Blanketstacker
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Any geek can come up with something with tracks and a power supply. You can knock one up in your shed. (If some shaven-headed tank snack can't carry his own kit, he shouldn't be in the job!)(You remind me of testing we did on a US competitor to the old Wheelbarrow in the 80s, that had six wheels. It was great, until it hit a steep slope (when it fell over backwards) or stairs (when it just slipped backwards). Ever wondered why all the double-decker 'buses were taken out of service in Belfast in the 80s??)However good Talon is, it must surely be a peripheral project for QQ. I hope so anyway! 
LK Hyman
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Stacker,"it is just a remote obs vehicle on tracks"So, apart from its obvs obs ability, you don't rate it as a SWORDS platform for a Barrett .50 cal M82 sniper rifle, or a six barreled grenade launcher, m8? Surely the ability for one of the little guys to track up stairs would be useful? It must be very tiring for a 42" waist bootneck to have to climb stairs himself though maybe QQ have developed a special ops version of the Stannah stairlift as a stepout from the Upstart thingy we were discussing yesterday.But yeah, I think I may have got overoptimistic about the potential for Talons .... unless the HAZMAT or SOTAL version comes up trumps.LKH on the flybridge enjoying a wet and these acronyms ... FEBA I love it
Blanketstacker
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Hi gamesIt is a long time since I actually worked in this sector, but have mates who are still clinging on. Talon will sell in the US, as that is a technology-obsessed market, but elsewhere it is cheaper (and more effective) to employ former Zimbabwean soldiers. (About eighty of them are currently in the Falklands, and there more in Bosnia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Afghanistan). It is a niche product, but does have broader applications. It is in no way a 'game changer'. In essence it is just a remote obs vehicle on tracks, with powerpoints aboard.I know little about Optasense, other than that it is used to detect anomalies in pipelines. The basic technology is ancient, and you can probably trace it back to the Great War tunnellers, if you want to!!! Having said that, we are hearing a great deal about 'soft borders' and this is one way that potential monitoring could be undertaken. I am no expert in this area (or any other really), so please don't take any actions on my word. Sorry not to be more helpful.
gamesinvestor
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Blanket, based on your knowlegeable input, do you envisage the (finger in the air) £20M worth of Talon sales are likely to decline as you consider it relatively expensive and not particularly effective (perhaps) in clearance of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).There is no doubting this is a big problem area and any method that doesn't involve a person putting lives at risk is a bonus -- do you consider the Talon as a bit of a joke when it comes to clearance?Forward Edge of the Battle area (FEBA) -- Ok I'm getting up to speed here, never having been in the Army -- a boxing ring yes, but they don't allow weapons other than your gloved fists.You also mention ZDF?You have any views on Optasense and the audio technology used -- is it a bit outmoded now to use remote monitoring using audio instead of some other detection like vibration-light-or other electronic measurement?Games
Blanketstacker
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Talon is not intended to be used at the FEBA. Clearance of IEDs under possible enemy fire is not undertaken (except by the IDF!!!!)Talon is simply a development of the old Wheelbarrows of the 1980s. Late stage clearance is not done remotely. It is far cheaper to send in former ZDF personnel. Talon is not a novel development, nor one that will generate huge revenue. Big boys' toy for the Yanks!
