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Border Force AH-64A

Started by Leading Observer, March 04, 2021, 01:51:45 AM

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Leading Observer

The background to the Borderforce Apache

Following the UK's acrimonious No-Deal exit from the European Union and the subsequent secession of Scotland from the Union in order to re-join the EU, the Government in Westminster was faced with the problem controlling two land borders with the EU in addition to the sea borders in the North Sea and Channel.
The level of Cross-Channel smuggling of goods and people was exacerbated by a breakdown of Law and Order in Northern France, which resulted in both French Police and Border Forces being infiltrated by members of criminal gangs with the result that there were in effect no controls on vessels leaving France for southern England.
The UK's Coastguard and Border Force vessels tried in vain to stem the increasing flow, but the smugglers began to use bigger, faster boats to try and avoid interception. They also began to send their own armed escort boats to deter the unarmed Border Force Cutters and matters finally came to a head when HMC Protector was sunk by RPG's fired by a smuggler's boat and the crew killed by machine gun fire when they abandoned the sinking vessel.
The outrage this sparked in both the press and Parliament was massive and the Government was forced to accept that the unarmed Border Force Vessels would have to be withdrawn and replaced with ships capable of responding to an armed adversary. As an interim measure, the Royal Navy was tasked with taking over the Border Force duties until Border Force equipment was up to the job. The solution, in the end, was straightforward. HM Border Force purchased four small feeder container ships. These were sent to Devonport and converted into Small Armed Helicopter Carriers [SACH}, able to operate a number of different types of aircraft, including the AH-64A Apache purchased from US Army reserve stocks.
The introduction of these SACH ships was a game changer, as now the Border Force Cutters could call in a heavily armed rapid response to encounters with any armed smugglers. After a number of smuggler boats were sunk after opening fire on BF Cutters, unfortunately with some loss of life on both sides, the number of smuggling attempts rapidly diminished.
This however was a two edged sword, as the criminal gangs quickly realised that the newly created Republic of Scotland's borders with England were poorly patrolled, the Scottish Government at Holyrood having made the decision to make cross border immigration between Scotland and England an English rather than a Scottish problem. They therefore transferred their base of operations from Northern France to Southern Scotland, taking advantage of the free movement of people and vehicles between the Republic of Scotland and the EU.
Westminster's answer was one originally created by the Emperor Hadrian and attempted by President Trump – a wall with controlled crossing points. The Army implemented patrols along the Anglo-Scottish border whilst the wall was under construction, and these patrols could call upon Border Force Apaches to support them where necessary.

The model is an old Bilek/Italeri 1/72 AH-64A from the stash:


LO


Observation is the most enduring of lifes pleasures

Leading Observer

LO


Observation is the most enduring of lifes pleasures

Old Wombat

They could probably use that in Jersey about now. ;) ;D :thumbsup:
Has a life outside of What-If & wishes it would stop interfering!

"The purpose of all War is Peace" - St. Augustine

veritas ad mortus veritas est

NARSES2

Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

Pellson

HM Border Guard - Keeping them pesky skirtwearers at bay since medieval times..  ;D
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

Nick

That'll work well between Carlisle and Berwick-upon-Tweed when the time comes!  :wacko: