Originally Posted by david parry
The all singing and dancing Pinging / Bagger Merlin. On the new Flat Tops.. Seems to be a bit of a cop out, not having a fixed wing AEW with a greater range.. But hey ho ... we've got no dosh for such luxuries
Good luck with finding a STOVL fixed wing AEW platform. But you are right - E2 Hawkeye would be very expensive.
Originally Posted by Courtney Mil
He means it's the only option. Having taken the cats away, it pretty much has to be a helo-based system. Only the best for the Navy, eh?
I know it should be a good system, but...
From the outset CVF was intended to be STOVL - the 2010 decision and later (debacle as I mentioned a few pages) back did not change the practical issues including personnel numbers, training issues, and the need to generate sufficient steam for steam catapults to electrical power to electromagnetic ones.
In any case, the Hawkeye is an expensive aircraft, and a UK purchase would have been unlikely. There was discussion (including on this thread) of possibly using a version of the V22 Osprey - the US Marines were interested in fitting the radar and mission system used by the ASACS Sea King to the Osprey. However as far as I know nothing came of the idea - which would have been an expensive development for the UK alone.
At least a rotary wing platform can deploy from non carrier platforms.
In other news, the bow for HMS
Prince Of Wales has been
attached. That is progress.