The USN has completed its final deployment of the P-3 Orion on 9th October 2019 after 60 years of P-3 service. An era has ended.
In a budget constrained environment, the 6 year delay to the Ford class carrier program and cost over runs will have knock on effects to American fleet availability. Jane’s 360 reports that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) completed a five-day pierside fast-cruise evolution on 23 October at the Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding yard to help the ship prepare for sea trials scheduled for later this month. See: Ford set for sea trials | Jane's 360Another article on the Ford’s troubled electromagnetic elevators. One has to wonder if these devices can ever work on a ship given the requirement for tight tolerances being compromised by the ship’s natural flexing. Then there is the shock issue. Worse still, what about the ships under construction? Should there be a halt until these elevators prove them selves on the Ford? A return to a cable system would likely require some significant design work.
The Most Expensive Ship In The World Is Broken. The U.S. Navy Secretary Should Be Held Accountable.
Thanks for the link on the FFG(X), which is part of America’s current 355-ship goal, based around 11 or 12 carrier strike groups.Report to US Congress on the USN FFX program. Full document is linked in article.
Report to Congress on U.S. Navy Frigate FFG(X) Program - USNI News
The 3 cell ExLS can take the quad pack ESSM, can't it? So if that's correct, that would be 96 ESSM and still leave 32 Mk-41 cells for anything else they want. However, I note that it's specifically designed for the CAMM - Sea Ceptor so from the image below left, it doesn't appear to have the hot gas efflux system that the ESSM would require. They do have a Mk-41 single cell VLS that they still appear to be marketing. I didn't realise that there was a 3 cell variant of the Mk-41 until I read the brochure linked to above and as shown in the image below right. So that may create possibilities, if the ExLS isn't viable, for these 3 cell launchers to be situated around the hull where 8 cell units wouldn't fit.This 1 Flaw in the Navy's New Frigates Could Cause Huge Problems
32 Mk41 VLS cells not regarded as sufficient to future proof FFG(X) from growing PRC and Russian capabilities according to a Congressional Research Service report. Recommends the installation of 48 Mk41 VLS cells at a "marginally increase" of procurement cost.
My view is that an additional 24 ExLS is an alternative worth investigating if the USN takes note of the Congressional Research Service report.
That would make BIW’s Navantia derivative of the F100/105 a front runner if 48 cells was the major consideration.This 1 Flaw in the Navy's New Frigates Could Cause Huge Problems
32 Mk41 VLS cells not regarded as sufficient to future proof FFG(X) from growing PRC and Russian capabilities according to a Congressional Research Service report. Recommends the installation of 48 Mk41 VLS cells at a "marginally increase" of procurement cost.
My view is that an additional 24 ExLS is an alternative worth investigating if the USN takes note of the Congressional Research Service report.
That would make BIW’s Navantia derivative of the F100/105 a front runner if 48 cells was the major consideration.
It will be an interesting development seeing all the bidders react.
The actual report, issued in October, is here:This 1 Flaw in the Navy's New Frigates Could Cause Huge Problems
32 Mk41 VLS cells not regarded as sufficient to future proof FFG(X) from growing PRC and Russian capabilities according to a Congressional Research Service report. Recommends the installation of 48 Mk41 VLS cells at a "marginally increase" of procurement cost.
My view is that an additional 24 ExLS is an alternative worth investigating if the USN takes note of the Congressional Research Service report.
The three cell ExLS has no exhaust ducting like the Mk 41 has. They'd have to develop a cold launch system or a missile module with built in ducting and I doubt the 4m long ExLS could take the 3.66m long ESSM and a cold launch/ducting system. The 3.2m long CAMM only just fits.The 3 cell ExLS can take the quad pack ESSM, can't it?
I believe ExLS is a way of adapting existing launchers (Mk 41 and Mk57) to handle multiples of a type of missile, or different missiles altogether. (An adapter module, in other words.) There is also a cheaper, smaller, standalone system, presumably based on one of the the two launchers mentioned above, but restricted to supporting the missiles mentioned in @Rangitoto's post 2771. I did not find any information that would indicate that this standalone ExLS launcher could be stretched or adapted, however, so I also wonder how something longer like ESSM would be handled. I would presume that opting for ESSM would require Mk41, and that the standalone ExLS would not be an option for that missile.The ExLS is Extensible meaning it was designed to be adapted, extended or stretched.
From memory, besides the USN, the Canadians, Norwegians, Germans, Greeks, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch operate(d) themP-3 Orions. So far the only NATO members to acquire the P-8 have been the USN, Norway and the UK. Norway is acquiring 5 and the UK 9. Airbus apparently has reactivated its A319 / 320 MPA design proposal, so if that gets off the ground you would expect France and Germany and probably Spain to go with that or the C295 MPA. Italy has the ATR72 MPA.Maybe NATO will step up to the plate and order more P8's?
Pretty disappointing cut.
Germany and Portugal operate ex-RNLN P3C CUP (or CUP+ in the case of Germany) Orions, these was acquired in 2006 so it could easily be another decade or more before they are due for replacement.From memory, besides the USN, the Canadians, Norwegians, Germans, Greeks, Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch operate(d) themP-3 Orions. So far the only NATO members to acquire the P-8 have been the USN, Norway and the UK. Norway is acquiring 5 and the UK 9. Airbus apparently has reactivated its A319 / 320 MPA design proposal, so if that gets off the ground you would expect France and Germany and probably Spain to go with that or the C295 MPA. Italy has the ATR72 MPA.