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Old 8th Jul 2011, 08:24
  #3007 (permalink)  
glojo
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Torquay, England
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Not a boffin,
Thank you very much indeed for correcting me ... I did think it strange how the newer ships would be narrower than the old Eagle class.

In my pathetic defence all I can say is I had a quick look on the dreaded Wikipedia at beam measurements of the Queen Elizabeth and FAILED to notice it was water-line width... My fault, my bad. (I blame my morphine medication) They are indeed big fat momma's I have a 66 - 67 Janes for the good old Ark Royal

I am showing my age by not realising the age of the boiler room was over and no doubt my brain has been influenced too much by all the brilliant documentaries about the United States nuclear carriers that have my boiler rooms. I would guess this makes the EMALS system the option to go for.

It is indeed the STOVL aircraft that is at risk and I am again guessing that this risk should not be under estimated...

Regarding Dr Lewis he is still going strong regarding Naval issues. The last documented question I have that he asked in the Commons is dated the 4th July 2011 but I cannot see any relevant period where he has kept quiet.

The Minister for the Armed Forces (Nick Harvey): As we set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, under Future Force 2020 the future surface Navy will have a world-class carrier strike capability, with 19 frigates and destroyers, including the state-of-the-art Type 45 destroyer; an amphibious fleet able to land and sustain a commando group from the sea; 14 mine counter-measures vessels; a global oceanographic survey capability; and a fleet of resupply and refuelling vessels. Work is also under way on the requirements and design of the Type 26 global combat ship, our next generation frigate.
Dr Lewis: I am encouraged by that response. Does the Minister remember when he and I sat on parallel Opposition Benches under the previous Government as the size of the frigate and destroyer fleet went down successively from 35 to 32 to 31 to 25 and then to 19? Will he specifically confirm that that figure of 19 frigates and destroyers will not be reduced to a pathetically inadequate baker’s dozen, as posited in some parts of the press?
Nick Harvey: I can certainly confirm that the situation remains unchanged from the SDSR. The future force will comprise 19 destroyers and frigates. It was a matter of great regret that the Government had to make a range of cuts in the SDSR, but that was a result of the general economic climate and, specifically, of the defence black hole that we inherited.
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