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Systems Adict

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
There was a post on face book earlier today that contained the following comments & link...

The quote is from Savetheroyalnay.org

"For those with a more technical interest these are the components of the Wartsila "M" series stern tube seals fitted to HMS Queen Elizabeth. They are designed to be serviced in place on the ship and no need for dry dock. No prop or tail shaft removal needed.

A stern seal face has minor damage, behind this is an emergency inflatable seal. This will be inflated & divers will pack out the stern tube. The rotating faces can then be changed.

BTW since coming alongside the leakage rate has been zero."


https://www.wartsila.com/products/marine-oil-gas/seals-bearings/sealing-solutions/wartsila-stern-tube-seals-water-lubricated


...In other news, the RN has completed the 2nd set of live firing fo Sea Ceptor on T23, HMS Westminster...

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2017/december/20/171220-missile-success-for-hms-westminster-as-second-ship-to-fire-new-sea-ceptor
 
alexsa

alexsa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Systems Adict said:
There was a post on face book earlier today that contained the following comments & link...

The quote is from Savetheroyalnay.org

"For those with a more technical interest these are the components of the Wartsila "M" series stern tube seals fitted to HMS Queen Elizabeth. They are designed to be serviced in place on the ship and no need for dry dock. No prop or tail shaft removal needed.

A stern seal face has minor damage, behind this is an emergency inflatable seal. This will be inflated & divers will pack out the stern tube. The rotating faces can then be changed.

BTW since coming alongside the leakage rate has been zero."


https://www.wartsila.com/products/m...ns/wartsila-stern-tube-seals-water-lubricated


...In other news, the RN has completed the 2nd set of live firing fo Sea Ceptor on T23, HMS Westminster...

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-a...minster-as-second-ship-to-fire-new-sea-ceptor
Click to expand...

Excellent ..... just proves the press would not know if their arse was on fire and nobody bother to check before bursting into print.
 
taskforce88

taskforce88

New Member
Jane's Defence Weekly mentioned the 'leak' very briefly and stated it was not a major issue.

Of course the media need a good defence story to blow out of proportion - lead by a newspaper that claims to be on the side of defence.

The defence editor of the said newspaper then went on to attack defence 'bloggers' on Twitter when they called the story sensational drivel.

I cannot think of any decent defence reporters or editors based here in the UK - in regards to mainstream media.
 
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taskforce88

taskforce88

New Member
Largs Bay, named after my local town here in Ayrshire, now HMAS Choules.

Some opposition politicians, back-benchers and defence commentators using the sale of ocean to hit the Government, some even claiming its an amphibious assault ship. Although she was subject to a major refit in 2012 (just to keep her going until we could get rid of her), Ocean is past her best for UK service and Brazil will need to conduct a massive overhaul of the vessel. They may regret their decision and may indicate how desperate they are for such a platform.

LPH’s three Raytheon Mk 15 Phalanx Block 1B close-in weapon systems is not part of the sale.
 
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S

swerve

Super Moderator
t68 said:
It seems that the Brazilians were successful in purchasing HMS Ocean for £84m according to this blog site,

Brazil announce purchase of HMS Ocean for £84 million

I thought it was on the expensive side when you compare that the RAN picked up Largs Bay for £64m and under half her age as well. And apparently no Phalanx CIWS but if they are happy
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Largs Bay was stupidly underpriced IMO. IIRC there was talk of the UK asking less than Australia was going to offer, so the Aussies had to fight the urge to shout "Yes yes yes!" when they heard the price, & pretend to haggle a bit.

But still, I'm a bit surprised by £84 million for Ocean.
 
Systems Adict

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
t68 said:
It seems that the Brazilians were successful in purchasing HMS Ocean for £84m according to this blog site,

Brazil announce purchase of HMS Ocean for £84 million

I thought it was on the expensive side when you compare that the RAN picked up Largs Bay for £64m and under half her age as well. And apparently no Phalanx CIWS but if they are happy
Click to expand...

Saw this on Face ache earlier.


Brazilians claim YES, we've bought it !

MoD Sources say (paraphrasing) Nope, you haven't...

