Considering that apart from Carriers and Amphibs they are Currently used to commend task groups, using the USN definition they fit the definition of cruisers.
According to T45 technical specs they have the C&C capacity to host a purple command group, so they could step-up and replace the T22's in the flag role (plus they have the extra bed spaces). Another excuse to cut the T22's early.
True, they do seem to be the most obvious targets to cuts, which is sad as the whole T22 class have been desposed of prematurely. However the implcations of such a move?:
On reflection, the next phases should perhaps be, design change, cost escalation and cutbacks....
You might think so, but until we know that the Tories aren't going to ditch Naval air capability any talk of potential T26 numbers is a bit premature.
Not just you. I'm with you on that.
Define 'not too distant'. Ocean was commissioned in 1998. Even though built cheaply, she should last to at least 2020.
Not too distant - if i were to put a time frame on it i would say about a decade until any prospective new LPH/LHD comes into service. In terms of what i believe should be occuring, i would say it should be at the concept stage. I.e. what role do we want it to be able to achieve? Size, capability and do we want one or two (and will the budget allow us to do this?).
Re the T-45 Cruiser - i suppose it could be re-designated in the future if it gets the upgrades to its ASW suite that are intended for it, and/or the proposed ABM system. Then it would be a true cruiser.
Why does it need ASW upgrades to be classified as a cruiser? Traditionally it has been destroyers and smaller escorts that hunt subs, not cruisers.
By ASW i think i may have meant ASuW? Would that make more sense?
I suppose it is a matter of what you consider a cruiser to be as there have been many incarnations but I have to agree as I still visualise cruisers as Kirov class carrier killers able to operate on their own and be a major threat.
The T-22 will be first to go anyway under C1/Type 26 program, I thought that CAMM and Artisan were still being fitted to the Type 22, It would be so difficult as they would be ripping out SW and mounting a VLS in place of the movable mount in the raised forecastle(think thats the right bit)
I hadn't heard anything about CAMM and Artisan going on to T22's. For one thing CAMM will only just be coming into service as T22's go (Around the 2018 mark I believe).
But AAW cruisers have been around since WW2, & the first naval area defence SAMs were fitted to cruisers.
Perhaps. However i would not say that T-45 breaks the mould to the extent that a fundamental change of how all naval vessels are designated is warranted.
Not that there is much importance in what they are called, but up until the 19th C Frigates were really Cruisers. I think the first modern use was the Rivers, and the term Corvette was just adopted as a ship traditionally smaller than a Frigate, previously they would have been Sloops, a term that seems to have died out, but is probably near an OPV. Yet the USN called similar ships Destroyer Escorts. The USN called what we would have called a Guided Missile Destroyer also the size of cruisers a Frigate up until the 60/70s.