IMO the trend is more to be forced into initially buying something cheap and inadequately equipped by the bean counters of the House of Darkness until they can be convinced to release more money to make a cost effective version. I hark back half a century to the Type 42 which budgetary constraints forced to be too small, under armed, and lacking resistance to action damage. I still remember my father ranting on about the PVC cabling vs the fire resistant multiple independent wiring runs of the ships of the previous generation that shared their names.
Back to the carrier question, PoW was subject to some tug assisted movement earlier this week. I think we all know where QE is. Lord Torrington's concept of the fleet in being is still as relevant as in 1690. Now one seems to moan about military aircraft spending most of the time on the ground.
Anyway this was just an excuse to mention that CNS
Esmeralda (the Chiliean Navy's four masted training barquentine) is scheduled to arrive in Pompey tomorrow evening. She is on a six month training voyage with 94 mids. onboard and a number of officers from other navies. She is calling at twelve ports in nine countries, most recently Brest.
Correction: she will anchor overnight at Spithead and enter port on Monday
King's Harbour Master Portsmouth
GUN SALUTE – CHILEAN NAVY WARSHIP 1 JULY 2024
LNTM No 81/24
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the King's Harbour Master Portsmouth that a 19 Gun salute will be conducted by the CNS “Esmeralda”, to celebrate her arrival for a formal five-day visit to the City of Portsmouth on Monday 1 July 2024.
2. The vessel will commence the ceremonial salute as she transits north from Outer Spit Buoy (OSB) at approx. 0930 on her inbound passage toward the War Memorial, Southsea seafront, completing at approx. 0940.
3. To ensure safety during the firing, as allowed in the provisions of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005, KHM will impose a dynamic exclusion zone of 100 metres around the ship in all directions for all marine traffic during her transit from the OSB to the vicinity of the Southsea War Memorial. Mariners are to remain clear of this exclusion zone.
4. A sécurité broadcast will be made on VHF Channel 11 by KHM enacting the exclusion zone with a further broadcast to disestablish the exclusion zone immediately on completion of the event.
5. Cancel this Local Notice to Mariners 2 July 2024.