'? Also, how would it matter if they were? Your pointless and needless bigotry is tragic.
    1
  840. Who, exactly? Any names?
    1
  841. How is it leftie garbage? Do you call anything which you don't agree with leftie? Ah never mind, 5 month old bot account
    1
  842. Sounds like something out of an authoritarian play book. The press have a place in any democracy. Approval in a democracy is exactly what is needed. He should be accountable to the people.
    1
  843. Or use kit which means you don't have to, in case you end up in a situation where you can't
    1
  844. Shaving is currently still mandatory in high threat CBRN environments or other times they are required for a seal, but otherwise there's no reason for personnel to be clean-shaven as long as it is maintained as per regs. If this kit works, it will remove the need to shave in cbrn environments for those that wish not to do so, which is their choice.
    1
  845. If anything, these hoods will be better for those drills because you can lift the mask portion and still remain under the cover of the hood portion whilst carrying out the drills, preventing any falling chemical agent from landing on your face or infiltrating round the sides of the mask
    1
  846. They're not looking at making it the standard, just another option
    1
  847. ​ @user-buck-b7j now you're getting to the actual crux of the issue. The reason for the clean shaven rule was due to the technical limitation of respirators, not 'standards'. This kit removes that limitation, so there's no issue with returning to the pre-WWI grooming standards
    1
  848. If there's no need to with the new kit, why bother sticking to old rules that no longer serve a purpose?
    1
  849.  @sandrafer7393  Because if we can make kit that better fits the needs of the individuals who serve in the armed forces, they'll be more likely to stick around longer, feel valued and won't have to go against their religious beliefs in order to serve their country. In the meantime, they'll still have to shave in times of war in a CBRN environment and wear existing masks. Why continue to force people to shave, against the rules of their religion, if we can accommodate it with basic changes to kit? It's the same kind of reason we are developing female flying suits, because whilst the current ones are fine and do the job to the minimum safety standard expected, they are far from ideal for female bodies.
    1
  850. Or get kit which works well enough that you don't need to shave
    1
  851. Or develop respirators like this that aren't technically limited, meaning they can be used across a broad range of circumstances
    1
  852. ​​ @williamlocklear1283 so is your issue with the development of new kit that works more effectively across a broader range of conditions, thus removing the need for archaic facial hair rules which were only introduced due to the limitations of previous kit? Bit of an odd thing to somehow think that advancements in respirator technology that remove previous safety limitations are somehow 'woke'. If someone having a beard is that triggering to you, perhaps you don't have the required constitution for military service. We don't really need the armed forces to be filled with people who get upset at the sight of a beard.
    1
  853.  @ivancho5854  who said they did? This kit just makes the whole debate irrelevant because people no longer have to choose between observing their religion or having good CBRN protection, they can do both.
    1
  854. Telling someone to contravene their religion, when we have the resources and knowledge not to need to, is pretty poor
    1
  855. You're free to continue shaving, but with this kit others will get a choice not to
    1
  856. ​ @Synystr7 the problem was issuing kit that was technically limited, resulting in a requirement to shave to mitigate against it's deficiencies
    1
  857. The whole point of this clip is that you would no longer need to choose, because you could have a beard and effective protection
    1
  858. Nothing to do with being dirty
    1
  859.  @astebbin  they wouldn't be a deterrent, because they're never going to fire on civilians (rightly so), and the human traffickers know they are obligated (and will) to save life under maritime law. We have plenty of coast guard vessels to deal with the situation, but the real fix is a political one. Any ships sent to assist are just treating the symptom, not the cause, which is the dismantling of the legal asylum system and decades of foreign intervention in the Middle East.
    1
  860. The HM Coastguard one may well do, as that's their job to assist, unlike the RN
    1
  861. Why? They'd be more expensive to run and no better as a display
    1
  862. There are fascist elements on both sides. Russia's Wagner group is literally named after Hitler's favourite composer, and their co-founder idolised the Nazi party. The large bulk of both sides consist of non-fascists though, no matter how much certain people online like to suggest.
    1
  863. Russia, on paper at least, is overwhelmingly stronger than Ukraine, and yet there has been a stalemate across large parts of the front line for ages. If Russia are so powerful, why can they not achieve their aims by rolling in their military might? Seems a bit odd that Putin has decided to maintain the display of weakness rather than win decisively at any point.
    1
  864. Any point to your rambling, or does that all just live in your head rent free?
    1
  865. ​ @ad_astra5 they're not there as occupiers, they're there as a deterrent force and as assistance to civilian authorities
    1
  866. How exactly is it colonisation? I'm not sure you know what that word means
    1
  867. Our T2s aren't that old, they came into service in 2009 and still have years of airframe life left
    1
  868. Another moron advocating for the murder of civilians. Jog on.
    1
  869. Rent free, eh?
    1
  870. India still flies Jaguars
    1
  871. ​ @1chish there has been no mention of Labour turning off any funding taps. It is entirely reasonable for a new govt to carry out a defence review to take stock of the current situation, especially when the Tories hid so much public spending damage for them to deal with before departing office.
    1
  872. Better for deaf viewers?
    1
  873. Russia has not achieved control of the air. If they had, Russia would be able to operate its aircraft from Ukrainian airspace without contest, but instead it mostly relies on bombers dropping missiles from deep inside Russia
    1
  874. Russia has not achieved air superiority. If it had, it wouldn't be reliant on launching missiles from its own airspace
    1
  875. Russia's justification for the invasion seems to change daily, as the previous ones are disproven 😂
    1
  876. NATO didn't force Russia to invade Georgia or Ukraine. To pretend Russia is the victim here is pathetic
    1
  877. It's not stupid, it's a great chance to get some actual operational data to refine it for UK forces
    1
  878. Russia's belligerence is what caused more nations to join NATO
    1
  879. Women in the military means a 100% increase in the available recruiting pool and skill base. It's not virtue signalling, it's basic common sense to allow anyone who is physically and mentally up to the task to join the armed forces. This nation started it's decline into going broke when it badly mismanaged the empire it used to fund its exploits. Not many DEI hires in those days, so who are you going to blame that on?
