Future Carrier (Including Costs)

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Jabba_TG12

Multinational task group, they say? Just as well its not one of ours alone, given the paucity of Astutes, ASW Capability both on ship and LRMPA and assets to defend such a capital vessel. Sounds like a surefire suicide mission against a resurgent Russian Norfleet sub force.

NATO task groups do tend to be multinational. For the recent Exercise Trident Juncture the US assault ship Iwo Jima had two Type 23 frigates for ASW (with towed array sonar and Merlin). For a carrier deployed for real the two frigates (probably more in a real crisis) would be joined by a Type 45 destroyer (probably more in a real crisis), a SSN, RFAs (which can operate helicopters) and units from other nations.

That article refers to a carrier based ASW task group. ASW is a carrier role - any situation in the Northern flank would involve lots of seaborne logistics needing protection and amphibious forces.

I did mention ASW back on page 245 of this very thread:

.....the primary ASW assets of the surface fleet are Merlin HM2 with dipping sonar and frigate borne towed array sonar. Consider a task group with a carrier, a couple of Type 23s (with Merlin and sonar 2087), and somewhere an SSN: I am leaving Maritime Patrol Aircraft out for the moment.

SSN scouts ahead of a task group, Merlins fly long range sorties from the carriers (and also from the T23s), and T23s use their quiet propulsion and towed array sonar for long range detection.

Off the top of my head a Merlin has a cruising speed of 150 knots and an endurance of five hours, so can maintain station quite some distance from the high value unit (carrier, amphibious ships, important RFA/STUFT or Chartered vessels), but doing this means you need quite a few of them - hence the carrier. Remember the previous carrier design (Invincible class AKA CVS) was originally designed to carry about ten ASW Sea Kings, which led to a class of ship that could be adapted to carry Sea Harriers.

Additionally non 2087 fitted Type 23s have hull mounted sonar (so does Type 45), and carry Wildcats which can carry ASW weapons (as does the T45). Most RFAs will also carry either Merlin or Wildcat.