Slow News Day?

[Jetjock]

Just when you thought the PC brigade were busy with George Hook:

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2017...amuel-beckett/

[Turkey]

Yo, fancy that........ya can never account for stupidity....Not just an armed patrol vessel, but a very advanced one, as a arms fair.......

[DeV]

In fairness, about time DoD/DF started countering negative comment

[Laners]

Wait till they find out that alcohol is served on board at official functions with foreign dignitaries and military personnel .

[Sparky42]

Wait till they find out that alcohol is served on board at official functions with foreign dignitaries and military personnel .

Down with that sort of thing!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Military in "we buy guns" shocker...

[Laners]

Down with that sort of thing!

OR T E Reporting on outrage by Legion of Mary that alcohol is being served on State owned ships .

[Orion]

RTE's source

https://systematic.com/defence/news/...amuel-beckett/

Systematic's copy

"Commissioned in May 2014, the LÉ Samuel Beckett made news last November when it rescued over 500 refugees off the coast of Libya, and has been credited with rescuing a total of 2,818 since its deployment."

RTE's copy

It was commissioned in May 2014 and cost €71 million.

It has been deployed on humanitarian missions in the Mediterranean and its crew are credited with rescuing 2,818 people.

Surely this software/system contributes significantly to humanitarian missions

[HavocIRL]

Is this the same Edward Horgan who is completely anti-military yet probably still draws a DF pension?

[na grohmití]

Is this the same Edward Horgan who is completely anti-military yet probably still draws a DF pension?

The one and only.
Two things the Cavalry Corps are eternally ashamed of.
1. That day in Beal Na mBlath, when they were unable to protect the chief.
2. The fact that Ed Horgan was OC 1st Tank Sqn.

[spider]

The question is...

Did he used to post on here under the pseudonym 'Tim Horgan'...

[na grohmití]

I wouldnt credit him with that much wit.

[hedgehog]

The one and only.
Two things the Cavalry Corps are eternally ashamed of.
1. That day in Beal Na mBlath, when they were unable to protect the chief.
2. The fact that Ed Horgan was OC 1st Tank Sqn.

Great post.

Why isn't there a F Uck Yeahhhhhhhhh button.

[hptmurphy]

T

wo things the Cavalry Corps are eternally ashamed of.
1. That day in Beal Na mBlath, when they were unable to protect the chief

.

Myth.... the Cavalry corps didn't exist as a unit until after the death of Collins.

'The 'Free Lance; armoured cars were formally reined in on 14th September 1922 under O/C Capt Joe Hyland as OC Armoured Car Corps to constitute the 'Cavalry Corps'

A history of the Irish Army by John P Duggan

[na grohmití]

So the only thing the Cavalry corps is ashamed of is Mr Horgan.

[trellheim]

Why isn't there a F Uck Yeahhhhhhhhh button.

didnt we talk about not posting on p.ie lol

[hptmurphy]

So the only thing the Cavalry corps is ashamed of is Mr Horgan.

Beaverettes weren't the best of choices ever!

[ancientmariner]

Thinking that our neighbours should lay up, after preservation, troop carrying strategic vessels , such as HMS Ocean amphibious assault and Command ship, and Fleets Flag ship, rather than delete her to save money and lose critical operational advantage. The new CV's are not a replacement and must stay afloat to launch aircraft and be there to receive them back. The latest breeds of MOD Secretary's have little sense of the importance of naval Power, and it's presence, in the realm of World influence.

[na grohmití]

The RN have already decided to bin both their Amphib ships in order to keep the carriers afloat. An admiral has resigned in protest. The Problem may lie with their "government" who seem intent on messing the whole country up, but much of the blame falls firmly on the First Sea Lord, head of the RN, who approved the proposal.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41511790

[Sparky42]

Well I'm not sure he alone should be blamed,, the decades of cuts have left the RN with nothing but the bare bones of the fleet, there's nothing left to cut that isn't going to have massive impacts on the capabilities of the RN. Short of real and sustained budget increases there's not really any option left.

[na grohmití]

Yes there is. Abandon brexit, and hope Sterling recovers so the UK can again fund its day to day expenses.

[Sparky42]

That's not the Admiral's call nor even the MOD's and frankly there's nobody in Westminster that's going to make that call. So within the reality that they face there's nothing they can do except cut.

[ancientmariner]

Yes there is. Abandon brexit, and hope Sterling recovers so the UK can again fund its day to day expenses.

AND keep critical tonnage in reserve to cover inevitable " rainy " days . Don't sell or scrap prematurely .

[Sparky42]

AND keep critical tonnage in reserve to cover inevitable " rainy " days . Don't sell or scrap prematurely .

I wonder if they have the budget left for such, keeping modern hulls in reserve is expensive enough on it's own rights, and the RN just doesn't have the bodies to regenerate numbers quickly at this stage, with both the projected costs (26's, QE's, SSBN's) and the unexpected (45 fix, the new 31 project, the Rivers), keeping the operational numbers is their only choice.

[na grohmití]

That's not the Admiral's call nor even the MOD's and frankly there's nobody in Westminster that's going to make that call. So within the reality that they face there's nothing they can do except cut.

The admiral would have served the Senior service better by allowing his ships to be laid up, where the British public can see them, and ask their MP why this is so. The RN rot has been happening since the new carriers were first planned, and has been well flagged in Naval circles. They are still playing at being a Naval Super Power, without the ability or the requirement to do so. The STOL carriers were retired to make room for CATOBAR ships. Then the CATOBAR ships became STOL ships, after the RN has dumped all its STOL fixed wing aircraft. There is still not enough Carrier Escorts built or planned to keep a carrier group at sea for prolonged periods, let alone extend the UKs reach across the globe. To do so would only be possible while removing its presence in the rest of the world, including home waters.
Meanwhile capital ships are quietly being deleted and sold, often without the knowledge of Military Authorities.
RFA Largs Bay was snapped up by the RAN. It broke down on its way to the Southern Hemisphere, and no spares were available.
The First of the River Class was decommissioned recently after barely 14 years in service. Prematurely retired to make way for vessels being built only to keep the british shipbuilding industry active.
RFA Diligence, a submarine tender was axed with no replacement sought. RFA Argus is rumoured to be for the chop soon also.
How much more are they willing to cut just to keep the dream of Aircraft carriers alive (even if their aircraft are still a long, long way off.