THEODORE ROOSEVELT IN UK WATERS

[KPax]

Just seen some pictures of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in UK waters on FB and the BBC, a very impressive beast indeed, do we really want something like this when we can't afford MPA. I understand some of the thinking behind it but I am still not sure.

[Donkey497]

..... Something like this... is right.


Broon's Memorial White Elephants are still smaller than the big Teddy & if we scrape up the manpower to fully staff it, we probably won't have anybody left to man the escort, so it'll need to remain permanently in port.......


This will be no bad thing, as I hate to think of the running costs for them considering that they are gas turbine powered rather than nuclear.


...... and that's before we work out whether we can put anything on it that might be capable of flight, whether it needs a catapult, or not.....


End Rant Mode.

[Willard Whyte]

Debatable whether we're getting anything like a Nimitz Class carrier...

...and which is at least capable of carrying its own MPA.

[Pontius Navigator]

Interesting on manpower. The 30 year old USD TR has a crew of 3200, 90 aircraft and 2480 people on its air wing.

The QE will have a crew of 679 and 250 troops and a total of 1600 bunks. On ccontrast it will have only 40 (50) aircraft.

[SpringHeeledJack]

It's escort, Winston S Churchill has a UK navigator, RN I'm assuming, as a nod of respect to the ex WW2 Prime Minister..

[Brian W May]

as a nod of respect to the ex WW2 Prime Minister..

That'll be the same prime minister that shat all over Bomber Command then . . . worth respecting unless you're one of the 55,000 casualties' next of kin of course.

I just raise that because we're commemorating all sorts of stuff at the moment.

Sorry about the thread drift, just finished one of several books on WWII and Who Betrayed the Bomber Boys video.

[Martin the Martian]

Pontius- The Ford-class carriers under development have a crew (minus air wing) of 2600 due to automation.

[polecat2]

Brian W May

That'll be the same prime minister that shat all over Bomber Command then . . . worth respecting unless you're one of the 55,000 casualties' next of kin of course.

To add to the thread drift, the Poles who fought with the British forces received the same treatment from Churchill at the end of the war.


I am a great admirer of Churchill, and possibly understand the politics that made him do this, but having a WW2 Polish heritage and great respect for Bomber Command, it just doesn't seem right.

[nic_from_rae]

Multiple helicopters heard flying over Fareham very late last night, wondered if it was anything to do with the US ship in Solent

[normalbloke]

Does anybody know if there will be any fixed wing ops from her while she's here.?

I'm expecting the mockery regarding folding wings etc etc!

[99 Change Hands]

Ooh, what a lot of planes!

USS Theodore Roosevelt From The Air 2015 (http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=65881)

[ORAC]

Fixed that for you....

679 and 250 troops and a total of 1600 bunks. On ccontrast it will have only 40 (50) aircraft.

679 and 250 troops and a total of 1600 bunks. On ccontrast it will have space for up to 40 (50) aircraft - which will leave lots of room for volley ball and cocktail parties around the 10-12 available from the currently expected total purchase.........

[Not_a_boffin]

Broon's Memorial White Elephants are still smaller than the big Teddy & if we scrape up the manpower to fully staff it, we probably won't have anybody left to man the escort, so it'll need to remain permanently in port.......


This will be no bad thing, as I hate to think of the running costs for them considering that they are gas turbine powered rather than nuclear.


...... and that's before we work out whether we can put anything on it that might be capable of flight, whether it needs a catapult, or not.....

My, what a load of misinformed tripe.

The Brown thing is a myth - if you actually look at the history of the project he tried everything to kill them - or at least avoid ordering them. The complement is broadly the same as a CVS - incidentally, that's one reason why they're so big.

Glad to see you're fully informed as to the relative running costs of nuclear vs diesel and GT-powered ships. I can't wait to see your comparison.

Does anybody know if there will be any fixed wing ops from her while she's here.?

She'll sit on Charlie buoy for the week she's here. No flying ops other than any helo VIPTAX/HDS.

[normalbloke]

Thanks for the info re flying ops. Disappointing! I was there when she arrived, to the point of watching her drop anchor and being able to hear the anchor chains run from the shore. Now if only I can get a tour!,

I can dream!

[ORAC]

Glad to see you're fully informed as to the relative running costs of nuclear vs diesel and GT-powered ships. I can't wait to see your comparison. Well, one has been done.