    1
  880. Migration is completely different to a military invasion, get a grip
    1
  881. Get lost, bot.
    1
  882. You left out the part where they were shelling due to conflict with Russian backed separatist terrorists
    1
  883. ​ @tiancai7177 to pass the citizenship test, an immigrant has to prove a greater level of UK historical and cultural knowledge than the average Brit even knows.
    1
  884.  @dulls8475  no, that's not what I said. Is comprehension hard for you? The way you structure sentences is also weird. Those two things combined would suggest you're not a native English speaker, or poorly educated.
    1
  885. ​ @59patrickw have you seen who those borders are shared with?
    1
  886. ​@TheProcessofRecoverywrong.
    1
  887. In a hot war with Russia, there would be heavy losses on both sides in the first few days
    1
  888.  TheGovernor2003  you seriously think Russia is pro-America? The country that has been its rival for decades, and fought numerous proxy wars against? Seriously?! 😂
    1
  889.  TheGovernor2003  what planet do you live on? 😂
    1
  890.  TheGovernor2003  Russia is pro-American? 😂 As for the best country, it doesn't seem to be in terms of press freedom, human rights, human development, etc
    1
  891.  TheGovernor2003  why would we ever do that?
    1
  892. The US wanted to throw its weight around, and Europe let it. As the saying goes, "why have a dog, and bark yourself?". It's allowed European nations to pay less for their defence, knowing the US likes projecting its military strength all over the world anyway.
    1
  893.  @Вивсівідстій  it doesn't, but keep spouting nonsense if it makes you feel better 🤡
    1
  894. ​ @Iain1962 It doesn't make any such claim, it just says it generates power on thr ground, which it does
    1
  895.  @Iain1962  you seem to think that any burning of any fossil fuels is some kind of gotcha. It's not. Hybrid systems are still more efficient for the reasons I've outlined, even with the energy conversion losses. Direct drive turboprops waste a hell of a lot of energy as heat and noise, and need one engine per prop. This system needs one far smaller turbine to run 8 props, providing far better STOL capability than could otherwise be achieved. No one claimed it was 100% emission or fuel free, its just an improvement over existing tech in that regard. Don't let good be the enemy of perfect.
    1
  896.  @Iain1962  no, hybrid systems are more efficient because the fossil fuel component works far more efficiently and the losses due to power transmission don't come close to negating that. Obviously it cannot generate power without fuel, that's literally how a hybrid system works. Its still a big improvement over other aircraft of this size which would need to keep a main engine running at an inefficient RPM to get ground power
    1
  897. ​​ @Iain1962 hybrid systems are far more efficient, as the turbines are generally smaller than they would be for direct thrust, and can run constantly at an efficient RPM. The aircraft will have batteries like any other aircraft with any kind of electrical system does, as redundancy if nothing else Running a small turbine on the ground is what all airliners do, hence why they all have APUs, which is essentially what the turbine in this aircraft is, as it doesn't directly provide thrust, just electrical power
    1
  898.  @Iain1962  it has a hybrid system that generates electrical energy. GPU - ground power unit. Sometimes a diesel generator or sometimes just a big battery
    1
  899. It has a fossil fuel engine in the nose, hence the massive exhaust on one side
    1
  900. Look at the bots all talking to each other 😂
    1
  901.  @trs4u  British narration about an aircraft that uses lbs, on a US video hosting website for a global audience, so its perfectly reasonable to use either metric or imperial
    1
  902.  @trs4u  this is a US aircraft, and they tend to work in lbs regardless of where they operate. I've flown a range of aircraft and had to deal with fuel, for example, in lbs, kg and litres interchangeably depending on manufacturer
    1
  903. It's lb, not £
    1
  904. A weapon system itself cannot be evil, as that's a human trait.
    1
  905. ​​​ @richard9444  war actually tends to lose nations on both sides a lot of money.
    1
  906. ​ @nc1609 there hasn't been air supremacy by either side in this conflict, and it's unlikely there ever would in a major peer-peer conflict. Doesn't mean amphibious assaults don't happen, just that they're more costly, like any operation undertaken without air power. It's not Afghanistan mid-2000s anymore, operating under unopposed 24/7 air cover isn't an option. Doesn't mean operations stop as a result, the fight just gets harder. We don't have the luxury of deciding where rivers are located in the world.
    1
  907. Weak take
    1
  908. The US have anti-ballistic missile capability
    1
  909. ​ @jeffkardosjr.3825 depends what angle the round hits the cage at
    1
  910. In what way? 1 year old account, random alphanumeric combination in the name.. bot?
    1
  911. They did have some utility, same as the slat armour used by the US and UK in Afghanistan. They cause shaped charges to detonate prematurely, making the plasma spike much less effective
    1
  912. Ignoring the combined efforts of many western countries? US exceptionalism once again.
    1
  913. It's yet another tool Ukraine can use to make Russia hurt more for it's invasion.
    1
  914. Krembots out in force
    1
  915. What weird AI script is that?
    1
  916. ​ @davidrobertsemail F-35B
    1
  917. Our past navy was funded by our empire and the wealth that bought us. When the empire collapsed, we clung onto our imperial mindset despite not really having the money to pay for it. We no longer have that income to fund a large navy, and we also no longer have an empire to patrol. Times change, and a 'back in my day' mentality isn't helpful.
