British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

About 180 military personnel have been called in to remove evidence potentially contaminated by a nerve agent in Salisbury as investigators try to establish where and when aBritish police officer was poisoned.

DS Nick Bailey is seriously ill in hospital having visited the home of Sergei Skripal after the former Russian spy and his daughter, Yulia, were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on Sunday afternoon.

Investigators are trying to establish whether Bailey visited the scene where the two Russians were found, and was poisoned there or by items there, or whether the officer was contaminated by his visit to Skripal’s home.

Sources say that while it is not certain, it is believed more likely Bailey became contaminated by his visit to the home.

Uncertainty about how and where Sergei and Yulia Skripal were also poisoned led to police requesting military assistance on Friday to secure contaminated evidence on Friday. It is understood that personnel from the Royal Marines, the RAF and chemical teams were helping to remove vehicles from the scene.

The Metropolitan police said the units were called in because they had “the necessary capability and expertise” and urged the public not to be alarmed.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/09/skripals-condition-still-serious-says-amber-rudd-on-salisbury-visit

 

[daftandbarmy]

An instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has been arrested by police on suspicion of sexually assaulting a male officer cadet, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Staff Sergeant Michael Wright, 37, has been removed from the prestigious British Army academy in Berkshire after an alleged incident which is now the subject of a criminal investigation.

Last night, police confirmed SSgt Wright's arrest following the alleged sex assault in Guildford, Surrey, on March 1.

Shortly after the incident is said to have occurred, the alleged victim made a formal complaint to police which led to SSgt Wright's arrest


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5540233/Staff-Sergeant-Michael-Wright-arrested-sexual-assault-Sandhurst-Army-academy-Surrey.html#ixzz5Aim5snek
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[daftandbarmy]

Jailed British soldier, 23, who bragged about being a Nazi and killing Muslims is allowed to STAY in the Army and parade in front of Prince William

Graham Bolger, 23, has been allowed to continue to serve in the army
He was jailed for racially motivated taunts of abuse to a woman on Whatsapp
Bolger wrote: 'If I was to kill all Muslims I wouldn't leave the child, I'd kill that too!'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5539433/Jailed-British-soldier-bragged-Nazi-killing-Muslims-allowed-STAY-Army.html#ixzz5AinKRtmd
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[MarkOttawa]

SSBNs sure do suck up money:

UK releases extra funding, but military relevancy challenges remain

he United Kingdom has announced a plan to add £800 million (U.S. $1.13 billion) to the Ministry of Defence’s budget for the upcoming financial year, as top defense officials acknowledge that the cost to keep Britain’s military in top shape will remain a challenge.

The vast majority of that funding, £600 million, will be withdrawn from the £10 billion contingency fund for the Dreadnought submarine program, announced in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review. The contingency is held by the Treasury, which has agreed to release the funds in an effort to keep the £31 billion Trident missile-armed submarine program on track.

A further £200 million will be added to the budget next year in the “Supplementary Estimates“ released by the Treasury in February 2018. While the £200 million was assigned to the current financial year, the MoD said it had brought forward payments due next year, releasing extra cash for the 2018-19 budget.

“Today’s announcement will ensure that the work to rebuild the U.K.’s new, world-class nuclear submarines remains on schedule, and it’s another sign of the deep commitment this government has to keeping our country safe,” Prime Minister Theresa May said during a public appearance Wednesday.



The issue of funding all of the U.K.’s defense priorities has been underlined since Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016, which saw the pound’s value drop just as the MoD signed contracts for a series of major modernization programs. At the same time, the speed at which technology is developing means a constant stream of investment is needed to keep up with peer competitors.

Taken together, the reality is that defense is “an expensive thing to deliver if you’re in the premier league,” said Gen. Gordon Messenger, vice chief of the Defence Staff. “And we’re determined to remain in the premier league.”..
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/03/29/uk-releases-extra-funding-but-military-relevancy-challenges-remain/

And what about that fairly low Canadian dollar, eh?

Mark
Ottawa

 

[daftandbarmy]

SSBNs sure do suck up money:

And what about that fairly low Canadian dollar, eh?