HMS Ocean 'Sold To Brazil For £84 Million', Say Reports
 
H

hauritz

Well-Known Member
The British got pretty good use out of it. They only ever intended operating it for 20 years. Still it does seem like they are in the process of downgrading their amphibious assault capability. Let's hope that they hang onto the HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.
 
taskforce88

taskforce88

New Member
Oceans engines are knackered and her fire supression system needs completly removed and replaced along with 101 other things. She was built on the cheap and not to 'military' standards. That said she has done great service for the RN.

The RN is having a tough time finding enough manpower for the PoW, Ocean was clearly going to be sold or scrapped to free up some people. The risk now however is if the MoD/RN decide to use the PoW as an LPH.

The original plan was for QE to be out on operations with PoW in port for training/maintenance/standby - this was when the RN had 5000 more people than currently - then there were plans to mothball PoW, now we are back to the original plan as per SDR 98, but with less people. It therefore figures platform cuts are necessary to man the carriers efficiently.

With regards to Albion and Bulwark it seems the MoD are seriously considering their decommissioning to free up more personnel.
 
t68

t68

Well-Known Member
taskforce88 said:
Oceans engines are knackered and her fire supression system needs completly removed and replaced along with 101 other things. She was built on the cheap and not to 'military' standards. That said she has done great service for the RN.
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Surely Brazil must know this as well, sounds like the will spend another 80m just on another refit:mad:

taskforce88 said:
The RN is having a tough time finding enough manpower for the PoW, Ocean was clearly going to be sold or scrapped to free up some people. The risk now however is if the MoD/RN decide to use the PoW as an LPH.

The original plan was for QE to be out on operations with PoW in port for training/maintenance/standby - this was when the RN had 5000 more people than currently - then there were plans to mothball PoW, now we are back to the original plan as per SDR 98, but with less people. It therefore figures platform cuts are necessary to man the carriers efficiently.

With regards to Albion and Bulwark it seems the MoD are seriously considering their decommissioning to free up more personnel.
Click to expand...
political decision coming home to roost along with the RN believing if we get them the funding will follow, someone forgot to tell the treasury.:(
 
taskforce88

taskforce88

New Member
t68 said:
Surely Brazil must know this as well, sounds like the will spend another 80m just on another refit:mad:
---
political decision coming home to roost along with the RN believing if we get them the funding will follow, someone forgot to tell the treasury.:(
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There is some talk about Ocean being upgraded in the UK, so that's good news for UK companies and workers (Babcock probably?)

In 1998 the RN said that implementing SDR 98 would be no problem as long as force numbers stayed the same, now they are down about 5000. Although the original plan for the Type-45 was 13 operational destroyers - we ended up with 6. I wouldn't be surprised if the MoD did decide to mothball PoW in the end, anything is possible these days. If you have one operational carrier and one in reserve you would need two crews, if you have two operational carriers then you would ideally need at least three crews. Manpower is the killer, funding isn't helping.

Interestingly enough, the UK gave an additional £80M to Brazil last year to help fight poverty, the 9th largest economy - via Save the RN

It also appears that the 7th Astute-class boat is late.
 
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t68

t68

Well-Known Member
KiwiRob said:
This doesn't look good at all. This might as well be the final death by 1000 cuts if it goes ahead.

Click to expand...
Apparently that list comes from the defence headsheds according to the Times spreadsheet, if they are coming up with this they must be under a lot of pressure from number 10. From my perspective now that's it is in the open it may just jolt a significant backlash against the government and start funding to an acceptable number. Wonder what's happening with the foreign aid budget?


Merger threat to Royal Marines and paratroopers
 
S

StobieWan

Super Moderator
Staff member
Every time defence cuts come up, there's a host of "the Red Arrows will be scrapped, the SAS will be disbanded" type of stories - I suspect they're leaked to the Sun and Express to prepare people for a set of horrible alternatives - that way when something otherwise unpalatable like junking a couple of ships or crunching up Tornado ahead of a proper replacement capability happens, everyone sighs in relief instead of wailing a lot.

The fact that we're looking at cuts again after the very hasty and ill judged SDSR 2010 is depressing however.
 
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