    1
  918.  @AA-xo9uw  this is incorrect. F-35 order time lines were set out ages ago, and the MOD have no need to bring those dates forward. The 48 will arrive by the end of the year as planned. As for E-7, all airframes have already been purchased and conversion work is well under way. The into service date has been pushed back, but we haven't delayed buying any E-7s. That is categorically false. We currently operate 22 A400M, which is all we ordered. Again, stop making stuff up.
    1
  919. It was for air trials with dedicated test airframes which carry an array of sensors not found on production F-35s. No UK jets were needed to achieve the aims of the trials, so none were embarked. The UK currently has around 40 F-35B, with more on order, awaiting production by Lockheed Martin. Not sure where people expect us to pull extra jets from when the production line can only turn out so many and there's a lot of orders to fill.
    1
  920. Off your meds again?
    1
  921. The curve of what?
    1
  922.  @arakami8547  it literally carries a surveillance radar, so not sure why you claim it doesn't have a radar fitted
    1
  923. It's just an extra, relatively cheap flying sensor. We have other kit for weapons and high end threats.
    1
  924. Yes
    1
  925.  @cliffordwebb3656  the Typhoon in this clip has fuselage roundels within the sqn marking just behind the cockpit, and an RAF tail flash. They're not easy to see because they're painted in their usual low-vis colours
    1
  926.  @cliffordwebb3656  military aircraft are legally required to have several markings, including roundels on the wings. All RAF Typhoons have them. The aircraft in this clip also has an RAF tail flash and fuselage markings of 41 Sqn, which includes a roundel, but they're tricky to see without pausing at the right time, and are deliberately painted in low-vis colours that give them a faded appearance
    1
  927. ​@cliffordwebb3656 the roundels are on the wings, just not clearly visible in this clip
    1
  928. RAF
    1
  929. Plenty around if you bother to look.
    1
  930. ​ @Bob10009 they're joint. 11 Sqn is jointly operated, same as 12 Sqn.
    1
  931. ​ @Aureus_ you realise that the overwhelming majority of veterans, nearly all of them in fact, have perfectly comfortable and normal lives after their time in the armed forces?
    1
  932. In terms of total personnel levels, maybe
    1
  933. ​ @RJM1011 no, because he'll just let dictators act as they wish, to the detriment of the rest of us
    1
  934. What is?
    1
  935. ​ @typhoon2827 it's not directly analogous, as the training pipeline has changed. In the JPs day, it was JP then Vampire/Gnat. Today the standard pathway is Prefect, then Texan, then Hawk. However, some students have gone from Prefect to Hawk directly (although this pathway is currently suspended).
    1
  936. They haven't lied, its been widely reported by many major outlets
    1
  937. This isn't NATO, this is the US. The US is in NATO, but its foreign policy is broadly separate.
    1
  938. Iron dome has stopped hundreds, if not thousands of missiles over its operational life. Occasionally, some get through, that's fairly common sense.
    1
  939. Nazi? Are you high? 😂
    1
  940. There is a large Jewish community in London, and other parts of the UK for that matter.
    1
  941. ​ @theoscott5266 there are a minority of Nazis on both sides, so it's really a moot point
    1
  942. ​ @SpikeyOfficial you realise the FBI don't have any jurisdiction in the UK, right?
    1
  943. 51% is a landslide to you?
    1
  944. ​ @ht-ve9fe NATO is already mutually beneficial. The US spends a lot more, but also gets a hell of a lot of access to basing around Europe that it otherwise wouldn't get.
    1
  945. Celebrating unchecked Russian aggression?
    1
  946. ​ @jerrymiller9039 because Trump's most likely course of action is to cut off supplies to Ukraine to force peace negotiations, effectively handing Russia exactly what they want
    1
  947. ​​ @kinwaisiu9414 none of what you've said is actually true.
    1
  948. ​ @xinke-o9p a two week old bot account? Chinese bot farms really are working overtime on this story.
    1
  949. ​​ @theylied1776 the point is that China doesn't really have the best political relationship with much of the Western world at the moment, certainly not NATO or the US, in the same way that Russia hasn't displayed any of its jets alongside NATO counterparts whilst relations have been less than ideal. I've been to plenty of airshows. Do you seriously not know the difference? A demo is what this video shows, a dynamic series of manoeuvres intended to showcase certain operational capabilites and put on a show. A flypast is just that, the jet does a pass or two with no aerobatics. The former takes months of training to perfect, and isn't done in conjunction with other nations due to the dangers that would present, and is conducted under some sort of display authority. A flypast, on the otherhand, can be easily conducted with partner nations and doesn't require the same stringent pre-approval for display safety. Russia and the US have never demo'd their jets next to each other. They have, however, conducted joint flypasts. In any case, it's still irrelevant, as a joint display would not reveal anything noteworthy about the participating aircraft, as the profiles they fly are pre-planned and therefore usually don't replicate actual combat envelopes or capabilities. Therefore, China's refusal to conduct a flypast with France is more of a political snub than ant kind of admission of inferior performance, given that flying in a straight line past a crowd isn't exactly taxing on an airframe.
    1
  950. ​​ @theylied1776 when was the last time the Russians brought one of their jets to a US airshow? There is also a significant difference between a demo and a flypast. In any case, choosing not to do a flypast with another nation has zero relevance to the performance of this aircraft. None. Airshow flying isn't representative of the true capabilites of any aircraft, just what looks good to the public. Whether China chooses to conduct flypasts with other nations is irrelevant.
    1
  951. ​Why would China do that? They're not allied to France, so why would they debut their latest fighter alongside a nation they have no military ties with? The first F-22 debut at RIAT in the UK also didn't involve any other aircraft from another nation flying alongside it. Why all the double standards?
