Firing Practice Area

[Lon nan Gruagach]

No it won't. They know what they are doing.

You might have something there..
If you are really quick you might see that the Arctic Princess, a 288m long 121000 GT LNG tanker just went through.

 

[Blue Sunray]

Rounds will only enter the danger area when some junior matelot looks over the rear sight instead of through it (as I have once seen) or gets his finger caught in the trigger while foolishly trying to adjust his sling (as I have also seen) - and presumably the calculation is that such events are sufficiently rare that the odds of it happening at exactly the same time as a yacht is exactly where the misplaced round happens to land, are insignificant enough to tolerate. Same basis you can walk your dog in the land danger area behind Ash Ranges but not build a house there.

Tanks aren't really my bag but there is (or at least used to be) an equivalent for them of firing a fin round on the HEAT sight setting, I was told then one might be able to hit France from Bovvy if one did this, which I suspect may be a bit of an exaggeration. There was an unfortunate incident (in the 1980s IIRC) when a dog walker was killed at Ash, again IIRC the range was being used by the police who did something rather silly with target placement.

 

[NormanS]

No it won't. They know what they are doing.

Really? I don't know which "they" you are referring to, but if its the range, if you heard them on the VHF, you wouldn't think so.

 

[NormanS]

You might have something there..
If you are really quick you might see that the Arctic Princess, a 288m long 121000 GT LNG tanker just went through.

For your information, the exclusion is from 0900 to 1900, so the Arctic Princess wouldn't have any problems.

The MOD only play these war games during office hours.

 

[prv]

There was an unfortunate incident (in the 1980s IIRC) when a dog walker was killed at Ash

I was told about that as "recent" when I used to shoot at Ash in the late 90s - though of course it's the sort of cautionary tale that tends to be passed along year after year. If I went back to square rig sailing, I have first-hand stories of a broken thumb, an amputated finger, and a man-overboard, all due to specific hazards that we repeatedly warn people about - I would certainly be passing on those stories to add weight to the warnings.

Pete

 

[Sandy]

Why are they being allowed to exceed their authority?

They have bigger guns!

I have always found range control very polite, we have a Royal Marine Firing Range near the mouth of the Exe.

We were crossing the Lulworth Range last June and range control very politely called me, with a DSC call no less so it is used, and asked me to sail south of a latitude line. Which I was more than happily to do.

A long time ago a pal was working on the range you mentioned... lots of top brass arrived for some war games and they all stood looking out at the cruel sea. Then bang, the biggest and most expensive water geyser in the western hemisphere erupted! Apparently their war games had gone wrong and there was lots of egg on face or salt water in this case.

As civvies we don't actually know what is going on and I prefer it that way. Often the games are under the water.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

For your information, the exclusion is from 0900 to 1900, so the Arctic Princess wouldn't have any problems.

The MOD only play these war games during office hours.

Wot? No breaks for tiffin???? What about elevensies?

 

[Blue Sunray]

Really? I don't know which "they" you are referring to, but if its the range, if you heard them on the VHF, you wouldn't think so.

Oh dear, you really are starting to sound quite bitter.

 

[NormanS]

Oh dear, you really are starting to sound quite bitter.

Ad hominem.

 

[capnsensible]

Really? I don't know which "they" you are referring to, but if its the range, if you heard them on the VHF, you wouldn't think so.

Try the Hebredies range control and the shipping companies mentioned by........you.

 

[capnsensible]

For your information, the exclusion is from 0900 to 1900, so the Arctic Princess wouldn't have any problems.

The MOD only play these war games during office hours.

Assuming you are or have been a tax payer, would you prefer even more money is spent on paying the large numbers of Civillian contractors overtime? I've been held up on range over issues such as that.

 

[Blue Sunray]

Assuming you are or have been a tax payer, would you prefer even more money is spent on paying the large numbers of Civillian contractors overtime? I've been held up on range over issues such as that.

Plus of course there is the RAF to consider.

 

[capnsensible]

Plus of course there is the RAF to consider.

Oh yeah, hotel roo minibars dont restock themselves!

 

[PaulJS]

Getting back to the OP, many years ago I used to work on the Hebrides Range Safety Boat, and back then we could only ask people to stay clear of the area... But they normally complied with good grace. They used to test a very old design of missile once a year, and while that was going on the range area was increased substantially.
Personally, as a long time civilian I am quite happy to give our Forces personnel as much space as they need to practice their arts, I can always make a detour, or change my schedule...
Mind you, it was very impressive watching the aforementioned very old design missile take off and very rapidly disappear skywards in the general direction of St. Kilda... More like a Guy Fawkes firework than a lift off.

 

[NormanS]

Assuming you are or have been a tax payer, would you prefer even more money is spent on paying the large numbers of Civillian contractors overtime? I've been held up on range over issues such as that.

I seriously doubt if you have been "held up" by an exclusion zone of such a size.
If I was on passage in the general area, and happened quite legitimately, at 0900 to be close to the centre of the area, I would have to sail 40 miles to clear the range. By the time I was clear, the MOD's day would be over.

 

[capnsensible]

I seriously doubt if you have been "held up" by an exclusion zone of such a size.

I seriously doubt whether you have ever heard of the RN Submarine Tactical Weapon Group let alone have any idea of the amount of your money they spend.

I seriously doubt if you have ever sat about for hours with several hundred others whilst some pompous ass messes about not conforming to a polite request.......

I seriously doubt that you understand that outside of the range opening times, the MOD never sleeps.

 

[NormanS]

I seriously doubt whether you have ever heard of the RN Submarine Tactical Weapon Group let alone have any idea of the amount of your money they spend.

I seriously doubt if you have ever sat about for hours with several hundred others whilst some pompous ass messes about not conforming to a polite request.......

I seriously doubt that you understand that outside of the range opening times, the MOD never sleeps.

Ha Ha, I would be very happy if they stopped spending my money on such a thing.

In the area to which I am referring, I am not aware of anyone, "pompous ass" or not, failing to comply with a proper request. Are you? What I was pointing out was the potential for it to be physically impossible to comply, due to the size of the exclusion zone.

You are entirely wrong in what you think is my understanding of the MOD.

 

[capnsensible]

Ha Ha, I would be very happy if they stopped spending my money on such a thing.

.

So you dont want to know that the kit you have bought works? You dont want to know that the crew can use the stuff?

Mmm, your understanding of the MOD, from what you write, seems a little fuzzy. but that, of course, may simply be my misunderstanding of terms like 'office hours' and 'toys'.

 

[NormanS]

So you dont want to know that the kit you have bought works? You dont want to know that the crew can use the stuff?

Mmm, your understanding of the MOD, from what you write, seems a little fuzzy. but that, of course, may simply be my misunderstanding of terms like 'office hours' and 'toys'.

You (I think) deliberately misunderstand me. Actually I would rather that our money was not spent on preparations for previous types of warfare. The main threats to our country's security are terrorism and cyber warfare. Submarines and missiles are no use for those. However, that's a separate argument, and takes us no further about the size, and therefore the impossibility of realistic management of the exclusion zone. I note that you make no attempt to answer the question posed in my previous post.

 

[capnsensible]

Why would I have any idea what went on in that area?? It was a bit of a daft question so I ignored it. As I have mentioned already though, I do have several direct experiences of very expensive testing being held up by the duty nerk.

What do you think Maritime Patrol Aircraft are for?