SHANTNU SHAHI 🇮🇳’s Post

#Helicopter formation flying during operational air #training comes with its own set of #risks, including: #Collision Risk The close proximity of helicopters in formation increases the risk of collision, especially in situations where visibility is reduced due to weather conditions or terrain. Loss of #SituationalAwareness Pilots may become overly focused on maintaining formation, leading to a loss of situational awareness regarding other aircraft, terrain, or obstacles. #HumanError Pilots may make mistakes in maintaining proper separation, altitude, or speed, leading to potential accidents. #Weather Hazards Adverse weather conditions such as gusts, turbulence, or poor visibility can exacerbate the risks associated with formation flying. #Communication Challenges Effective communication among pilots is crucial during formation flying. Miscommunications or failures in communication equipment can lead to misunderstandings and errors. #Training Experience Inexperienced pilots may not have the necessary skills to safely conduct formation flying, increasing the likelihood of accidents. #Fatigue Long training sessions or missions can lead to pilot fatigue, impairing judgment and reaction times. To mitigate these risks, thorough training, adherence to standard operating procedures (#SOP), effective communication, regular maintenance of aircraft, and careful monitoring of weather conditions are essential. Additionally, having experienced instructors or flight leaders overseeing the training can help minimize the risks associated with helicopter formation flying.

In March this year I volunteered to step up to a more senior role within DE&S and take on the challenge of being the Wildcat DT Project Management lead for delivering both the final Martlet trials and the first Sea Venom Live Fire before the end of 2024. Fire a missile from a helicopter: how difficult can that be, right? Joining a project that had gained a fearsome reputation for ‘eating’ PMs and being tasked with delivering against a seemingly unachievable schedule was certainly daunting. But it is testament to the tireless efforts of the team, working collaboratively as a joint enterprise with other MoD departments and multiple industry partners and at significant pace, that often seemingly intractable issues were eventually overcome. Seeing this actually come to fruition - on schedule despite the many hurdles - was therefore immensely satisfying and a real justification for all that hard work put in behind the scenes not just over the past six months but indeed years and by individuals many of whom have long since moved on to pastures new. What have I learned over the past six months? Many things, of course. Firstly, that the business of firing a missile from a helicopter is far from simple (it’s aviation after all: nothing is ever easy!). But more importantly, remaining positive in the face of adversity and maintaining belief in being able to achieve something, even though the odds might be stacked against you, is key to success. Just keep going! It’s been a steep learning curve, but a professionally rewarding project to have played a part in. Onto the next challenge!

A great show of support from the Defence Secretary for the development of autonomous capability in the armed forces and long over due. It is about time we start investing in this technology properly and backing our armed forces . Will this be the funding needed to unlock the full potential of Future Maritime Aviation Forfe / Fleet Air Arm 2040?

ALL CLEAR! The clearspan design of the RFS Series allows for the storage of large equipment: ✈️ Airplanes 🚁 Helicopters 🪖 Military vehicles #Rekord #RekordStructures #RFSSeries #LAMS #StorageFacilities

How does the LCAC hovercraft work? The Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) is a hovercraft designed to transport military equipment, vehicles, and personnel over water. It uses "air-cushion" or "fan-jet" technology to hover above the water. The LCAC has fans, an air-intake system, a flat and wide hull, and water jets that work together to allow it to lift off the water and move at speeds of up to 40 knots (74 km/h). The craft can carry up to 200 tons of cargo or 185 troops. When landing, it reduces its speed and allows the air-cushion effect to dissipate, allowing it to settle gently on the surface of the water.

It is positive to see that the UK government is acknowledging the importance of aligning itself with global trends in UAS. However, the UK Ministry of Defence must urgently revamp its procurement processes to maximise the funding available. Autonomy is poised to become a significant industrial breakthrough. One major challenge I anticipate is the reluctance to integrate UAS platforms into crewed airspace, especially from a military standpoint. This situation calls for a reassessment that prioritises how crewed aircraft can coexist with UAS in the shared airspace.

The UK Government and MoD are serious about solving the huge capability gap that modern Western militaries are facing and is investing in technologies the warfighters need yesterday. Fantastic to see the shear amount of funding and support going towards solving this problem. The UK and US are serious but Australia seems to just be teetering around the edges. UK FSP Programme GBP £4,500,000,000 US Replicator USD $300,000,000 Au ASCA Sovereign UAS Challenge AUD $1,210,000 For more context, as at 24 Feb 2024 the USD$ figures for all three of the above are: AU = $793,130.80 UK = $5,705,550,000.00 US = $300,000,000.00 Defence Australia UK Ministry of Defence United States Department of Defense

Statistics released by the Ministry of Defence have been updated, detailing UK armed forces equipment and formations for the year 2023. The annual statistics provide insight into the vessels, land equipment, and aircraft used by the armed forces, along with military formations. According to the latest review of military aircraft figures from 2016 to 2023, there has been a significant decrease in the total number of fixed-wing platforms. The fleet has reduced from 724 aircraft in service in 2016 to 564 in 2023, which represents a reduction of approximately 22%. A number of fixed-wing platforms have been completely retired or have seen a reduction in numbers during this period. For instance, the BAE 146, Defender, Islander R Mk14, King Air 200, Tornado, and Vigilant have all been phased out, with their numbers reducing to zero by 2023. The Hawk T1/T1A/T1W numbers decreased from 90 to 67, with the remaining aircraft still in service. The Tucano fleet was also entirely phased out, decreasing from 81 to none.