Refurbished Viking

Hi guys,

The link below is a story about the Viking being refurbished then offered to the USA as a COD asset and to South Korea as a MPA platform.

www.janes.com...

Due to a lack of cash I think that the MPA platform maybe a good fit for the UK.

RAB

reply to post by RAB


At first glance it looks totally unsuited to the UK when you look at what the Nimrod was used for over its life. When you compare what it offers with the *nothing* we have now! however! not so much.

Surprised since LockMart has been pushing the C-130 MPA lately. I wonder if there was a specific requirement out of Korea that led to the S-3 offering.

It would be neet if you were a good pilot and you had one of those. You could fly around, and just have a bunk bed in the back and live inside the plane, almost like RVing but by plane.

reply to post by RAB


I've always though the Viking was an amazing aircraft. Small, but efficient enough to fly from California to Hickam with no tankers. Only plane that size that could do that.

I know I'll never get a real answer to this but going to float it, but thoughts are welcome

The Sentry I'm lead to think can detect ships from around 217nm away, so is the UK using Sentrys as MPA knowing that the Navy or RAF are not that far away if needed?

Just a thought.

Personally I feel that the UK should have a real MPA platform but I keep hearing that it's being coped with I'm just not sure how.

RAB

reply to post by RAB


I heard the Hercules was filling in for the Nimrod, but with incredibly huge capability gaps. The trouble with the Sentry and Sentinel is the very limited number of airframes we have, but your idea does sound plausible, if at the expense of other needs.

Although we are supposed to be looking at a new MPA, I can't help thinking that the MoD are coping by putting their fingers in their collective ears and going "la la la" on this issue.