Mark
Ottawa

Gordon's a good egg. Glad to see that he made it to the top, the first Egg and Bean to do so.  [cheers]

 

[Ostrozac]

Gordon's a good egg. Glad to see that he made it to the top, the first Egg and Bean to do so.  [cheers]

By all accounts, General Messenger is a first rate officer (and a CFC Toronto grad) but although he's the first Royal Marine to be the VCDS, he's not the first RM full General, but he is the first one since 1979 (Peter Whiteley was CINC AFNORTH, which was a 4-star NATO billet at the time).

 

[daftandbarmy]

British special forces soldier embedded with US-led operation is killed by a roadside bomb while on an anti-ISIS mission in Syria

The soldier was part of an anti-ISIS operation when the blast hit on Thursday

An American was also killed in the explosion in the northern city of Manbij

An MOD spokesperson confirmed the British death, the first in Syria this year 


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5562941/British-soldier-embedded-forces-killed-roadside-bomb-operation-Syria.html#ixzz5BM1IDtww
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[jollyjacktar]

Tornado jets are to be AXED from the RAF even though the fighter-bombers are still on the front line against ISIS in Syria every day

Budget pressures mean that the iconic Tornado fighter-bombers will be axed
The jets will be replaced by 12 F-35B aircraft, although it is just one squadron
The Tornado GR4s currently are in Syria, where they are on frontline everyday

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5567013/Tornado-jets-axed-RAF-line-against-ISIS.html

 

[FJAG]

Tornado jets are to be AXED from the RAF even though the fighter-bombers are still on the front line against ISIS in Syria every day

Budget pressures mean that the iconic Tornado fighter-bombers will be axed
The jets will be replaced by 12 F-35B aircraft, although it is just one squadron
The Tornado GR4s currently are in Syria, where they are on frontline everyday

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5567013/Tornado-jets-axed-RAF-line-against-ISIS.html

In Germany the Tornados are being considered obsolete and not deployable. The quote is a Google translated article from Stern Magazine.

Team Obsolete Technique: The Bundeswehr Tornadoes are not allowed to fly for NATO
The breakdown series in the Bundeswehr does not stop. A paper shows that tornadoes are no longer allowed to fly in NATO missions - because they are hopelessly outdated. They should remain in use for decades.

The Bundeswehr lives up to its reputation as a breakdown army. After the Federal Government's Federal Armed Forces Commission judged the troops in January because of numerous problems as "not usable", there is now the next trouble: The fighter jet Tornado is in the opinion of the Ministry of Defense is not suitable for participation in NATO operations. This reports the "mirror" in its current issue.

The report is based on a confidential paper from the Ministry of Defense available to the magazine. The content is explosive: The German Tornados are therefore technically too outdated to comply with the strict guidelines of the defense alliance. Defense Minister von der Leyen has reported to NATO 10 tornadoes for their force.

Completely outdated electronics

Above all, the on-board technology is completely outdated according to the paper. The IT systems and cabling are technically outdated and offer no protection against modern interception. Not even the possibility of an encrypted communication exists. Add to this the lack of a system that can differentiate between enemy airmen and those of NATO allies. But both are the basis for deployment in the Alliance.

The harsh verdict: In its current state "the weapon system> Tornado <could no longer participate in any NATO mission", quoted the mirror from the paper. An installation of the friend-enemy detection system is no longer possible before 2019, all 93 aircraft would urgently need to be modernized.

The succession of the aging jet is still unclear. Minister von der Leyen had decided to use the tornado until 2035 - far longer than previously planned. Only then should a suitable successor be found. While the Ministry of Defense prefers a further development of the Eurofighter, the Luftwaffe inspector Karl Müllner prefers to transfer to the F-16 of the US Air Force.

https://www.stern.de/digital/technik/pannen-truppe--bundeswehr-tornados-sind-fuer-nato-einsatz-ungeeignet-7922276.html

:cheers:

 

[jollyjacktar]

I used to love watching them heading out on strike missions at KAF.  Especially at night with their burners on.

I had read elsewhere too that they were getting long in the tooth.

