Alan P Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Here's a great gallery of the 14 F-35s aboard the Queen Elizabeth during the latest deployment. https://imgur.com/a/ykV87Ur 4 RAF jets from 617 Sqn and 10 from VMFA-211 USMC provided the biggest fixed-wing naval element on a Royal Navy ship since the 80s. Brings a tear to my eye! Alan 7 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 Nice and quite a force! Good start! But QE should be able to operate more than double that, no? Wonder if we will see any heavy load outs on the Lightnings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blimpyboy Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 How long will it be ‘till a full complement of British aircraft are ready? Assuming all the crew stay healthy... https://www.naval-technology.com/news/hms-queen-elizabeth-covid/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 That does seem a bit odd - having more US jets than UK, on a UK ship. But in wartime, the commonality would seem to be a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwenS Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 4 hours ago, Alan P said: Here's a great gallery of the 14 F-35s aboard the Queen Elizabeth during the latest deployment. https://imgur.com/a/ykV87Ur 4 RAF jets from 617 Sqn and 10 from VMFA-211 USMC provided the biggest fixed-wing naval element on a Royal Navy ship since 1983. Brings a tear to my eye! Alan +1 more. And lets not forget the 8 Merlin helicopters 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) 21 hours ago, Alan P said: 4 RAF jets from 617 Sqn and 10 from VMFA-211 USMC provided the biggest fixed-wing naval element on a Royal Not true Purple Warrior 1987 14 Shars and 6/7 GR3s from 4 squadron on board Ark ....I counted them plus 2 pingers from 826 ...TRUE Edited September 27, 2020 by junglierating 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 I've just finished watching a 3-part documentary on the QE's first trip to the US and the first landing and takeoffs from the decks, and they can and will be supporting 24 airframes eventually. Not sure whether they'll all be deployed at once, as I'm sure the RAF will want to play with them on land too. I notice that deck has become a lot more sooty since the first landings. Hope it's holding up. It is weird to see the stars and bars on our decks, but as someone said it's good to have some commonality. I've lost track of how many airframes we've got right now, and are there British pilots in the cockpits of the US marked 'planes? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted September 26, 2020 Share Posted September 26, 2020 I know the UK F-35's must have some UK bits in them, but are they, for the most part, identical with the USMC types? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 20 hours ago, Slater said: I know the UK F-35's must have some UK bits in them, but are they, for the most part, identical with the USMC types? They should be quite similar... But then surely there is a UK spec software standard that allows PWIV and ASRAAM employment And then there was this info on how much money was needed to bring Turkish destined A models up to USAF spec. So there seem to be differences.... The F-35I is also known tp be a bit different to the A.... So, who knows and can write about UK specifics???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Well, I think that finally "puts paid" to any political/military ambitions a certain country in the South Atlantic whose name begins with "A" might have entertained 'til now with regard to a a group of islands whose name begins with "F." 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 2 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Well, I think that finally "puts paid" to any political/military ambitions a certain country in the South Atlantic whose name begins with "A" might have entertained 'til now with regard to a a group of islands whose name begins with "F." Really ? Its unlikely anyway but im pretty sure the USMC isnt particularly interested....plus i dont think the mob is interested in any high sea adventures ...count the number of ships that went down south then count how many we have now.Stil im sure you mean well I 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV107 Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 3 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Well, I think that finally "puts paid" to any political/military ambitions a certain country in the South Atlantic whose name begins with "A" might have entertained 'til now with regard to a a group of islands whose name begins with "F." The rather large airfield at MPA plus a QRA which could take out about 35% of Argentina's extant combat air in a single sortie by a two-ship has been doing that for quite some years. Much of the recent shouting was by the former President (now back as Vice-President), and it should be remembered that 'Las Malvinas Son Argentinas' has two English translations - the obvious one and 'Look! A Squirrel!', the latter being used when the population is beginning to suspect that the government is to economic competence what Mr Bean is to complex urban operations. There is a fairly impressive reinforcement plan for the Falklands; unless I were sure a putative invasion were to be conducted in the light of a complete failure of intelligence, I'd not want to be the Argentine president who authorised Op ROSARIO 2... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 Exactly unlikely....which is very fortunate for all concened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted September 27, 2020 Share Posted September 27, 2020 By the time "that other country" has the financial resources to afford a modern air force, Tempest will be undergoing it's mid-life update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglierating Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) Hmm it's all a bit warlike all this talk suppose having attended a few bun fights in a flower power suit it all becomes a bit meh....not that I didnt get some sort of thrill out of it....but life before Gulf war 1 with far east trips and a girl in every port etc seems safer to me 🤭🤔 Oh and I want to drink my body weight in a good Melbec ...Tis Argentine you know 🍷🍷🍷🍷 Edited September 28, 2020 by junglierating 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 To me it also seems way too polemic... on both sides actually! 40 years after the war it is still mostly a rock with lots of sheep... and 4 Typhoons... And Argentinians could also care more about other pressing issues on mainland Argentina..... 🦆 and cover 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV107 Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Oh, in my younger days, before President Kirchner, I got to work with a number of Argentine officers. Good blokes all of them, and we didn't mention the obvious (or the handball...). I'd hate to think that we might end up fighting them or their offspring as the result of political grandstanding. My favourite is still the Lt Cdr who stood up and began his question to Julian Thompson ' I am Lt Cdr XXX, Argentine Navy. When I was aboard my ship in 1982 <look of alarm in JT's eyes, and those of Sandy Woodward and Michael Beetham who happened to be on the Q&A panel> it's alright, sirs, no unexpected swimming was involved...' 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 So how's the coronavirus situation aboard HMS Queenie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 3 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said: So how's the coronavirus situation aboard HMS Queenie? all very reserved, of course... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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