Maritime patrol

Raymond Sammut

Jul 31st 2009, 04:06

@ Joseph Sammut (Ta' Harrbat)

I neither asked, nor did I intend to ask, you. I also did not intend to imply anything as you have clearly tried to imply several things at once in some odd 200 words.

Joseph Sammut (Ta' Harrbat)

Jul 30th 2009, 07:05

IS Mr. Ray Sammut somehow implying that the small island nation of Malta need a squadron or other fleet sized number of aircraft to maintain an adequate surveillance stance over Maltese territorial waters? Or beyond, within the physical or technical limitations of air assets to cover our SAR or FIR zones?

Heaven help us! This is a grossly mistaken assumption made by obviously not technically savvy individuals who cannot say otherwise. Other forces have larger fleets, and larger aircrafts, and yet coastline characteristics or lengths, or area space enormity of a region to be patrolled cannot favour an ever-present 100% surveillance or overhead cover. But that excludes those nations aided with satellite-gathered information capabilities.

Be it the Florida Keyes, or the Sardinian coast, there are always loopholes, because such Services cannot be there, everywhere, all the time, every time. Only the Lord our God may do that.

Also, if Mr. Sammut hasn't yet realised that the EU Parliament is a great debating society, where words are plenty and quick to rap anybody, but actions are miserably slow and capable of following-through to their end, then who am I on the other side of the Atlantic-pond to judge?

Raymond Sammut

Jul 29th 2009, 18:41

Can someone from the AFM offer an opinion to the Maltese public as to whether one aircraft of this type is sufficient? If more than one are required for the purpose of routine and comprehensive reconnaissance missions, why are the EU countries, especially the larger ones such as France, Britain and Spain, have been and are still being so frugal and so belated in providing small and strategic Malta with this much needed assistance?