 

[daftandbarmy]

British special forces soldier embedded with US-led operation is killed by a roadside bomb while on an anti-ISIS mission in Syria

The soldier was part of an anti-ISIS operation when the blast hit on Thursday

An American was also killed in the explosion in the northern city of Manbij

An MOD spokesperson confirmed the British death, the first in Syria this year 


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5562941/British-soldier-embedded-forces-killed-roadside-bomb-operation-Syria.html#ixzz5BM1IDtww
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Ex 3 PARA lad...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5565191/MoD-names-British-Para-killed-roadside-bomb-anti-ISIS-operation.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

British army knew of IRA unit before it took the 'disappeared'

Military file at National Archives shows army knew about ‘the Unknowns’ as early as April 1972

British military intelligence knew about the existence of a supposedly secret IRA unit called “the Unknowns” months before it started abducting, killing and secretly burying victims who became remembered as “the disappeared”.

A military file recently unearthed from the National Archives in Kew in Surrey reveals that army commanders knew about the Provisionals’ Unknowns unit as early as April 1972.

This means the army had knowledge about this secretive IRA group several months before it started to “disappear” its first victims, including Jean McConville in west Belfast.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/01/british-army-knew-of-ira-unit-before-it-took-the-disappeared

 

[daftandbarmy]

SAS soldiers 'kill 12 jihadis in revenge attack' following the death of a British sniper specialist in an ISIS roadside bomb blast in Syria

Sniper Matt Tonroe, from Manchester, was killed in the northern city of Manbij
A source has claimed all SAS soldiers in country have asked to be stationed nearby city so they can take 'revenge'
Source also claimed operations are now 'kill-not-capture' missions in Syria


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5591187/British-SAS-soldiers-killed-12-jihadis-revenge-attack-death-Matt-Tonroe.html#ixzz5C66yrSe7
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[jollyjacktar]

Good response.  I hope they're very successful.

 

[jollyjacktar]

The British have opened a permanent base in Bahrain to support RN operations.

https://youtu.be/EnkwK1VvCXw

 

[daftandbarmy]

The British have opened a permanent base in Bahrain to support RN operations.

https://youtu.be/EnkwK1VvCXw

What's old is new again https://paradata.org.uk/events/persian-gulf

 

[jollyjacktar]

That is so.

 

[daftandbarmy]

UK’s Top Sgt Major Rips Racist Soldiers A New One In Twitter Video

Uniformed white supremacists, take note: Sergeant major’s gonna get you.

As race hate gains steam globally, Great Britain has been roiled by a few white-riot knuckleheads in its Army: Three of five men arrested last fall for membership in a neo-Nazi front were serving soldiers. Two of those service members were acquitted yesterday on terrorism charges, but one — Cpl. Mikko Vehvilainen — pled guilty to illegal possession of CS tear gas, which he’d held along with a shotgun, a crossbow with homemade projectiles, electrical wiring, custom body armor painted black, “a Hitler Youth knife and an SS ceremonial dagger,” a manifesto by the worst mass-shooter in history, and reams of violent anti-gay, anti-minority writings.

https://taskandpurpose.com/uks-top-sgt-major-rips-racist-soldiers-new-one-twitter-video/

 

[dimsum]

UK’s Top Sgt Major Rips Racist Soldiers A New One In Twitter Video

Uniformed white supremacists, take note: Sergeant major’s gonna get you.
https://taskandpurpose.com/uks-top-sgt-major-rips-racist-soldiers-new-one-twitter-video/

It sounds very similar to the one from the Australian Chief of Army (Army Commander) a few years ago, but with better tattoos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaqpoeVgr8U

 

[Cloud Cover]

Tornado jets are to be AXED from the RAF even though the fighter-bombers are still on the front line against ISIS in Syria every day

Budget pressures mean that the iconic Tornado fighter-bombers will be axed
The jets will be replaced by 12 F-35B aircraft, although it is just one squadron
The Tornado GR4s currently are in Syria, where they are on frontline everyday

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5567013/Tornado-jets-axed-RAF-line-against-ISIS.html

Ok, but the aircraft was already on the chopping block and 12 Sqdn was selected last year to convert to the Typhoon, which it has already started doing.
The 16 Tornado haven’t been chopped to pieces, so I’m presuming they are available for use or as source for parts spares. Might it be that this latest overall reduction in aircraft numbers appears to be a self inflicted wound by the RAF itself so that they can stand up an F35 Sqdn sooner rather than later?
The Brits had put more effort into keeping the Tornado in working and flying order than the Luftwaffe, since, unlike their EUSSR “partners”, they actually used them for what they were intended.