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Irish Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Planning watchdog reverses plan to cut night-time flights at Dublin Airport
The planning body has also insisted that restrictions on numbers will not disincentivise airlines from using less noisy aircraft at Dublin Airport. In a draft decision last September, the commission had said it intended to cap at 13,000 the number of flights permitted to use Dublin Airport between 11pm and 7am. That would have represented a 60pc decrease on the current permitted use. In the ruling issued today, however, An Coimisiún Pleanála said that the airport will now be subject to a noise quota scheme, and agreed with revised calculations that an annual cap of 35,672 night-time aircraft movements at Dublin Airport 'would be appropriate'. It said that number will allow the airport to grow, 'while providing an essential safeguard against excessive night-time activity'. The DAA, which operates Dublin Airport, had initiated a so-called 'relevant action' to alter key planning conditions attached to the construction of its new runway, which opened in 2022. The DAA sought to remove a numerical cap on the average number of flights permitted between 11pm and 7am. It wanted this replaced with an annual night-time quota, that would be applied between 11.30pm and 6am. Airlines including Ryanair had supported the move. A move to a night-time quota had also been recommended by the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) that operates under Fingal County Council. In 2023, the council issued an enforcement notice against the DAA for breaching its night-time flight quota. That action was stayed, pending the outcome of the relevant action. The planning watchdog has now confirmed that Dublin Airport will be subject to both a cap on the number of flights within the specified time period, and a noise quota scheme. 'The commission acknowledges that operating restrictions must not be more restrictive than is required to achieve the Noise Abatement Objective (NAO),' its ruling says. 'However its decision to require an Air Traffic Movement (ATM) cap in addition to the Noise Quota Scheme (NQS) was based on an assessment of whether the NQS alone would sufficiently protect the surrounding communities and environment from increased effects of aircraft noise emissions in accordance with the NAO. 'The commission concluded that relying solely on the NQS could permit an increase in the number of night-time flights, without adequately considering the cumulative impact of increased flight volume on surrounding communities and environment,' it added. 'The NQS would not in itself directly limit the total number of movements, which can still lead to significant disturbance due to the volume of flights.'
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UK audit reveals shocking flaws in F-35 stealth jet fleet - they can't fight, fly, or fire weapons
The UK's F-35 stealth jets aren't performing well — they're struggling to fly, fight, or fire weapons. The NAO found serious issues with availability, engineering staff shortages, and weapon delays. The UK currently owns 37 F-35B jets, meant for short take-off and vertical landing like the old Harriers. The jets have amazing technology like low radar visibility and advanced sensors, but they're still underperforming, as stated by The Register. Readiness and staff shortage issues UK jets are not ready to fly as often as expected, even though the targets are lower than global standards. In 2023, the jets were only half as ready for missions compared to the target. The fully mission-ready rate was even worse — about one-third, as per the reports. There's a huge lack of trained engineers and staff to work on these jets. During a 2021 mission, one UK jet crashed because a protective cover was left inside the engine — it couldn't take off and fell into the sea. That mission also showed the US Marines had 25 people per jet, while the UK had only 14, as mentioned by The Register. ALSO READ: UnitedHealth Group stock down after Wolf Research lowers its price target to $330 from $363 Live Events Weapon problems and US delays The UK F-35s still can't use key missiles like Spear 3 or Meteor, which were supposed to be ready by Dec 2023. Now, those weapons won't be available until the early 2030s. Lockheed Martin is blamed for poor performance and delays, as per the reports. The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also blamed for bad contracts that didn't focus on getting weapons delivered in time. Right now, UK F-35s can only use limited bombs and US-made missiles like the AIM-120D, according to the report by The Register. Most of the new features were supposed to come in Block 4 software updates, but those updates are way behind. Originally, Block 4 was to arrive by 2022, but now it won't be fully ready until 2033. There's also a belief that the US doesn't prioritize European-made weapons, making UK jets rely more on American systems, as per the reports. Bigger picture and future plans Because of all these issues, the UK is working on a new fighter jet program called Tempest, with Japan and Italy, not the US. The UK originally planned to buy 138 F-35s, but progress is slow and this may hurt its status in the global program, as stated by The Register. Countries like Australia (72 jets) and Norway (52 jets) are moving faster than the UK. The UK recently announced it will buy 12 F-35A and 15 more F-35B jets, but they won't arrive until the late 2020s, as per the reports. ALSO READ: Prince Harry ready to make amends and make peace — Kate supports it, but William says 'Not So Fast' Adding a second version (F-35A) may make things worse because it needs different engineers and maintenance setups. A special testing facility to check if the jets are still stealthy was delayed for budget reasons and now won't be ready until next decade, according to the reports. The NAO gave the MoD several suggestions, like making internal changes to manage the program better. The MoD responded saying the program is still within budget, and the UK will have two squadrons ready to deploy by end of this year, as per the report by The Register. FAQs Q1. Why are UK F-35 jets not working properly? The UK F-35 jets have problems with flying, staff shortages, and can't use key weapons due to delays and poor planning. Q2. When will UK F-35 jets get full weapon capability? The UK F-35 jets are expected to get key weapons like Meteor and Spear 3 only by the early 2030s.
