The Royal Navy Discussions and Updates

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swerve

Super Moderator
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Sea Toby

New Member
Carriers being built at Clydebank. Reminds me of Gracie Fields.. They used to make good films..

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l-7-zxT528&feature=related"]YouTube - Gracie Fields 'Shipyard Sally' Land Of Hope And Glory[/ame]
 
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Systems Adict

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Sea Toby said:
Carriers being built at Clydebank. Reminds me of Gracie Fields.. They used to make good films..
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Mmm... Turn the sound down & watch the footage, much better !

Sad though, the slips where that was filmed, was where The Queen Mary & the QE2 where launched, now gone, replaced by a further education college, the only thing left was the hammer headed crane, which is now a viewing platform.

I know that it was used to 18" guns on warships once upon a time.

Nostalgic for me, as I only live 30-odd miles away from the site, but "modern" ship building hasn't been like that in the UK since the late 1950's !

SA :cry2
 
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supermachiner

New Member
i thought id never see the day when we'd get big carriers again least of all actually built here.

im still holding my breath but its starting to look like there's hope
 
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overlander

Member
I think the possibility of cancellation of the 2 carriers is not possible as it would be a political conflict for the government and the thousands of jobs promised, even as Richard Beedall writes it could cost the resignation of the head of the navy Admiral Jonathon Band.

However the anti-carrier lobby has made a last bid to get CVF cancelled. It's widely believed that the MOD's equipment budget faces a £1-2 billion a year funding shortfall and there is widespread feeling in both the MOD and industry that it is inevitable that a major multi-billion pound project will have to be sacrificed. General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, has written confidentially to all one-star and two-star officers in the Ministry of Defence asking for their views about the need for a next-generation carrier strike force, i.e. CVF and carrier strike. Given that RN one-star (Commodore) and two-star (Rear Admiral) officers are out numbered four to one by their Army and RAF counterparts the results of the "poll" are rather pre-ordained. It remains to be seen if the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, will then feel able to take the extra-ordinary action of informing the Secretary of State for Defence or even the Prime Minister that his professional recommendation is that the project should be cancelled. With contracts apparently about to be signed the result will be severe political embarrassment for the government, and probably the resignation of the head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band Admiral Sir Jonathon Band.
 
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Sea Toby

New Member
As long as the army is involved in overSEAS operations, I suspect the army leadership will support the Royal Navy more, at least for joint power protection aircraft carriers and sea lift. That can change signicantly when the army isn't deployed overSEAS.
 
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swerve

Super Moderator
A bit late for all this talk of cancellation, when the contracts are sitting at the MoD, waiting to be signed. The MoD said yesterday that the contracts are now ready, & are waiting for the shipbuilders to get their act together. As soon as they've formalised their joint venture, which shouldn't take long now (they've been hammering out details for a long time), that JV will sign the contracts. BAe, VT & Thales will sort out the JV, as it's worth too much money for them to walk away from, & in the meantime, it's full steam ahead. Everyone is going to work, placing orders, scheduling yard time, etc., as if the signatures were dry.
 
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battlensign

New Member
swerve said:
A bit late for all this talk of cancellation, when the contracts are sitting at the MoD, waiting to be signed. The MoD said yesterday that the contracts are now ready, & are waiting for the shipbuilders to get their act together. As soon as they've formalised their joint venture, which shouldn't take long now (they've been hammering out details for a long time), that JV will sign the contracts. BAe, VT & Thales will sort out the JV, as it's worth too much money for them to walk away from, & in the meantime, it's full steam ahead. Everyone is going to work, placing orders, scheduling yard time, etc., as if the signatures were dry.
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Then all that will be needed is some CATOBAR gear (plus an E2 or 6/7) and the Brits are set......... :)

Brett.
 
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Sea Toby

New Member
I read somewhere the CATOBAR equipment would cost another 300-400 million pounds for the two ships, so I doubt whether the Royal Navy would buy them in this cost constricted environment. That is, unless they choose to go with the French Rafaels instead of the B versions of the Lightning IIs. Since the British will build the second source jet engines, and the aft tails for many of the aircraft, billions are resting on those contracts as well.
 
harryriedl

harryriedl

Active Member
Verified Defense Pro
new info on MARS Four on shortlist for UK Royal Navy tankers deal

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday four companies would help it develop plans for a new fleet of Royal Navy tankers, with one later getting a contract for the final design and construction.

The four companies are Italy's Fincantieri, Korea's Hyundai, Spain's Navantia, and a consortium of Britain's BAE Systems Plc (BAES.L: Quote, Profile, Research), BMT Group Ltd and Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd (042660.KS: Quote, Profile, Research).

"These four companies have demonstrated the capability and capacity to deliver in the timescales we need. We will be testing their proposals for value for money through the competition," Minister for Defence Equipment & Support Ann Taylor said in a statement. None of the four bidders have indicated they would build the tankers in Britain, the MoD said. "This reflects the fact that UK capacity is taken up by Type 45 (destroyers) and the Future Aircraft Carrier." (Reporting by Dan Lalor; editing by Sue Thomas)
from Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSL2147096520080521

neat lots of RN info good to see the progress of MARS now the CVF is done [contract singed only construction to do]
 
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swerve

Super Moderator
I like the look of the BMT Aegir family, which I understand is one of the contenders, but I lack the expertise to judge them against the other possibilities.
 
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Sea Toby

New Member
I would look for fuel tonnage, plus food and supply volume over the speed of the ship or its weapon systems. But most likely the price is most important. I doubt whether the British will buy a ship that costs twice as much as another.

The new carriers are going to consume so much fuel, aviation fuel, food and supplies I would expect the British to require a ship to provide enough of each for at least a week. While I don't know how much that is, I am sure the navy bean counters know.
 
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windscorpion

New Member
Superb this year (a little earlier now probably!) Sceptre in 2010

Trafalgars will be next, i assume the ones that have recently been upgraded will be the last to go
 
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ASFC

New Member
Beyond what was in the news? Nope, they are keeping it quiet.

Frankly I give her no more than a couple of months. Apart from the fact that she is supposed to be decommissoned this year, coupled with this damage, the fact she is the oldest SSN in RN service, and the requirement to cut the attack boat fleet to 8, her future is bleak. Her onlying saving grace is if there is no replacement for her (i.e too many of the other 8 are still in refit) in which case she will be repaired.
 
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Truculent

New Member
Thirty six hours transiting Suez in a damaged boat will be a challenge plus the lengthy journey home.I doubt we will hear about her unless she is spotted enroute.
She had an extensive refit fairly recently and there are enough boats of her class to rob parts from.
 
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ASFC

New Member
Truculent said:
Thirty six hours transiting Suez in a damaged boat will be a challenge plus the lengthy journey home.I doubt we will hear about her unless she is spotted enroute.
She had an extensive refit fairly recently and there are enough boats of her class to rob parts from.
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Unless i'm missing something, why did you ask the question if you had the answer? :confused:

HMS Superb will be decommissioned this year. We are already half way through this year. Regardless of when she was last in refit, questions will be asked about whether it is cost effective to repair a boat that has no more than six months service left. The same would go for Trafalgar if she had an accident, as she is supposed to be decommissioned this year as well.
 
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