<strong>Title: </strong> <a href="/link.php?id=25701" target="_blank">Military wants to replace spy plane sooner, not later</a> (click to view)

<strong>Category:</strong> <a href="/news/topic/13-military" target="_blank">Military</a>
<strong>Posted By: </strong> <a href="/modules.php?name=Your_Account&op=userinfo&username=Hyack" target="_blank">Hyack</a>
<strong>Date: </strong> 2007-10-01 10:45:50
<strong>Canadian</strong>

   

I hate how they completely ignore the awesomeness/niceness of the British Nimrod plane.

It's fairly modern, cheaper than the American version, and does the same things if not more...

   

The problem with the Nimrod (aside from its name), is that likely only the Brits will use it. If the Poseidon is anything like the Orion, most of the West will use it, making it cheaper in the long run. Commonality with other NATO nations will make interoperability easier too.

Odds are whose ever in power will likely buy the Astor, simply because that will mean jobs in Quebec...

   

These aren't spyplanes. They're surveillance planes. What stupid rhetoric!

   

whatever happened to competition?

   

They're not spy planes, they are patrol aircraft.

   

So far, it looks like these are the only two candidates they are considering...

American P-8A Poseidon




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-8_Poseidon


British ASTOR Sentinel R-1



http://www.airforce-technology.com/proj ... specs.html



And in my opinion, this one should be in there...


British Nimrod MRA4





It should be noted that only the MRA4 and P-8A carry ASW capability. The Sentine R-1 is strictly surveillance, but maybe we could make a modification for ASW...

   

Exactly! And if you read through the article, not once does the reporter even use the word spy. Editorial board of the citizen at it again me thinks. They seem to be a kick to prove they are further out in left field than The Star.

   

I know. What a jackass it must take to think that keeping an eye on your own territory requires a spyplane.

   

I expected nothing less after all, people in Canada are walking around with full auto military assault rifles! uu wait, that was a shotgun oops, oh well.

   

I got the impression that the MRA4 was a simple refit of older Nimrod airframes and NOT a new build. I don't think we have any old Comet or Nimrod airframes to refit...

A split buy of P-8's and ASTOR would provide the best capability.

   

Spyplane? lol

   

OMG Now spyplanes flying over Canadian cities...
Does this secret agenda know no bounds?

   

Thats not it.

Reason why I feel the Nimrod probably isn't on the list is due to costs of the refit. There is a reason why it was absorbently expensive to refit only 12 of the aircraft, and as such it may become cheaper to simply have new Nimrod airframes built.

Looking into the history of the Nimrod, not a single old airframe was built to the exact same specifications. As such, this increased the refit process dramatically as in several cases, the airfreame didn't require a mild modification, but a complete rebuild in order to accept needed modifications. Even so, only 9 airframes were refurbished, with the remaining three being completely new aircraft too save costs.

If cost is the factor, I would hope it is only because the government is dumb enough to look at refit costs of the shitty British airframes (not shitty, but you get the point). To get new-built aircraft would be a very similar process to what we did with the Aurora's.



As for numbers, regardless of the aircraft, if it has ASW capability, we should buy 25. station 8 in Greenwood, 8 in Resolute (along with a permanent squadron of F-18's), 4 on the Pacific coast, and use the remaining 5 for training/to be brought into active service during wartime.

If we choose to go with the option of a surveillance aircraft PLUS aircraft with ASW, we should go with 10 surveillance aircraft plus 15 ASW capable aircraft. Stationing 3 surveillance and 5 ASW in both Greenwood and Resolute, and 2 each in Comox. With the Final 2 Surveillance and 3 ASW used for training.

I would also think to get the most out of our money the aircraft we purchase, regardless of type, should also be capable of ground-surveillance operations.