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RAF Poseidon on first sortie this week - but escorted??


JohnT

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BBC reporting here

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53693886

 

Forgive my ignorance by why the Typhoons?

 

from the BBC report:-

"During Monday's mission, the Poseidon's crew were supported by Typhoon fighter jets stationed at Lossiemouth and a Voyager refuelling aircraft from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire."  (my italics)

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Is zhe defensive system on the P-8 fully operational already? Maybe the Typhoons supported in that way?

The Voyager was needed to krep them in the air for a prolonged time I'd asdume!

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One Poseidon, two Typhoons and one Voyager seems an expensive way to keep an eye on one Russian ship outside UK waters.  In the bad old days of Cold War tension a Shackleton or Nimrod would have been enough. (Mind you keeping a Lightning out for an extended time might have stretched the fuel budget for the year:D). One assumes it was necessary so I am wondering what the rationale was 

1 hour ago, Duncan B said:

Photo opportunity ?

 

Duncan B

Given the way MOD spends cash possibly but if only a few snaps were wanted would a quick rendezvous and smile for the birdie followed by a dash home have required air to air refuelling?  Presumably there was some hanging around getting done out there? 
 

Still has an odd feel to it

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18 minutes ago, JohnT said:

 

Given the way MOD spends cash possibly but if only a few snaps were wanted would a quick rendezvous and smile for the birdie followed by a dash home have required air to air refuelling?  Presumably there was some hanging around getting done out there? 
 

Still has an odd feel to it

Depends what training was already taking place at the time I suppose, the tanker might have been in the area with the Typhoons anyway.

It does seem odd to phrase it the way the Press release did though as it made it sound like this was the normal operating procedure which would be odd (and Hell for the fast jet jocks sitting for 6-8 hours following a Boeing 737 around the sky over a forbidding sea :) ). Is this what happens when you have a Navy that hasn't got enough crew to operate the too few ships it does have?

 

Duncan B

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I'd always understood that it was SOP to put a tanker up whenever the fighters launched from QRA, so the presence of the tanker doesn't seem odd to me.

 

Looks like the chance was being taken by the MoD for a bit of positive publicity with a show of strength and to show off the new toy. There has been criticism lately that the RN hasn't always been able to deploy a destroyer / frigate every time a Russian warship has come close to our shores. At the beginning of July a Russian task force, including a large Udaloy class destroyer, transitting the Channel was "escorted" by two River class patrol vessels, armament 1*20mm and a couple of GPMG. But it does raise the question where was the RN in all of this.

 

Or maybe the RAF trying to get one over on the RN with budgets under review! But there is no inter-service rivalry so that can't be possible!!

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All about the image and opportunity I would think with the Press release wording intended to appeal to readers of newspapers with 'Daily' in their titles.

 

Would seem unlikely to have been a QRA response from the Typhoons as the one  in 2 Squadron markings is carrying a RAIDS Pod , a training store , as opposed to an ASRAAM on the outer wing station.

 

From what I have read over the years there does seem to be a certain formality to the way in which these photo-ops are conducted with at least the tacit agreement of the ship involved and are rarely as edgy as the media would like us to believe.

 

The MoD would have known the ship was on its way , the P-8 would have been assigned in advance to monitor it and the Typhoon/Voyager participation would make for a nice story.      Is it just coincidence that since being 'tarted up' that ZZ336 always seems to be the tanker of choice on these occasions , is it the only one that works at the moment or is it no use for anything else?  

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7 hours ago, EwenS said:

I'd always understood that it was SOP to put a tanker up whenever the fighters launched from QRA, so the presence of the tanker doesn't seem odd to me.

 

Looks like the chance was being taken by the MoD for a bit of positive publicity with a show of strength and to show off the new toy. There has been criticism lately that the RN hasn't always been able to deploy a destroyer / frigate every time a Russian warship has come close to our shores. At the beginning of July a Russian task force, including a large Udaloy class destroyer, transitting the Channel was "escorted" by two River class patrol vessels, armament 1*20mm and a couple of GPMG. But it does raise the question where was the RN in all of this.

 

Or maybe the RAF trying to get one over on the RN with budgets under review! But there is no inter-service rivalry so that can't be possible!!

Given that half the 45s are in refit and out of the remaining 13 type 23s (all of which are old and do sterling service) at least a third of those are in bit.  You tell me where the RN is .....up a creek without a paddle.Fair one on the crabs on a PR opportunity....at least most their aircraft arent 21+ years old .

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Quote:

"The Voyager involved is used by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the royal family for international travel."

 

Along with a picture of the flag bedecked aeroplane in question. 

 

That says 'Look it's also an operational aircraft too' not just a Boris Force One. 

 

Nice bit of none to subtle PR.

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On 8/9/2020 at 6:52 PM, junglierating said:

Given that half the 45s are in refit and out of the remaining 13 type 23s (all of which are old and do sterling service) at least a third of those are in bit.  You tell me where the RN is .....up a creek without a paddle.Fair one on the crabs on a PR opportunity....at least most their aircraft arent 21+ years old .

Well, HMS Defender was off the Cornish coast last Wednesday.

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And clearly another press release. What’s with being all shouty about the Poseidon?  Feels like someone is trying to get it exposure :shrug:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53754245

 

and it’s part of a “fleet” of nine. Sounds a bit grand for nine planes. I’d have thought “squadron” more appropriate. 

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1 hour ago, JohnT said:

And clearly another press release. What’s with being all shouty about the Poseidon?  Feels like someone is trying to get it exposure :shrug:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53754245

 

and it’s part of a “fleet” of nine. Sounds a bit grand for nine planes. I’d have thought “squadron” more appropriate. 

I was down at Dymchurch today on the south Kent coast and saw this beauty.
 

First time I’ve seen an RAF version and boy did she look shiny in the glorious sunshine today. Sadly I didn’t have a camera at hand as she was low and slow and even the wife was impressed!

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On 8/12/2020 at 7:02 PM, JohnT said:

And clearly another press release. What’s with being all shouty about the Poseidon?  Feels like someone is trying to get it exposure :shrug:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53754245

 

and it’s part of a “fleet” of nine. Sounds a bit grand for nine planes. I’d have thought “squadron” more appropriate. 

@JohnT, its a PR thing. The taxpayers have funded some new equipment and this is a way of showing that its in service and delivering. It’s also “soft power” messaging.

 

When it comes to “fleets”, well that seems to be one of the more recent buzzwords in the never ending game of buzzword bingo; everything is a fleet now.  As for a “squadron” it’s is more than just a number of aircraft, it’s about the people as well, so Poseidon will have (at least) 2 squadrons, so when 201 reform in a couple of years, fleet does start to become more appropriate (although the traditionalist in me says that’s a “wing” (RAF) not a fleet (RN)) 😉

 

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On 8/11/2020 at 11:56 AM, junglierating said:

Yep and I was on DRAGON last week and DIAMOND was on the north west wall....so that's half .. the other half are in refit/repair .What's your point ....not much flesh on the bone was mine 

 

Didn't have one. Just saying, that's all.

 

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