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Subject: UK Air defence?
Johnny Frost    9/4/2003 4:05:49 AM
I am sorry if I am parading my ignorance, but I was reading a few sites and it appears that the RAF only has under 30 Rapier systems to defend the UK. I know we have the airforce proper but excluding that we appear a bit open. Is this the norm for Western countries? Is Rapier that good? I also read that the MOD is looking at developing a THAAD missile does anyone know anything more? Thanks
 
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P-3CrewSTA_6    RE:UK Air defence?   9/4/2003 11:50:56 AM
Western countries of this day and age dont need expensive Air Defense deployed all over there countries. We use a vast array of Early Warning assets that can see millons of miles away(and i mean millons). The threat is met way beyond the reaches of are borders with AC from ships and land.
 
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Thomas    RE:UK Air defence?   9/5/2003 1:59:18 AM
In the bad old days, there were to threats against the UK. Bombers out of Murmansk, which was taken care of by fighters on Iceland and Scotland - yes lumbering along with tankers at best cruise speed - north of the Fairisles. Secondly a low-medium threat over Denmark. This was taken care of over Denmark, so only splintered remains would be there for the Tornadoes. Finally the missiles and Hawk/Tornado combo to make certain the mission failed. Today the Bears from Murmansk are less formidable and the first line of air defence has been moved to the Baltic countries/Poland. That's why (in my estimation) the RDaAF get AMRAAMS for their F-16. They fill the role of the Tornado. Britain open to air-attack - I don't think so.
 
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Brock    RE:UK Air defence?   12/4/2003 11:18:21 PM
The UK's air defence is pretty limited, but armies really do not need medium range air defence assets such as the Hawk, but a large number of very short (eg. Starstreak/Stinger) and short range (Rapier/Roland) for battalion/brigade level operations. Long range missiles (Patriot) are for divisional level assests and other high priority sites like air fields to protect more against incoming ballistic missiles than aircraft.
 
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