Bottom line, nuclear is more expensive, for LSD class ships and larger, unless the price of oil goes above $323 a barrel (in 2011 dollars).

Congressional Budget Office - 2011 - The Cost-Effectiveness of Nuclear Power for Navy Surface Ships (http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2013/ph241/tekant1/docs/05-12-nuclearpropulsion.pdf)

[Not_a_boffin]

Indeed - and that study was conduced on the assumption of an existing support infrastructure for nuclear surface ships - which the RN doesn't have.

Makes the earlier assertion that GT powered ships were going to be vastly more expensive than nuclear even more ludicrous dont'cha think?

[Heathrow Harry]

"The 4.5-acre (1.8-hectare) warship has been anchored off Stokes Bay because it is too big to dock at Portsmouth's Royal Navy base. Its sailors were due to disembark the ship for shore leave later this week.


Portsmouth City Council said the influx of the ship's crew to the city could lead to a boost of about £1.5m for the local economy.


Donna Jones, leader of Portsmouth council said: "This is great news for Portsmouth because it means money spent in local businesses: restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as strengthening the ties between the British and American Navy."


and not just restaurants, cafes & shops methinks...........

[West Coast]

Resurrect overpaid, oversexed and over here?

[Heathrow Harry]

I was thinking of Art galleries, gyms, the many and varied cultural centres of Portsmouth............................. ;););)

[Wyler]

Managed to get a look around an American Carrier off Portsmouth in 1982 (was waiting to embark on HMS Invincible for a trip to Copenhagen...those were the days..). Mightily impressive beast (can't remember the name). Met some US Marines on one of the decks. Asked how many Marines on board, '500' he said. Role I asked, 'Crowd control' he said. For on shore I asked, 'no, on board' he replied. :confused:
Allegedly living areas were grouped by ethnic origin and the Captain had a 24 hour armed guard.
On another tack, they had 80 aircraft on board, an impressive collection.
Invincible had 3 Helicopters and 6 Harriers....:(
Great run ashore though in Copenhagen. Tannoy not long after docking told us where the local parks were. We sat there at lunchtime and waited for all the female workers to appear, get their tops off and eat their sandwiches....happy days...:ok:

[Pontius Navigator]

"Donna Jones, leader of Portsmouth council said: "This is great news for Portsmouth because it means money spent in local businesses: restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as strengthening the ties between the British and American Navy."


and not just restaurants, cafes & shops methinks...........

Not knocking the dear lady are we? :)

[AQAfive]

Cracking photos of carrier.

Take his name someone, might need him and his ac the next time interesting warships pass these shores.

Now we used to have that capability, but...................

[t43562]

I remember seeing some Royal Navy sailors getting off their ship at the V&A waterfront in Cape Town and one of them walked straight off and up to the fattest cleaning lady in the shopping centre to ask her loudly what she was up to that night. I didn't hear the answer.

[teeteringhead]

Allegedly living areas were grouped by ethnic origin and the Captain had a 24 hour armed guard.
... and many of those living areas were NoGo areas for WASP Officers, or even any officers at all......

......... and there might not have been alcohol, but a wide choice of other mind altering chemicals.

Of course, that was then - might be all different now ....:rolleyes:

[Alan Mills]

I was on that trip to Copenhagen, the trip round the Carlsberg brewery was memorable. The US carrier was the JFK.

[sandiego89]

99 Change Hands

Ooh, what a lot of planes!


Yes it is, I counted 45 Hornets/Super Hornets/Growlers on deck- that is a real hornets nest full!

Still not as neat when the US Navy airwings were packed with all sorts of interesting types a generation ago and you could see clear differnces in roles with aircraft like the F-14's, first generation F-18's, S-3's, EA-6B's, A-6's, A-7, E-2, C-2, helo etc. all doing what they were good at. That always drove the point home that you could do any type of mission anywhere/anytime. I get that newer multi-role platforms like the E/F/G (and legacy Hornets) can do all sorts of things and do them pretty well- and planting 45+ off anyones shore is impressive- perhaps with just less personality...

[chopper2004]

The ship's COD was at the 'heath on Fri lunchtime and also appeared at STN over the weekend,

Cheer

[Wyler]

Alan,
Thanks. Did not do the Brewery trip. Was being entertained by one of the British Embassy Secretaries for most of the visit :E

[Willard Whyte]

Yes it is, I counted ......Growlers on deck- ....

Well spotted, I confess I wasn't looking for ugly 'ladies bits'.