Future Carrier (Including Costs)
The first carrier is Betty and the second is Chuck.
The Super Hornet gotcha is the question of how long it will stay in production. The plan is for the USN money to switch to the F-35C with the last buy year for the Rhino being 2013 (IIRC). I can see that event being pushed to the right to ease pressure on the JSF SDD program - or Boeing could pull a win in Denmark or India.
But in any event the UK may not have a choice of CV-capable fighters if it waits until the last moment to buy.
The Super Hornet gotcha is the question of how long it will stay in production. The plan is for the USN money to switch to the F-35C with the last buy year for the Rhino being 2013 (IIRC). I can see that event being pushed to the right to ease pressure on the JSF SDD program - or Boeing could pull a win in Denmark or India.
But in any event the UK may not have a choice of CV-capable fighters if it waits until the last moment to buy.
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The Royal Navy was not built on ships called Betty and Chuck, shades of Micheal Crawford and McDonalds, they can crawl back to wherever they came from. 
The CV's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince of Wales demand better acknowledgement than two American style nicknames from a burger bar.
Re possible F18 production, somewhere on this thread or the one on the F18, I have seen a statement made of production carrying through to minimum 2018 based on existing requirements, export sales, US forces replacements, etc., but rumours being rumours?. One things for sure, we can't afford to buy these JSF things at present, nor in the next five years minimum, for what is at present a very expensive ill defined specification/wish list that can only increase in cost and time. I suppose there is always the Gripping and Ruffle as possibles.
The CV's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince of Wales demand better acknowledgement than two American style nicknames from a burger bar.
Re possible F18 production, somewhere on this thread or the one on the F18, I have seen a statement made of production carrying through to minimum 2018 based on existing requirements, export sales, US forces replacements, etc., but rumours being rumours?. One things for sure, we can't afford to buy these JSF things at present, nor in the next five years minimum, for what is at present a very expensive ill defined specification/wish list that can only increase in cost and time. I suppose there is always the Gripping and Ruffle as possibles.
Last edited by Entaxei; 17th Oct 2010 at 14:21. Reason: Spell - casting
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DZ (please excuse the familiarity)
The master plan was not designed to go into the nitty gritty detail, thats for the civil service level to meet & discuss, as often as found to be required given that the time available is only a few years. 
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Originally Posted by Entaxei
No development costs.
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The CV's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince of Wales demand better acknowledgement than two American style nicknames from a burger bar.
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But if its the ginger one, that means we've got Black Adder wandering around somewhere. As an additional element of surprise that has not been catered for, this can only mean that 'The Review' will have to be done again - will Spain wait for us to finish, before sending the Armada?
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Italy and Spain have even smaller defence budgets than Britain. If you put the loss of 60 potential buys against their combined 80, it could well push the price over the threshold which they are prepared to consider.
I can't comment on how the USMC would cope with the price increase if their 400+ airframes were no longer discounted by a foreign sale of 140.
I can't comment on how the USMC would cope with the price increase if their 400+ airframes were no longer discounted by a foreign sale of 140.
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You guys are just too close to see the bigger picture.
If you don't have any of these nasty, smelly aeroplanes then the ships will be much easier to keep clean. Also, the areas set aside for aircrew can be used as office space for the army of civil servants needed to make all the existing pilots, engineers, etc redundant.
Also, if you don't have any planes then there is no need for the ships to go anywhere and this will save a fortune in fuel!
After a year or so it can be decided they are no longer required and sold off to our allies in Pakistan for a few coppers and the whole episode quietly forgotten.
If you don't have any of these nasty, smelly aeroplanes then the ships will be much easier to keep clean. Also, the areas set aside for aircrew can be used as office space for the army of civil servants needed to make all the existing pilots, engineers, etc redundant.
Also, if you don't have any planes then there is no need for the ships to go anywhere and this will save a fortune in fuel!
After a year or so it can be decided they are no longer required and sold off to our allies in Pakistan for a few coppers and the whole episode quietly forgotten.
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LO, it has nothing to do with whether I approve of F-35 or not... it has to do with the arrogant assumption that the world revolves around what the UK chooses to do.
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Well that does sound very interesting, What & When & How spring to mind, but I guess all will be revealed on Thursday, unless of course its an element that will be explained later?. Maybe its a modified Airbus, everything else seems to be!
Incidentally, thanks for that link on names, fascinating reading. I wonder if any other navy in the world takes such care in recording the naming and subsequent history of their ships.
Incidentally, thanks for that link on names, fascinating reading. I wonder if any other navy in the world takes such care in recording the naming and subsequent history of their ships.
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... on the suggestion that one of the new carriers should be named
PoW - 'Prince of Wales' - It should be remembered that the same abbreviation is used for 'Prisoner of War' - and that one of our largest and most powerful warships of its day - the 'Prince of Wales' - was tragically
and ignominiously sunk off the Malayan coast by Jap aircraft in 1941.
Not to diminish in any way those who served and perished in that ww2 disaster.
...
PoW - 'Prince of Wales' - It should be remembered that the same abbreviation is used for 'Prisoner of War' - and that one of our largest and most powerful warships of its day - the 'Prince of Wales' - was tragically
and ignominiously sunk off the Malayan coast by Jap aircraft in 1941.
Not to diminish in any way those who served and perished in that ww2 disaster.
...
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pasir -- I think that it's rather more than a suggestion....
Queen Elizabeth Class : Future Ships : Surface Fleet : Operations and Support : Royal Navy
Rather a done deal, I think.
S41
Queen Elizabeth Class : Future Ships : Surface Fleet : Operations and Support : Royal Navy
Rather a done deal, I think.
S41
Listen, if our lords and masters can call the latest Type 45 stealth destroyer......is a picture forming...............................HMS................... ............................................................ ..DUNCAN 
Then nothing is sacred.
Why dont they simply call the carriers: ANT and DEC.
Then nothing is sacred.
Why dont they simply call the carriers: ANT and DEC.