    1
  952. Pretty hard to make that claim with no classified rcs data
    1
  953. ​ @Oxley016 J-20? There are no other LO long range canard interceptors of that kind anywhere in the world.
    1
  954. It was developed from a prototype known by a number of names, both official and otherwise, such as J-31, F-60, J-21, Snowy Owl or Falcon Hawk. The production model was given the designation J-35.
    1
  955. Standard AI bot answer
    1
  956. ​ @chasseausanglier3390 a fact which is not unique to those nations in the slightest, and irrelevant when looking at over-all national prosperity
    1
  957. Most of the global China criticism comes from some of the world's most developed economies. By comparison, china's belt and road initiative and associated goodwill PR campaigning has been focused heavily on developing economies and poorer nations.
    1
  958. Same attitude the US had about Japan before Pearl Harbor
    1
  959. ​​ @rain2016-hz you don't need simulation data to see that the F-35 and J-35 front ends are virtually identical. To claim this is due to mass and balance is a feeble cope. They even share the same forward hinging canopy that the F-35 only employs because of the location of the lift fan on the B variant. That's a dead giveaway.
    1
  960. ​ @frank-ko6de Porcelain is widely used globally for crockery such as plates. It's moved on a lot from the 14th century though.
    1
  961. Some of what you say is true, but comparing the front half of the F-35 and J-35, that's more than just similar. They're essentially nearly identical. The F-22, F-35, Su-57 and J-20 all look different, so it's not really credible to say that the visual similarities of the front of the J-35 are anything other than blatant copying.
    1
  962. ​​​ @brand8590 what do you mean by production movement? As for flight characteristics, none of those would be worth assessing from an airshow routine beyond a very broad indication of things like excess thrust, for the reason I've already stated that the displays are pre-planned and so not indicative of a full flight envelope. Contrails aren't really an indicator of anything other than combustion efficiency (ie smog production) Reaction time (wherever you actually mean by that) is a broadly pointless metric to measure, and has no real relevance to any of the performance characteristics we've been discussing. Again, the use of the phrase 'not stealth' indicates a lack of awareness of what that term actually means. To clarify, what exactly do you think 'stealth' means?
    1
  963. ​​ @brand8590 most analysis is simply guesswork given the highly secretive nature of China's aerospace development. Half the time, this has boiled down to crude analysis of photos taken with telescopic lenses from around Chinese airfields. No-one without a significant security clearance has access to any radar, avionics or 'stealth' (internal LO features, materials, RCS, etc) data, and talking about it publicly would be a great way of ending up in prison for breach of said clearance. The phrase 'certainly not stealth' shows a lack of understanding, as 'stealth' isn't a binary thing, it's a sliding scale. A basic analysis of the external features of the J-35 and J-20 would indicate that their RCS is most likely lower in the front hemisphere than a typical 4th gen fighter of comparable size, but again without knowing the materials, internal features and other aspects of the design, there's no definitive way of actually knowing.
    1
  964. And you know it's radar, avionics and stealth capabilities how, exactly?
    1
  965. You're confusing military strength with political objectives
    1
  966. Put your tin foil back on. This has nothing to do with religion
    1
  967. Taxes in this country are lower than many others
    1
  968. ​ @z0rgMeister there would be zero need for putin to use nukes, except in a bizarre last ditch 'salt the earth' effort that doesn't benefit anyone at all
    1
  969. It's already a war, don't kid yourself. Whatever Putin wants to call it is irrelevant. It was an invasion which led to a war
    1
  970. So just let Russia invade other nations as they wish? Doesn't sound like a great idea
    1
  971. No, they don't, get a grip
    1
  972. No, we don't need firearms legalised in the UK
    1
  973. Rent free, eh?
    1
  974. ​ @marts5555 fitness tests for all personnel, male and female, are changing in the next couple of months. Probably because a bleep test and a few press-ups and sit-ups are an awful way of measuring actual useful physical ability.
    1
  975. ​ @bestgamescore4953 a section IC will be an officer, and the person actually enacting their orders will be the SNCO 2iC. The system works well.
    1
  976. ​ @planet-p6f depends on the situation. It works well here, as it needs no other equipment and is easy for basically anyone to operate
    1
  977. it works, and that's what's important
    1
  978.  @SconHeadVideos  it does, carried on its escorts. It doesn't carry missiles for air defence in the same way it doesn't carry depth charges for defence against subs, and its escorts don't carry F-35s. Each carrier group is comprised of a number of vessels with specialised functions, rather than a whole load of 'jack of all trade' ships.
    1
  979. Carrier defence comes from layered defence. Escorts, aircraft and CIWS, amongst other things
    1
  980. Why? What possible task would an aircraft carrier perform there?
    1
  981. The UK is also out there shooting down drones
    1
  982. Russia is having to use North Korean weapons because its own stock are being depleted. Hardly the sign of a nation doing well
    1
  983. What would a carrier do in the channel, that coastguard vessels can't already do? There hasn't been an invasion of 'ISIS types', get a grip
    1
  984. ​​ @BritishFreedom well I'm assuming you're one of those bigots who calls for the murder of innocent civilians in the channel by the armed forces. I'm glad to be corrected though, if you could suggest any other use a carrier in the channel that the usual mix of coast guard and other civilian vessels couldn't already do? Interesting that you didn't answer my question, just called me a leftie.