Spectator
14-07-2025
- Business
- Spectator
The Ministry of Defence has dropped the ball on fighter jets
If Defence Secretary John Healey didn't have an anxious and unsettled weekend, he should have done. The Ministry of Defence once again has serious questions to answer over equipment, this time the F-35 strike aircraft programme, the cutting edge of the Royal Air Force's offensive capabilities. It is a political commonplace that our executive faces inadequate parliamentary scrutiny, but there is one institution which can still cause ministerial pulses to quicken in panic: the National Audit Office (NAO). Established just over 40 years ago, the NAO carries out financial audits and value-for-money surveys on government departments. Essentially, it is the independent watchdog of public expenditure, and its head, the comptroller and auditor general, is an officer of the House of Commons, not a civil servant. On Friday last week, the NAO published a report on 'the UK's F-35 capability', examining the procurement, operation and maintenance of the jointly operated RAF/Royal Navy fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning multi-role strike fighters. Its conclusions, by any reasonable reading, were delivered with asperity; at worst, they were damning. The UK first became a partner in the United States-based design of the F-35m in 1995, and the programme has been beset by a range of problems over the intervening decades. Successive governments have exacerbated the situation: in 2010, the Ministry of Defence decided to switch from the F-35B variant to the F-35C, then reversed the decision two years later. Typically of the MoD, financial decisions have repeatedly been deferred in vain and usually counter-productive attempts to save money. The headlines from the NAO's report are plain. Of the 138 F-35s the UK has ordered, 37 are in service, but there is no schedule for the remaining aircraft. The programme has already cost £11 billion, and the MoD estimates the whole-life cost, keeping the aircraft flying until 2069, will cost £57 billion; until recently it insisted it would be £19 billion. The NAO estimates it will be £71 billion. The programme is at least two years behind schedule, and the ability of the aircraft to fire long-range 'stand-off' missiles will not be achieved until the 2030s. In 2024, the F-35 fleet was only available to carry out all seven missions required of it by the MoD a third of the time; one time in two, it was available to perform at least one of those seven missions. Shortages of engineers and spare parts have meant that pilots have not been able to log enough flying time for training and development. Bluntly, the MoD is paying vastly more than it expected over a longer time period for aircraft that are not currently able to perform all the functions for which they are required. Some of these problems are being addressed, but on others there is silence. This is not just the fault of the current government, of course. The dysfunctional roots of the programme go back decades. But John Healey happens to be holding the baby at the moment. The appropriate response from the MoD would have been acknowledgement of responsibility, a degree of contrition and a clear, straightforward plan explaining what would be done to address or at least mitigate the myriad problems the NAO identified. That was not how the MoD reacted: The National Audit Office's report rightly recognises the world-class capabilities of the F-35 fighter jet, as well as its significant economic benefits – including £22 billion of work for UK companies, creating thousands of jobs. The programme continues to operate within its approved budget, and the UK will have two full squadrons of F-35 fighter jets ready for deployment by the end of this year. It is true the NAO noted the advanced capabilities of the F-35, but the MoD addresses none of the failings, claims that it 'continues' to operate within budget (which the NAO contests) and points to the economic benefits, as if the F-35 was a job creation scheme. I don't expect the programme's senior responsible officer to commit seppuku on the steps of the MoD. But this blind refusal, which senior civil servants and military officers have displayed repeatedly, to accept that anything is amiss is insulting and deeply worrying. If they won't admit what has gone wrong, do they know? If they don't know, how will they stop it happening again? Healey's Defence Reform programme has created a new National Armaments Directorate to manage procurement, though the director is yet to be appointed. But it is hard to see what he or she will be able to do unless there is a dramatic change of culture at the MoD. Only ministers can achieve that change. I hope John Healey did a lot of thinking over the weekend.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
U'khand emerging as hotspot for extreme climate events: Study