LK Hyman
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Games,"Talons look like they could be taken out with a simple grenade."I am not an expert in these matters but I imagine that terrorists tend to withdraw from areas where they have sown IEDs, if only to lull the good guys into thinking that the area is clear. So there is probably no-one around to throw the grenade.Talons do look a bit like Tonka toys though the military seems to view them very favourably. I must say that, if I were a squaddie ordered to wander along an IED-strewn road, I'd be tempted to say "Hey, why don't we send in the Talon first, Corp, ... get him to prod that suspicious package?"LKH on the flybridge
LK Hyman
01 Sep 2017
Re: Leonardo Games,Westland needed to be rescued, as you imply. The spat over whether it would be the Americans (Sikorsky) or the Europeans that rescued Westland made it inevitable that someone would take it over. QQ isn't in the same situation, so I have little doubt that our craven politicos would bang the drum for keeping it out of foreign hands in order to make themselves look all patriotic.Yes, I sold Circassia, Antofagasta and Abcam. Delighted to get shot of the Circassia munter. All three went as part of my IHT planning thingy, otherwise I would probably have kept all three notwithstanding the frightful clout in the yarblockos that I received from Circassia.LKH on the flybridge
LK Hyman
01 Sep 2017
Re: Leonardo Games,Blighty retains a special 1% share in QQ which enables it to block any sale of the company to an entity of which the state disapproves.Given that Leonardo is Italian I suspect that, given the apparent inevitability of Breggsit, the state WOULD disapprove of any such takeover because of the security sensitivity of much of QQ's operations. Anyway, as the German bloke in Blackadder said "the humiliation would be unbearable".However a takeover by BAE Systems or Babcock would probably be both politically acceptable and would make economic sense. There are plenty of synergies with either company, the potential for consolidation of flying training for the UK and foreign armed services via Babcock being but one small example.LKH on the flybridge bring it o
gamesinvestor
01 Sep 2017
Re: Leonardo "Blighty retains a special 1% share in QQ"Good point, but it didn't stop them selling to the Candians in the first instance when it was er the MOD.The UK government has such skewed logic doesn't it?Westland Helicopters was British -- I suppose they allowed that to go because it was losing money, and Selex (BAE Sensors) was classed as a minor divisional sale from BAE so somewhat under the radar so to speak.On another subject -- did you sell Circassia (what was left of your holding I mean) and Anto? --- I just offloaded Abcam.Games
LK Hyman
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Games,"the whole division that includes Talon only has a total revenue of £50M"I suspect (with no evidence to back it up) that Talon sales are pretty lumpy. What with The Duck sending more troops to Afghan (how daft is THAT?) one could envisage some uplift in Talon sales given the Americans' understandable preference for sending a robot ahead of troops down a road laced with IEDs.Similarly Optasense seems to be getting a fair bit of traction with big oilers such as Shell. The security threat to their operations is only likely to get worse so, if an Optasense digital rope really does detect incursions on the part of unfriendlies, one could imagine sales thereof would similarly get a bit of a boost. I agree that, at the moment, the contributions of both products to group profitability is fairly limited. LKH on the flybridge
gamesinvestor
01 Sep 2017
Re: 2008 Well on Optasense, on the +ve side there are an awful lot of pipes around the world exposed to the nasty guys with wrong motives, and fluid leaks can be expensive.The robot thingy looks a bit shakey though - Talons look like they could be taken out with a simple grenade.Games
gamesinvestor
01 Sep 2017
Rockwell Collins - United Tech This article talks about the priorities at United and what they are targeting and why -- pre the announcement of the supposed successful bid :-[link] looks like they also paid an eye-watering amount of money, $18Bn, for Goodrich in 2012 and Warren Buffet paid $37bn for Precision Cast Parts last year.QQ - I suppose is peanuts compared to these companies, so if the interest was there, it would be chump change for one of these guys.That's the theory I suppose -- the key point is do they want it.I suspect the Rockwell Collins deal is more about the aircraft interiors (seats , toilets - the crxppy end of the business) and that allows United to package it's bids to Boeing more cost effectively.I have a buddy who works at Leonardo and I've fired off a load of questions to him to see if there is any talk about QQ in Italy.Games
gamesinvestor
31 Aug 2017
Leonardo I see Leonardo (used to be called Finmeccanica until the tax issues forced the name change), are a partner in the Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) £30M program.Interesting that they have a good history of acquiring UK companies. Westland Helicopters, Selex Sensors (used to be part of BAE Systems) -- (involved on high resolution Infra Red Sensors - on aircraft and helicopters).Perhaps there is a possible future interest in Leonardo taking out QQ.Not probably at present, as Leonardo isn't in that rude a health at the minute, but you never know ....Games - Looking at all angles
gamesinvestor
31 Aug 2017
Re: Tram lines sage -- sorry I was having a little fun there.I've read John J. Murphy's - Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets from cover to cover.It cost me $90 and to be honest I probably would have gotten more insight from spending it in a Fullers Pub on a sunny day in London.Harsh I know, but as a long term investor (OK how long is long he's thinking) I think technical analysis holds little importance. As a trader perhaps....?Could be wrong of course but understanding what the company does, how it makes money and if it's increasing both of these profitably is far and away the thing to focus on.Games -- In it for the long term, unless I see a quick buck and then........
sage in the hills
31 Aug 2017
Re: Tram lines Gamesinvestor....tramlines.....is a "chartists' expression .... but they never know what they are talking about ....SAGE