    1
  985. No it doesn't
    1
  986.  @1chish  31 was correct as of September. A few more have arrived since then
    1
  987. We have around 40 F-35 currently
    1
  988. We have around 40 F-35Bs, with 48 on order and 74 fully funded.
    1
  989. There's no invasion, just a total failure of the Tory right to understand that closing legal asylum routes would lead to more illegal immigration. This is a problem of the right's own making. It's also not an invasion, grow up and get a grip 😂 The coastguard are responsible for coastal waters in peacetime
    1
  990. That's only looking at the UK in isolation. As NATO flagships they're a good size.
    1
  991. What exactly would a carrier do in UK coastal waters? What a waste of resources that would be
    1
  992.  @grahamstrouse1165  they do, on their escorts
    1
  993. ​ @davidrobertsemail correct
    1
  994.  @Astralwolf23  A Hapag-Lloyd vessel transiting from Greece to Asia was struck by a Houthi missile, and a MSC container vessel transmitting from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan was also attacked. It's not just Israel-related shipping which is being attacked. If that was the case, shipping companies operating non-Israeli routes wouldn't be feeling the need to divert their vessels around the southern tip of Africa. Your cost assessment of missiles is irrelevant. The cost of Houthi missiles or drones may be low, but the damage it causes to civilian vessels is far greater, as is the cost to global trade thanks to shipping detours.
    1
  995. ​@bren2385 Lorries, vans and specialist heavy vehicles (all over 3.5 tonnes), and buses, minibuses and coaches (all over 5 tonnes) do not need to pay the daily ULEZ charge. Therefore, ULEZ doesn't increase the cost of goods transported through it. That's just one of the many ways it is different to a discussion on global shipping. Hopefully you can grasp that. In any case, shall we try and stay on topic rather than going down a weird tangent of London air pollution control legislation? 😂
    1
  996.  @bren2385  why is it that whenever all caps are used online, it's always a good indicator of someone who won't be able to grasp basic concepts or form coherent points?
    1
  997. ​ @bren2385 ULEZ is to do with air quality, not global freight. In any case, it's irrelevant to this discussion
    1
  998.  @bren2385  yes, and detours mean more fuel used, so costs go up. The caps lock toggles off too, by the way.
    1
  999. Maintaining access to the Red Sea benefits us all. Without it, the cost of goods rises due to longer shipping routes
    1
  1000.  @schuletrip  so to be clear, you're advocating the murder of unarmed civilians?
    1
  1001. Yawn. We have around 40 F-35 at the moment
    1
  1002. Just under 40 currently. For comparison, the French carrier CdG had an average daily sortie rate in Libya of 11, which would easily be manageable with, for example, 24 jets.
    1
  1003. We don't operate any of those, and they cannot fulfil the same role anyway.
    1
  1004. How exactly would a carrier help in the channel?
    1
  1005.  @consultant2678  No I didn't. You picked a date in the future (01/05/24 hasn't arrived yet), then stated outdated information (31 aircraft, a total valid in Sep 23 but now incorrect). No need for personal attacks, is there? Let's keep this civil.
    1
  1006.  @consultant2678  Your info is out of date. 31 was the number quoted in a Sep 23 government report, but more have since arrived. 74 F-35B are fully funded by the treasury. This was confirmed by Chief of the Air Staff in a Navy Lookout article. Extract: "The initial tranche of 48 jets already on order will be delivered by 2025 and Knighton said the MoD now has the funding in place for the purchase of a further 26 aircraft, including the support and personnel costs. This will bring the UK fleet up to a total of 74 aircraft (minus the one jet lost in a non-fatal accident at sea in 2021)."
    1
  1007. We have around 40 at present, with a total of 48 ordered and 74 fully funded. The maintenance issue is a shortage of techies, not airframes
    1
  1008. What would that actually achieve? Standard low IQ suggestion
    1
  1009. Why would we? The whole point of a carrier is to be a floating airfield. Kent already has airfields 😂
    1
  1010. What would we use a military aircraft carrier for in the Channel?
    1
  1011. Only if there was an election on the horizon
    1
  1012. ​ @HunkumSpunkum they don't need to be armed to deal with unarmed civilians
    1
  1013. Migration is less of a threat to the UK than bigoted xenophobia. The latter is literally why we have an illegal immigration crisis at the moment.
    1
  1014.  @ShredCo  so to clarify, you're advocating the murder of civilians by a UK military carrier? That alone is disgusting, let alone your other frankly moronic suggestions for how to employ a carrier. Why would we use a carrier in the channel when we have air bases on the mainland? What a pointless waste of resources that would be, not to mention the total lack of suitability of armed fighter aircraft for channel maritime patrol.
    1
  1015. ​ @ShredCo what exactly would you use a carrier for in the channel?
    1
  1016. What use is a carrier in the English channel? We have air bases on the mainland, and no uses for carrier fighters there anyway.
    1
  1017. What would you suggest?
    1
  1018.  @HappyBear376  To what? Bigots and morons?
    1
  1019. What invasion?
    1
  1020. What would a carrier achieve in the channel?
    1
  1021. Most trade between the UK and Asia transits the Red Sea. Detours mean more fuel burned, which means the price of goods goes up
    1
  1022. How does the fact they're transgender translate to weakness?
    1
  1023. ​ @markbenjamin1703 foreign aid is a very useful soft power tool which people don't seem to understand the significance of. It allows us more freedom to operate worldwide without using military force. As for civil servants, the MOD replaced a lot of its UK-based roles with civil service posts to free up job slots for front line roles. Cutting civil servant roles would degrade our ability to run bases and the MOD even further.
    1
  1024. That's a job for politicians, not military leaders. Government dictates policy and objectives, and the military follows that direction. It is not the job of military leaders to weigh in on political issues
    1
  1025. Is the independence guarantee still valid since the Greek Cypriot coup? Does it transfer if the government it was made with is undemocratically ousted by another regime? If Turkish Cypriots had taken control of the whole island and pushed for unification with Turkey, should the British have supported them?