Dehradun: A new scientific study published in the 'Journal of the Geological Society of India' has confirmed what many in Uttarakhand have long feared -- the state is fast becoming a hotspot for extreme weather events. The study flagged alarming trends in rainfall variability, surface runoff and rising temperatures, alongside a sharp spike in cloudbursts and flash floods, especially since 2010. Conducted by geoscientists from Doon University, Wadia Institute and Delhi University, the study -- published in the July issue -- analysed nearly four decades (1982-2020) of climate data using satellite-based models. The findings suggested that Uttarakhand is increasingly vulnerable to both monsoon and non-monsoon extreme weather, driven by a complex interplay of regional climatic shifts and global phenomena such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole. Researchers observed a distinct increase in extreme rainfall and surface runoff events post-2010. From 1998 to 2009, the state saw rising temperatures and unusually low rainfall -- a trend that coincided with weakened global climate oscillations. But after 2010, the pattern reversed, particularly in central and western Uttarakhand, accompanied by a surge in cloudbursts. "Analysing cloudburst and extreme rainfall events in Uttarakhand between 1970 and 2021 reveals a clear increase in frequency after 2010," said YP Sundriyal, professor at Doon University and lead author of the study. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo The study examined 140 extreme hydro-meteorological events, most clustered between 30°-31°N latitude and 79°–80.5°E longitude -- a zone aligned with the Main Central Thrust (MCT), a major geological fault line. Rudraprayag and Bageshwar districts emerged as key hotspots, owing to the region's geological fragility and the influence of orographic lifting. While seasonal temperature variations were less erratic than rainfall, consistent warming was observed in the northern glaciated zones, especially in upper Rudraprayag and Bageshwar. These areas also showed increasing surface radiative temperature, which the researchers said may correlate with glacial retreat and heightened flood risk. Notably, the study challenged the prevailing assumption that extreme rainfall events in the region are primarily driven by positive ENSO or Indian Ocean Dipole phases. "The relationship is more nuanced than previously thought," the authors noted, suggesting that local moisture transport patterns and Himalayan topography may exert stronger influence on regional climate dynamics. The authors called for urgent district-level climate adaptation planning, better early warning systems and enhanced monitoring in high-risk zones, especially as Uttarakhand continues to face cascading climate challenges.
NDTV
11-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
UK's F-35 Jet Program Cost Swelling To 71 Billion Pound: Auditor
The UK's plan to significantly expand its fleet of fighter jets is poised to cost 71 Billion pounds ($96.2 billion) over the next four decades, more than triple the original estimates, according to a report by Britain's spending watchdog. The projection by the National Audit Office released Friday is sharply higher than the 19 billion pounds the Ministry of Defense initially said it would cost to purchase and maintain the Lockheed Martin Corp. F35 warplanes. The increase to the total price tag in part reflects the fact that the MoD's initial estimates were based on the cost of the first 48 planes, rather than the 138 it eventually intends to buy, the NAO said. It also reflects 14 billion pounds in costs the NAO said would be required for fuel, personnel and additional infrastructure through 2069 that were excluded from the previous tally. The push to modernise and expand the British airforce with Lockheed's advanced warplanes has also been stymied by delays, staffing shortages and a lack of adequate infrastructure, with about 11 billion pounds spent so far. "The F-35 program offers significantly improved capability and considerable economic benefits to the UK. But the capability benefits are not being fully realized due to delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages," said Gareth Davies, head of the NAO. "The MoD now needs to decide where to prioritize its resources to improve capability in a way that maximizes the full benefits of the F-35 program to the UK," he said. The report comes as UK and other countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are planning to increase their military spending in response to pressure by the US and the concerns about the risk of further Russian aggression in Europe. A spokesperson for the MoD said that the program "continues to operate within its approved budget" and said that despite delays, the UK will have two full squadrons of F-35 fighter jets ready for deployment by the end of this year. Moreover, the ministry said the decision to buy 12 A model F35s - instead of the B version - as part of its plans to bolster NATO's nuclear-deterrent operations will cut the cost of each plane by 25%. But the overall plans to equip the largely US-made aircraft with UK-developed missiles have been pushed back until the next decade, while the full delivery of the first batch of 48 aircraft is also behind schedule, according to the NAO, which said such delays are "undermining the armed forces' war-fighting capability." (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
