US Perspective on the Iran - Israel / US War

[RescueRanger]

A C130 operated by Pallas Aviation making a quick stop in the UK before returning to Germany... "Nothing to see here"



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[RescueRanger]

@AZ_HighCountry interesting call sign spotted over Jordan

 

[RescueRanger]

Relevant in context of present conflict and emerging threats within Europe and beyond:


This is very BIG development

 

[Yasser76]

Relevant in context of present conflict and emerging threats within Europe and beyond:


This is very BIG development

From what I know Typhoon has no air launched nukes and is not capable of it anyway, could this be RAF acting as force escort for French nuke detterence?

 

[RescueRanger]

From what I know Typhoon has no air launched nukes and is not capable of it anyway, could this be RAF acting as force escort for French nuke detterence?

Yes likely providing escort. This explains why there was a wedgetail flying earlier on track:

 

[Yasser76]

Yes likely providing escort. This explains why there was a wedgetail flying earlier on track:
View attachment 220389

Shame UK only ordered 3 E-7s seems so short sighted. 4 minimum to keep one in the air 24/7, Ideally 7-8 so you can spare for other comittments

3 just gives you around 50% of a 24 hour period. Same issues with the F-35 buy.

only 48 planes in service right now having to cover conversion training, the two carriers and the RAF sqds. Joke.

 

[RescueRanger]

Shame UK only ordered 3 E-7s seems so short sighted. 4 minimum to keep one in the air 24/7, Ideally 7-8 so you can spare for other comittments

3 just gives you around 50% of a 24 hour period. Same issues with the F-35 buy.

only 48 planes in service right now having to cover conversion training, the two carriers and the RAF sqds. Joke.

It's not even the half of it. Apparently HMS Dragon was forced to RTB to port because "Dragon Fire" weapon system wasn't even installed on it when it was deployed to Red Sea a few months ago rendering her basically useless:

 

[Yasser76]

It's not even the half of it. Apparently HMS Dragon was forced to RTB to port because "Dragon Fire" weapon system wasn't even installed on it when it was deployed to Red Sea a few months ago rendering her basically useless:
View attachment 220390

Just goes to show, PAF has it's faults but considering it's budgets, it has been a very very shrewd purchaser of equipment and excelled in organsing what little assets it has to make a solid big picture, to the point of losing relatively new aircraft like ZDK AEW and CN-235 as they were not getting the returns we were investing in them in terms of manpower, fuel, maintenance etc

A great example if the Erieye programme. Decent initial order, added to it over the years, enabled ourselves to repair the airframe and even install the radar to a standard SAAB certified. Purchased more normal SAAB 2000s so we can train pilots without wasting hours on the Erieyes and at the same time this training helps move men and equipment around Pakistan with teh added bonus of being a spares source for the Erieyes in an emergency. All this despite the attack at Kamra. Enabled the plane to link to US and Chinese jets

Now a fleet of 10 odd Erieyes and 5 regular SAAB 2000s. One of the biggest AEW fleets in the world.

Honestly, every time I think oof this programme I am in both awe of PAF planning and engineers and in wonder of how we got SAAB to be so helpful!