    1
  1026. ​ @davidrobertsemail they're not illegals, you clown
    1
  1027. As with any other conflict, war fighting in 2024 or any other year consists of a mix of conventional capabilities, sub threshold/covert operations and novel technologies. Ukraine is a good example of exactly this.
    1
  1028. They can afford fuel, but why waste more than we need to?
    1
  1029. Get a grip
    1
  1030. You can't perform on-board flight testing with a drone
    1
  1031. Useful ones are still in demand though
    1
  1032. You won't, people can move between fleets, and given this is a test and evaluation platform it will probably only be operated by flight-test qualified personnel anyway
    1
  1033. ​ @exsubmariner or in this case, being economical allows us to use our finite budget more effectively in other areas
    1
  1034. How many are there?
    1
  1035. Russias approach to airworthiness is somewhat lacking. It means shorter development time, but much greater risk of malfunction
    1
  1036. Doesn't make it invisible, just harder to see with a radar
    1
  1037. The UK has operated drones for years.
    1
  1038. Now they're asking North Korea, one of the world's most impoverished nations, for support. So strong.
    1
  1039. Just like their 5th gen programme? The US have been churning them out for decades, and Russia can barely maintain a small inferior SU-57 line
    1
  1040. Religion is irrelevant here. Both Ukraine and Russia are predominantly Christian nations
    1
  1041. In terms of aircrew training, things haven't been so great in recent years, since MFTS came in
    1
  1042. It still elongates their supply lines
    1
  1043. ​ @amunra5330 striking supply and ammunition depots deeper into Russia has a great strategic effect than hitting forward locations
    1
  1044. ​ @edudcixelsyd why would Putin use nukes, knowing that would lead to retaliation? He may be a dictator, but he doesn't want the key parts of his nation turned to glass.
    1
  1045. ​ @amunra5330 not really pathetic, it just shows that Russia's IADS is not infallible, but reasonably capable.
    1
  1046. Assets
    1
  1047.  @Badboy-lv9qj  sure, whatever you say
    1
  1048. We have 34 F-35B already, with a total of 48 on order, and a ring-fenced budget for 72 in total so far.
    1
  1049. ​ @paulwood6729 defence spending fell in real terms across the tory government's time in office. The reason the raw numbers got larger is due to inflation. The fact some people can't grasp that basic concept is frightening.
    1
  1050. Baseless speculation
    1
  1051. ​ @realhorrorshow8547 I love the word 'obsolete', because it allows easy identification of people who don't understand what the word actually means, but like to throw it around in defence contexts as if it is true 😂
    1
  1052. Get a grip, you're embarrassing. I understand you clearly don't like people who look or talk differently to you, but can you at least keep your xenophobia to yourself?
    1
  1053.  @BritishMilitaria  What? Women weren't allowed to serve in combat roles the last time we had conscription for major conflict. The world has moved on since the 1940s, and it's about time you did too.
    1
  1054. Not really, and certainly no more than over a decade of tory government did
    1
  1055. We live in a democracy, and that means elected representatives sit at the top of any government tree
    1
  1056. ​​ @minuteman4199 no one is being replaced, get a grip. Immigration has been a massive part of this country's history for thousands of years. Those arrested weren't imprisoned for being some kind of heroic saviour of Britain, they were jailed for being racist, violent bigots. As for the rapists and murders arguement, that entirely falls down when you consider that the overwhelming amount of violent crime against white British women, for example, is committed by their partner or someone they are close to, not an immigrant. Should we be deporting natives who commit crime?
    1
  1057. Who said they're the enemy?
    1
  1058. Those pilot and engineers have moved to other RAF platforms
    1
  1059. A400M. The C-17 production line ended years ago
    1
  1060. Since when did sock colour become a standards issue? As long as they do their job as socks, who cares what colour they are?
    1
  1061. ??
    1
  1062. ​ @peterfeeney721 Royal Artillery operate our GBAD. I'm any case, the UK air defence doctrine centres around keeping an enemy at arms length thanks to Typhoon, and utilising the many NATO nations, and distance, between us and Russia, for example. Other nations bring the bulk of the GBAD and we provide the fighter element.
    1
  1063. This is cheaper and easier to maintain, so we could have a larger fleet for the same money of an equivalent stormer fleet
    1
  1064. ​ @mikewinston8709 it makes perfect sense. Do you not understand it? Are you poorly coded?
    1
  1065. It's not exactly a bad thing to take a balanced view and acknowledge that our country treated some of our imperial subjects awfully
    1
  1066. It's nothing to do with British politics, there is a tripartite agreement in place between the UK, India and Nepal that the UK cannot alter unilaterally.
    1
  1067. The UK government has allowed the possibility of female gurkhas since 2018, but the Nepalese government does not currently allow them to sign up. We have no say over what Nepal decides to do regarding military service gender laws.
    1
  1068. ​ @tigerland4328 what threat are we likely to face alone with more military punch than us? Russia? Not alone. China? Not alone. Argentina? Hardly a threat. It's like people forget that European defence is resourced and managed around the concept of collective defence from NATO. If you factor in the surface fleets of all other NATO members, we are part of the largest maritime military force on the planet.
    1
  1069. That's not a job for a military in peacetime
    1
  1070. Foreign aid is worrying about ourselves, through soft power rather than requiring military force
    1
  1071. No we're not, because we will be part of a larger combined NATO force in any large confrontation with any actual threat.
    1
  1072. Defence isn't just about manning physical borders from attack, but also about keeping the fight 'over there'. Fighting wars on foreign soil is far more preferable to having to fight them on or near UK soil.
    1
  1073. A carrier isn't required. We have an actual airfield in range (Akotiri) as demonstrated by recent strikes
    1
  1074.  @gcarter1973  speed is irrelevant for turn performance. Also, the F-35 is designed predominantly as a BVR fighter
    1
  1075.  @johnallen7807  What do you think 'woke' means?
