UK to acquire new Maritime Patrol Aircraft in response to Russian Submarine threat

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

I don't see why it wouldn't be useful for that. It's supposed to be beyond just merely a capable aircraft.

It's got impressive loiter ability from what I've read of it... So S and R would be a useful side line ability.

a reply to: seagull

Apologies its coming up to midnight and I've been at work most of the evening. I'm allowed a stupid question lol

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Apparently they can be used for such a mission -

PMA290 is soliciting information on industry's capacity to fulfil a joint US Navy (USN) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (SAR) Kit requirement for integration in the P-8A weapons bay. The SAR kit will be employed from the P-8A weapons bay with an employment envelope ranging from 100ft/185KCAS to 500ft/200KCAS (threshold) and 1500ft/340KCAS (objective) with carriage through the entire P-8A envelope (Max 41,000ft/0.82M). The kit will be required to interface with the BRU-75/A, a 14in hook pneumatically powered bomb rack and will be limited to a circular diameter of 16in, and length of 115in. To support integration with the P-8A, the mass properties of the SAR kit are bounded to Not to Exceed 1000 lbs. The SAR kit must be capable of supporting 10 (threshold) to 20 (objective) people with an integral survival kit. Sample contents of the survival kit include those in Table 1.

Linky

This maritime patrol and ASW aircraft will have up to 7 operator consoles in it's cabin. Aircraft will have electro-optical and infrared sensor turret, maritime surveillance radar, signal intelligence system. It's radar is capable of detection, classification and identification of ships, small vessels and surfaced submarines. It also has costal surveillance capability. The P-8A will be also fitted with advanced magnetic anomaly detection system for submarine tracking. The Poseidon can be used for search and rescue operations.

Linky

a reply to: stumason

Nice one cheers stu

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

None necessary.

Only stupid questions are one's you don't ask.

Thought id share my pic of a P-8 at RAF fairford

Several companies, including Boeing have started development of Maritime Surveillance Aircraft as a cheap alternative to a full up MPA. They usually include an advanced sea search radar, and a FLIR/EO capability. Unlike an MPA though they have, at best, a limited ASW capability.

We had a similar discussion a few years back:

originally posted by: _Del_
Assuming you squeeze that much out of the budget, and you're going to be able to spend that much, why not get more airframes than 8? I'd buy the SeaHerc; you would get almost double the airframes for the price, and the lion's share of your logistical/training structure is already existing in the RAF C-130J's. It also maintains full cargo capability.

I'm pretty much still of the same mind.

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Proper old school Cold War aircraft, noisey and different looking.

That would be
www.avroshackleton.co.uk...

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Would the P-8s also be useful for search and rescue? I use to love seeing the nimrod with its huge search light switched on did always find it odd though as to why it had a big light on one wing. However if I was stranded at sea and saw a nimrod fly over it would give me a lot of hope.



I saw a p-8 at fairford last year. Didn't see it fly as it was on static .. Saw it take off for its departure though .. Nice aircraft



Edit: just had to mention I loved seeing the nimrods at air shows .. Proper old school Cold War aircraft, noisey and different looking.

I always thought it moved well for such an old and large aircraft and spat out its black smoke - great aircraft. I worked on MRA4 (RIP) and was told that the searchlight, placed in front of a fuel tank got so hot they could only turn it on in flight or it would overheat.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: ScepticScot

There's a lot that can be done about it if you know where they are and shooting starts. First the MPA itself carries torpedoes and other weapons. They can vector in ASW surface ships, or other subs. Even if shooting doesn't start, it can harass the sub until it leaves the area.

How do you think most of the equipment the US used in the Middle East got there? Or back to the US? Or anywhere else for that matter.

It wasn't by air. Knowing where subs are is incredibly important.

Oooooh I'd love to see a 70 ton Abrams tank loaded into a sub, and unloaded the other end.

originally posted by: Forensick

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Would the P-8s also be useful for search and rescue? I use to love seeing the nimrod with its huge search light switched on did always find it odd though as to why it had a big light on one wing. However if I was stranded at sea and saw a nimrod fly over it would give me a lot of hope.



I saw a p-8 at fairford last year. Didn't see it fly as it was on static .. Saw it take off for its departure though .. Nice aircraft



Edit: just had to mention I loved seeing the nimrods at air shows .. Proper old school Cold War aircraft, noisey and different looking.

I always thought it moved well for such an old and large aircraft and spat out its black smoke - great aircraft. I worked on MRA4 (RIP) and was told that the searchlight, placed in front of a fuel tank got so hot they could only turn it on in flight or it would overheat.



That search light goes back to the 40's when anti sub planes used it at night to blind anti aircraft gun crews of subs caught
on the surface recharging their batteries.

a reply to: stumason

Seems way more serious than the thing the Swedes recently considered :

Swedish activists deploy ‘gay propaganda’ defense system against lurking Russian subs

a reply to: Forensick

They told us that if they turned it on, and you were standing within about ten feet of it, it would instantly knock you unconscious.

a reply to: stumason
Your reliable sources appear to be the MOD website and a industry magazine. Very impartial. You say you don't read papers which is your choice but is a good idea to be clear about the difference between journalism and advertising.

There was a piece on the BBC earlier about Japan's change of policy re defence sales, which has been lifted, thus allowing Japan to develop a defence export market.

The correspondent specifically mentioned the Kawasaki MPA as something the Brits would be interested in. Would this be wishful thinking, or an interesting development? Certainly, comparing the Boeing P8 and the Kawasaki P1 shows (on paper at least) some interesting features.

a reply to: paraphi

Now that would be an interesting twist.

Old thread, but the first RAF P-8 Poseidon is on its initial flight out of Boeing Field today. After the initial flight today, the aircraft will have the mission systems installed, before continuing its test program.

a reply to: stumason

The P-8 has no MAD gear. It doesn't track magnetic distortions.

a reply to: JIMC5499

Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me... MAD gear, from my admittedly limited knowledge, allows for rapid general locating of a submerged submarine--allowing the plane to use other gear to pin point it more precisely.

Or am I wrong??

Did they replace it with something better??