Cyclone Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Cyclone, seriously, you're talking out of your arse on this one. You're one of the smartest folk on SF but on this occasion you're miles off beam. Aircraft carriers are old tech. Capital ships are past their sell by. It takes more than your statement to make that true though. And I haven't seen any reasoning behind this 'fact' despite it being repeated several times. It doesn't even tie up with our plans to build 2 new carriers and spend a ridiculous amount on VTOL F32s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I think you mean Coningsby? Cottesmore was a Harrier base and held its formal closing ceremony earlier this year after the retirement of the Harrier. I would be seriously impressed if a Typhoon could reach the Falklands from the UK in a day (which it can't)! I would imagine we have typhoons stationed at RAF Gibraltar and the Ascension Islands, both of which I would imagine have the capability of providing air to air refuelling for the typhoons, RAF Mount Pleasant, Falklands does have air to air refuelling aircraft. Flight time from Ascension Island to Falklands 2.5 hours, from Gibraltar, 5-6 hours and from UK 7-8 hours. Obviousely if you are in the RAF you may know something I don't, why can't they get there in a day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFKvsNixon Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 It takes more than your statement to make that true though. And I haven't seen any reasoning behind this 'fact' despite it being repeated several times. It doesn't even tie up with our plans to build 2 new carriers and spend a ridiculous amount on VTOL F32s. We are not buying SVTOL F32s any more, we are buying the standard carrier version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I think you mean Coningsby? Cottesmore was a Harrier base and held its formal closing ceremony earlier this year after the retirement of the Harrier. I would be seriously impressed if a Typhoon could reach the Falklands from the UK in a day (which it can't)!Which it can. The Tornado F3s would fly there from the UK when 1435 Flt's detachment cover swapped between the UK-based F3 squadrons, the same would happen with Typhoon. A long stretch for the aircrew but nothing remarkable with air to air refuelling. Typhoon is limited by the number of landings/sorties it can run without main base download before its on-board data recorder starts over-writing data, but for long ferry that is not a show stopper. I would imagine we have typhoons stationed at RAF Gibraltar and the Ascension Islands, both of which I would imagine have the capability of providing air to air refuelling for the typhoons, RAF Mount Pleasant, Falklands does have air to air refuelling aircraft. Flight time from Ascension Island to Falklands 2.5 hours, from Gibraltar, 5-6 hours and from UK 7-8 hours. Obviousely if you are in the RAF you may know something I don't, why can't they get there in a day? We don't have Typhoons stationed at Gibraltar or Ascension. Your flight times are way out - aircraft have to travel at a fuel efficient cruising speed on long hauls. Even late generation aircraft like Typhoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobgok23 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I hope they do attack, it will be interesting to see if this generation was as tough as my generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We don't have Typhoons stationed at Gibraltar or Ascension. Your flight times are way out - aircraft have to travel at a fuel efficient cruising speed on long hauls. Even late generation aircraft like Typhoon. If there was no rush to get there even at their most fuel efficient speed they could still get there in day with in flight refuelling, at max speed they can still refuel but obviously have to slow down to do it, I was just guessing based on their max speed and asking why they can't get there in a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alchresearch Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Didn't the US provide airbase support last time for fuelling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Orange Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Didn't the US provide airbase support last time for fuelling? Not sure, but I know Chile let us use their air strips. Suppose things have changed since, but we still have allies and I am sure we could obtain a friendly base or two. Also, what seems to have been neglected in this debate is the UN. I am sure an invasion would not be welcomed by all at the UN. Could Argentina cope with sanctions being imposed on it? Would it's people allow it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 If there was no rush to get there even at their most fuel efficient speed they could still get there in day with in fight refuelling, at max speed they can still refuel but obviously have to slow down to do it, I was just guessing based on their max speed and asking why they can't get there in a day.Yes, with refuelling and transitting at normal cruising speeds they can get there in a day, but forget the 'maximim speed' thing - that's only available for short bursts. An aircraft that can cruise 4 or 5 hours on normal throttle settings at about mach 0.85 will be able to do a few minutes on full reheat. Even forgetting the horrendous fuel consumption at supersonic speeds and/or on reheat, for long hauls they'd be carrying big drop tanks so they can't go supersonic anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrod Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Didn't the US provide airbase support last time for fuelling?The UK has access to the big US-built airstrip on Ascension Island, which is used as a staging point for routine UK transport to the Falklands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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