    1
  1076.  @johnallen7807  LAC doesn't even exist as a rank anymore. I'm not really prepared to take lessons on air power requirements from a retired soldier with out of date knowledge.
    1
  1077. There are good reasons for letting the RN and Army operate certain types. It frees up budget for the RAF (one of the reasons the RAF was so keen to pass Merlin to the RN), and the different branches undergo different training, and therefore an Army pilot will have a greater understanding of ground forces than an RAF pilot, for example. That being said, all F-35 are under RAF control (1 Group), and every FAA/RAF Sqn is a mixture of personnel from both services.
    1
  1078. F-35 is a multinational programme with the UK providing significant design and manufacturing expertise, but the US picking up 80% of the bill. Economies of scale make this way cheaper than it would have been as a UK-only endeavour.
    1
  1079. ​ @kael13 we don't need a separate space force. UK Space Command is part of the RAF, alongside Air Command. Unlike the French, for example, who've rebranded to an Air and Space Force, we're keeping the traditional name of the RAF
    1
  1080. That would be pointlessly expensive and logistically intensive, given the lack of commonality in parts and airframe design between the two
    1
  1081. Not as it currently stands. The UK fleet is entirely F-35B, and all under the control of 1 Group, RAF
    1
  1082. All UK F-35 Sqns are under 1 Group RAF command, and have a mix of RAF/FAA personnel. No reason not to, when they do the same job under the same command.
    1
  1083. Plenty of single engine jet aircraft in the world, and modern engines are very resilient to debris
    1
  1084.  @henryvagincourt4502  Marham is right next to the North Sea. Literally take off any fly North for a few mins and you're over the water. Distance to water in the UK is fairly irrelevant anyway, because you can get across the country in 20-30 mins by air.
    1
  1085. ​ @alangunningham5667 the RN is certainly intending to use them in ground attack, hence why they're equipped with Paveway IV and soon to be equipped with SPEAR 3
    1
  1086. Yes, it's the UK sat com network
    1
  1087. There are a couple of UK spaceports and launch vehicles in development at the moment
    1
  1088. That would mean cutting back on other areas like education or healthcare
    1
  1089. ​ @phucknuts.7065 I should have clarified, there is a difference between doing it on the cheap, and being economical
    1
  1090. Nothing wrong with that, best value for money means you get to do more with a finite budget
    1
  1091.  @BootneckAlphaKilo  border security in peacetime is the remit of border force, coastguard and police. The armed forces only have a responsibility for border security in wartime against military threats
    1
  1092. That's not the job of the armed forces, it is a political issue
    1
  1093. Every single military vehicle or personnel is a target. That doesn't mean its somehow useless or obsolete.
    1
  1094. Are you referring to the Nazis in Russia's military?
    1
  1095. How did he have the opportunity to end it? Did he have the power to reverse Russia's invasion?
    1
  1096. Not much. Russia won't use nukes for a small incursion like this. Its hardly a last resort situation.
    1
  1097. Yes, that it's being operated by the German armed forces
    1
  1098. Any relevance to this clip?
    1
  1099. ​ @JJ_Khailha what does that even mean? 😂
    1
  1100. ​ @JJ_Khailha none of that is based on reality. As for batteries being a weak point, you realise that fuel tanks and turboshaft engines also don't do well with small arms fire? Batteries are also already shielded for fire protection, which provides armour.
    1
  1101.  @JJ_Khailha your comment about it being shot down within 5 minutes. Helicopters and drones are equally vulnerable in that regard.
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  1102. ​ @bobskywalker2707 any helicopter or drone is vulnerable to small arms. That's why actual front line kit has armour around critical components. This is just a trial of a prototype, not the end product.
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  1103. ​ @SWGOHWARS-66 EW includes IR countermeasures, and this vehicle has a very low IR signature anyway due to the electric drive, so a seeker is going to have a hard time getting a decent lock
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  1104. Every one Qatari student trained, pays for a few RAF students. Same with them funding the upgrade developments on things like Typhoon.
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  1105. Some choose to learn some conversational phrases, but the Qatari standard of English is way higher than our standard of Arabic
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  1106. These are brand new hawks
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  1107. ​ @chrishowells4182 Or a good indicator that some people just refuse to move with the times. Airbase or station both work perfectly fine to convey meaning here.
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  1108. We realised that there are more important things than worrying about hair styles, like air safety for example.
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  1109. ​ @EvoraGT430 RAF advanced fast jet training is split between Valley and Leeming, albeit not an equal split. Leeming's RAF pilot output is still crucial, as are the programmes in Italy, the US and others that also produce our fast jet pilots
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  1110. Times change, better to get over it than worry too hard about what a station commander decides to call their base
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  1111. 2 of 6 on that particular Leeming course. RAF Valley hawk courses are predominantly filled with UK trainees. Nothing to do with desperation, just using available resources efficiently.
