Missile Testing?

Not illegal under the UN Convention!

Iran, N-Korea and many more are free to test weapons and missile systems within their own ranges under International law, something the Media this year has failed to report? This week for the first time Iran fired its missiles at ISIL/S targets in Syria as a payback for the deadly terrorists attacks last week in Tehran.

N-Korea has fired hundreds of test rockets landing in the Sea of Japan, but well within its sea borders about 170 miles or 250Km from its shore line and well away from Japan? N.A.T.O. and other world power's make tests across the world in many far-flung places from the Marshall islands in the Pacific to the plains of Northern-Canada, Western-Australia, the Kerguelen  archipelago. (A challenge to find where that is on the world map?).

The great fear is the development of a nuclear bomb outside the five main powers? Israeli intelligence believe that there are up to thirty five countries with the capability to develop a low grade warhead and this includes at least twelve International terrorist groups?

Their problem is the unstable equipment and cost, if something where to go wrong? The UN meanwhile has failed with the world media to report the construction and use of smaller short range rockets being used by Terrorist groups in the Middle-East paid for by all the European Aid monies?

British Rail Class31/33.

Dwindling to Preservation?

Today these are either found working Departmental or Network track testing trains and one hopes may of what is left will soon head for the various preservation societies?

The Class 31 is the Brush/English Electric A1A-A1A, built between 1958-62 and could be described as a light engine. These Loughborough engines were originally numbered D5520-5862, today only one locomotive still carries D5613, 31190.

31/1 Is standard and only six remain, 31/4 has electric supply fitted and only six also remain in service. The last is 31/6 two with ETS wiring remain.

Top speed was originally 90mph, continues traction was 23.5 mph and weights 106-111 tons.

The Class 33 was built between 1960-61 at Birmingham BRCW/SULZER Bo-Bo Speed 85mph and weights were lighter than the Class 31's coming in at 78-78tons.

These locomotives were also originally numbered D6500-D6597 but not in order. Only 33012 still carries D6515.

33/0 Standard class has only four left, while 33/2 is one engine

Aircraft carriers Viability. Two.

Smaller Vessels.

HMS Ocean and Albion are in the class of the smaller carrier, equiptted with more helicopters and drones than actual aircraft? The Spanish proposed Matador class carriers gave the option of both V/STOL (Vertical and short take-off and landing) aircraft in conflict and helicopters in the peace role, but one does not know if this is what the British Royal Navy would do with it ships?

There is always value in good design and it has been found that smaller targets do better in wars than the larger ones that are more vulnerable to being hit? Large carriers need more defensive weapons systems to counteract incoming missiles, where as the small targets are actually more likely to avoid being hit!

One of the big problems with smaller carriers is their limitations in aircraft availability and many studies have been made for their role not just as a carrier of six to eight own jets. But that of buddy refueling systems for larger fighters to give them extended flight over returning to their own carriers?

These smaller carriers also have the advantage as the U.S. navy has found of shock attack missions with their seals on unsuspecting targets? These operations again take advantage of modern technology such as the Predator drones doing reconnaissance and pin-point target hitting, while helicopter gunships can back up boat landing craft and transport helicopters in and out quickly!