If I recall correctly the Hunter was flagged as an ANZAC / FFG replacement as far back as 2009/10 by Stephen Smith.Type 26 should have been ordered much earlier is the thing - and this would have been much worse if the Type 31 hadn't been ordered (the build cycle for those much less complex ships is shorter)
I hope folk are making notes and looking at Type 83 accordingly because extending the Type 45's will get very expensive.
I remember talking about what was future surface combatant around the 2000/2001 period and the first one is just in the water now I think.If I recall correctly the Hunter was flagged as an ANZAC / FFG replacement as far back as 2009/10 by Stephen Smith.
The numbers mentioned were six, but this was also when the DWP listed a requirement for twenty combatants (not just OPVs) to replace the PBs, MCMs and survey vessels.
What goes around comes around.
It's all about £££.I don't know how to fix this, perhaps some commons steering committee for defence planning or something that persists beyond a government to make sure we don't do this again?
And then unit price was driven up by cutting numbers ordered and stretching the build times.It's all about £££.
The development cycle was long because there was no money to place orders. So the development cycle was extended, first in the hope that the government would give money for an ideal ship and later to try to find cheaper options. It's always cheaper to kick the can down the road - until it falls apart and you have nothing left to kick.
It's a terrible situation from a succession of weak governments pretending that "push to the right" is viable procurement and "well they're not needed now" is a defence strategy.A depressing report on the RN’s declining frigate fleet. The Type 23, like The RAN’s Anzac class and the RCN’s Halifax class, all have to serve well past their “best before date” because of delays and budget screw-ups. Sad that three countries building T-26s can’t figure out how to build 30 plus ships between them at a decent cost with perhaps another 10 for allies.
Royal Navy frigate strength to get worse before it gets better | Navy Lookout
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I'm hopeful for Norway - it'd be so rare for a UK yard to land an order for a complex warship - and that would make the T26 global fleet into a sizeable affair. I'm not sure if 26 is a bit much ship for NZ - I don't know what their requirements are but if they are after something of the size and complexity of Type 26, I'm darn sure we can fit them in If they were after something more like a fully loaded Type 31 on the other hand, that works.Yes, agree Norway will likely be an export customer for the T-26 via the UK. The only other candidate for export IMO is NZ. Given the urgency for new ships, neither Australia or Canada are really in a position to export their versions nor is the UK if they get an order from Norway.
In a perfect world, one or all of the other 5EYE T-26 yards would have ships coming off the production line that would allow quick export opportunities. Three builders competing might allow for competitive pricing on a tier 1 ship which NZ really should have…..unfortunately the world isn’t perfect.I'm hopeful for Norway - it'd be so rare for a UK yard to land an order for a complex warship - and that would make the T26 global fleet into a sizeable affair. I'm not sure if 26 is a bit much ship for NZ - I don't know what their requirements are but if they are after something of the size and complexity of Type 26, I'm darn sure we can fit them in If they were after something more like a fully loaded Type 31 on the other hand, that works.
I agree that a T26 option is unlikely for NZ but given the submarine proliferation in the Asia Pacific region it really is the frigate NZ should have.I can't imagine the Kiwis buying a T26 platform. They are currently struggling to crew their existing ships and I doubt they could afford the price tag of any version.
NZ has at most always been a GP navy, so would be looking for lower cost multipurpose vessels to replace the two ANZACs. I would have thought the T31 is a better match, or possibly what ever Australia picks for their GPF.
From what I've read they are looking at around mid 2030 to replace them, so a little bit of time to select an option, and by us Pacific regionthen some yard capacity might open up.
The irony is that if they do go under, I'm not sure it will significantly affect FSSP as from memory Spain is doing the complex work. I think it would mean all the work being taken on by Cadiz and as a result maybe even being completed a bit faster.This turned up on my news feed tonight. Looks like H&W are up to their eyes in it....
H & W cancels some of their apprenticeship intake for 2024.
That's really bad news for the local community - a whole bunch of young people looking forward to a career are now looking for jobs or college places in a scramble.This turned up on my news feed tonight. Looks like H&W are up to their eyes in it....
H & W cancels some of their apprenticeship intake for 2024.
H&W have called in the money men & the 1st thing they did (according to the article), was to 'sack' the highest paid board members. The bean counters know that the biggest financial drawdown on any business is the number of staff that get paid - LESS staff, means MORE money.Given the impact, you have to wonder how the position is so bad at H&W that HMG won't help.