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  1112. Explosives are expensive
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  1113. NATO aggression? When did NATO or Ukraine invade Russia? Pretty sure it was the Russians who invaded 😂
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  1114.  @pixels303at-odysee9  it is wise to question things you're told, but that doesn't mean latching onto any half-baked conspiracy theory that fits your paranoia
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  1115.  @pixels303at-odysee9  I'll take that risk, rather than falling for every conspiracy out there
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  1116. "Cabal", ah, another tin foil enthusiast 😂
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  1117. Hawk T.1 is still a perfectly good aircraft for the Reds. For actual flying training, the T.2 is a massive step up
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  1118. Probably just short-hand for 5th gen-equipped carrier
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  1119. It was never promised at $40mil per aircraft
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  1120. ​ @1chish Whilst the payload is impressive, the name 'Beast Mode' is somewhat juvenile
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  1121.  @jb76489  Rolls-Royce literally developed the entire lift system (incidentally called LiftSystem), which includes the Lift Fan, Driveshaft, 3 Bearing Swivel Module and Roll Posts. That's literally every vertical thrust component unique to the F-35B. From the RR website itself: "We put the vertical lift in the F-35B Lightning II. Our LiftSystem® is the only vertical lift technology for fighter jets in production in the world. The unrivalled performance of the LiftSystem comes in part from the latest in digital control and fan system technology to deliver responsive, precise and powerful short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability with minimal impact on total airframe weight. The system is a descendant of the Pegasus engine, comprised of the Rolls‑Royce LiftFan®, Driveshaft, 3 Bearing Swivel Module (3BSM) and Roll Posts. Rolls‑Royce has been the industry leader in short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) technology for 60 years."
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  1122.  @jb76489  none of what I've said is a lie. What don't you agree with?
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  1123. ​ @paolodechipiece1027 the UK manufactures approx 15% (by value) of the F-35. Rolls Royce is responsible for the entire Lift System on the B variant, and BAE Systems designed much of the aft fuselage.
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  1124. The UK contributed significant design and manufacturing expertise to the F-35 programme, but the US provided 80% of the funding. Without this joint multinational programme, the UK would have produced something far inferior and more expensive per unit than the F-35, due to lack of funding and resources.
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  1125. The F-35B has a greater payload capacity than the C variant (around twice that of the Harrier it replaced), and a similar range to an F-18. The two islands allow for redundancy and also a separation of flight ops and ship command. As for the empty deck, aircraft only embark when needed.
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  1126. The issue isn't airframes, it's pilots. We have more airframes at Marham than we have pilots able to fly them, because the training pipeline is broken. It is currently taking over 7 years for many fast jet pilots to reach the front line.
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  1127. It's not meant for leading armour spearheads, it's meant to move people around quickly
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  1128. No, not the correct use case for EV
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  1129. Not really, this is way better than a knackered snatch landrover
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  1130. Landrover is Indian
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  1131. ​ @tana1234 those were ancient, knackered snatch landrovers, not really the same at all
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  1132. Not really, the world of military tech doesn't suddenly just stop working because drones have appeared
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  1133. Different vehicles for different situations. As for armour, our island nation doesn't need to prioritise armour, as we have NATO allies for that
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  1134. Doesn't need to offer protection, just needs to be highly mobile
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  1135. It's been used for years in the UK armed forces, nothing new
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  1136. They don't
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  1137. Stop making things up
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  1138. There's a difference between simply filming the guards and treating them with disrespect whilst they are performing their ceremonial duty. No one has any issues with people filming the guards
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  1139. We don't use the armed forces for illegal immigration control. We have the police, border force and coastguard for that
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  1140. No, just leaning on his hand
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  1141. It's not the busiest in terms of aircraft movements, as many fighter stations or training bases will generate more activity, but in terms of operational activity its the UK military air transport hub.
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  1142. Much like any other new military tech, countermeasures won't be far behind.
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  1143. The US are unlikely to let that happen, given their oil interests
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  1144. If you perform well enough at OASC, yes.
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  1145. Korea isn't really a UK concern, and Argentina are in no fit state to try anything. Their new president has even admitted as much. Venezuela would be foolish to try anything, as it will finally give the US the legitimate war justification it needs to oust Maduro.
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  1146. If people can't get on board with inclusion (ie not being a total bell to other people based on their gender, race or sexual orientation, for example) they don't deserve to be a part of the military in the first place. Respect for your colleagues is a key part of the military. Recruitment policy has no effect on retention. They're two ends of the pipeline.
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  1147. Lads in trackies and chav hoodies has been the army's main demographic for decades.
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  1148. There's plenty of air activity around Ukraine. Russia has been constantly deploying stand-off weapons from fighters and bombers, helicopters have been providing support to troops, intelligence aircraft have been bringing in useful information. Even with drones, there's still a lot of use for manned aircraft. It isn't all about strafing the enemy.
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  1149. Your tin foil stocks running low?
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  1150.  @MultiNike79  your ignorant conclusions prove otherwise. Putin murders his political rivals, journalists reporting on corruption, and LGBT people just for existing. Doesn't sound very liberal to me. Then there's his work with Nazis, and his defacto dictatorship over Russia.
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  1151. ​ @MrBonako it's not a mental disorder, it's common across the entire animal kingdom. The mental disorder is delusional bigotry over an issue which does not affect you in any way.
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  1152. Hardly, just another way of getting intelligence from desperate young men scared of death. The same happened with French brothels in WWII
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  1153. No additional money has been spent on any of this. Those pilots were employed regardless, those aircraft would have flown regardless, and weapons were already in inventory with shelf lives that mean they would either get dropped or disposed of eventually.
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  1154. Tbf it doesn't make much sense for Canada use it's own kit for this when RAF Typhoons are routinely based in Cyprus and the US has a carrier group in the area
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  1155. ​@ddontyychill out Krembot, there's no 'invasion', just (deliberately) poor management of the UK asylum system making illegal routes far more profitable to criminal gangs who traffick people.
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  1156. Nothing to do with being thankless, more to do with dreadful recruitment timescales, poor conditions and pay leading to dreadful retention, and far too much work piled onto too few individuals. Honestly, why would anyone bother going TG1 if they could have a far better career in the civvie airline world?
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  1157. ​​ @SodaPrezsing Defence-related YouTube comments: waaaah the UK/NATO just relies on the US to do its military work for it. Also defence-related YouTube comments: waaaah, why do other nations get involved when the US could just do it all?
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  1158. "Sleeping army", get a grip 😂
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