Future Carrier (Including Costs)
Joined: Oct 2018
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From: Ferrara
"Seven more will arrive in 2023 with an expectation that all of the 47 in the first batch will be delivered by the end of 2025"
I honestly find that incredible - and truly awful......................
I honestly find that incredible - and truly awful......................
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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From: Peripatetic
Royal Navy to buy the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile - first 3 ships to be operational within 12 months.
https://www.navylookout.com/royal-na...trike-missile/
https://www.navylookout.com/royal-na...trike-missile/
Suspicion breeds confidence
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From: Gibraltar
Royal Navy to buy the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile - first 3 ships to be operational within 12 months.
https://www.navylookout.com/royal-na...trike-missile/
https://www.navylookout.com/royal-na...trike-missile/
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Devon
Perhaps the most significant thing is that politicians realise that an anti ship capability is needed. On that note, I understand that there is an air launched version called the Joint Strike Missile in the pipeline, and it should be compatible with all variants of the F-35 Lightning.
NATO needs shipborne aviation:
Sea control seems to be back on the agenda too! This is course has always been a major carrier role, and was during the Cold War, and the Second War before that, and in the Falklands - any time when dealing with an enemy with air or naval capabilities - as discussed over here on a dedicated thread about carriers and sea control.
VIDEO: USS Gerald R. Ford Back in Norfolk After Two Months in the Atlantic - USNI News
“Through integrated and combined operations such as live and inert ordnance expenditure by Carrier Air Wing 8, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and air defense, we set the stage for operating with Ford-class technologies in a deployed environment,” said Ford commander Capt. Paul Lanzilotta in the Saturday release.
NATO needs shipborne aviation:
Sea control seems to be back on the agenda too! This is course has always been a major carrier role, and was during the Cold War, and the Second War before that, and in the Falklands - any time when dealing with an enemy with air or naval capabilities - as discussed over here on a dedicated thread about carriers and sea control.
VIDEO: USS Gerald R. Ford Back in Norfolk After Two Months in the Atlantic - USNI News
“Through integrated and combined operations such as live and inert ordnance expenditure by Carrier Air Wing 8, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and air defense, we set the stage for operating with Ford-class technologies in a deployed environment,” said Ford commander Capt. Paul Lanzilotta in the Saturday release.
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 29th November 2022 at 17:18. Reason: To be 'inclusive' - thinking of the RAF in the RN/RAF Lightning Force, and the USMC flying from amphibs.
Joined: Oct 2018
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From: Ferrara
The Times todayHMS Prince of Wales, one of the UK’s two aircraft carriers, has now spent more time being repaired in docks than it has at sea.
The £3.2 billion carrier, the largest ship in the British fleet, has been languishing in a Scottish dockyard after it broke down off the Isle of Wight in August. A problem with the propeller shaft is merely the latest in a string of technical issues that have afflicted the 284m-long vessel since it was commissioned into the Navy three years ago. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the defence staff, admitted the problems were “deeply frustrating” this month as he said the ship was “not as well as I would like it to be”. He said at the annual Rusi lecture: “These are massive capital projects where sometimes things will go wrong.”
The problems began in 2020. A leak in the ship’s engine room resulted in nearly a metre of water submerging electrical cabinets and pipes, just a few months after the roof of an accommodation block collapsed, sending water cascading onto sailors. That same year, more than 100 crew had to spend the night on their sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, after the Prince of Wales temporarily lost power. Between October 2020 and April 2021, the ship spent 193 days having the floodwater damage repaired, at an estimated cost of £3.3 million. The carrier was then able to sail to Gibraltar in 2021. However, a year later, the 65,000-tonne ship broke down again. In August the Prince of Wales was leaving Portsmouth for the US to take part in joint exercises when it ran into further difficulties. The carrier, which is supposed to be the Nato flagship, suffered a serious problem with its propeller shaft and has now returned to Rosyth for more repairs. It is not due to leave the dockyard until March.
Analysis of Ministry of Defence figures reveals that the carrier has now spent 267 days at sea since it was commissioned into the Navy in December 2019. Christmas Eve was the 268th day it has undergone repairs. HMS Queen Elizabeth has replaced HMS Prince of Wales on overseas deployments despite the carriers being supposed to alternate on eight-month tours. Francis Tusa, a defence analyst, said: “A problem with the propeller shaft is not trivial. If there is no spare, it will take at least six months to make.” He added that the Queen Elizabeth would also wear out faster if the Royal Navy decided to use it continuously while its sister ship was being repaired.
A spokesman for Babcock, the company responsible for building the propeller shaft, said: “Work is ongoing to understand the cause of the issue and Babcock remains focused on completing the repair.”Labour called on the government to be honest about when HMS Prince of Wales will return to the water. John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, said: “When threats are rising and the number of Navy ships are set to fall, we need our fleet at sea, not stuck in dock. HMS Prince of Wales is a Nato flagship and ministers cannot allow problems to undermine the ability of our armed forces to lead joint exercises.” A Royal Navy spokesman said: “Repairs to HMS Prince of Wales’s starboard shaft are expected to be completed by spring. The ship will then return to Portsmouth for a pre-planned maintenance period.”
The £3.2 billion carrier, the largest ship in the British fleet, has been languishing in a Scottish dockyard after it broke down off the Isle of Wight in August. A problem with the propeller shaft is merely the latest in a string of technical issues that have afflicted the 284m-long vessel since it was commissioned into the Navy three years ago. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the defence staff, admitted the problems were “deeply frustrating” this month as he said the ship was “not as well as I would like it to be”. He said at the annual Rusi lecture: “These are massive capital projects where sometimes things will go wrong.”
The problems began in 2020. A leak in the ship’s engine room resulted in nearly a metre of water submerging electrical cabinets and pipes, just a few months after the roof of an accommodation block collapsed, sending water cascading onto sailors. That same year, more than 100 crew had to spend the night on their sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, after the Prince of Wales temporarily lost power. Between October 2020 and April 2021, the ship spent 193 days having the floodwater damage repaired, at an estimated cost of £3.3 million. The carrier was then able to sail to Gibraltar in 2021. However, a year later, the 65,000-tonne ship broke down again. In August the Prince of Wales was leaving Portsmouth for the US to take part in joint exercises when it ran into further difficulties. The carrier, which is supposed to be the Nato flagship, suffered a serious problem with its propeller shaft and has now returned to Rosyth for more repairs. It is not due to leave the dockyard until March.
Analysis of Ministry of Defence figures reveals that the carrier has now spent 267 days at sea since it was commissioned into the Navy in December 2019. Christmas Eve was the 268th day it has undergone repairs. HMS Queen Elizabeth has replaced HMS Prince of Wales on overseas deployments despite the carriers being supposed to alternate on eight-month tours. Francis Tusa, a defence analyst, said: “A problem with the propeller shaft is not trivial. If there is no spare, it will take at least six months to make.” He added that the Queen Elizabeth would also wear out faster if the Royal Navy decided to use it continuously while its sister ship was being repaired.
A spokesman for Babcock, the company responsible for building the propeller shaft, said: “Work is ongoing to understand the cause of the issue and Babcock remains focused on completing the repair.”Labour called on the government to be honest about when HMS Prince of Wales will return to the water. John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, said: “When threats are rising and the number of Navy ships are set to fall, we need our fleet at sea, not stuck in dock. HMS Prince of Wales is a Nato flagship and ministers cannot allow problems to undermine the ability of our armed forces to lead joint exercises.” A Royal Navy spokesman said: “Repairs to HMS Prince of Wales’s starboard shaft are expected to be completed by spring. The ship will then return to Portsmouth for a pre-planned maintenance period.”
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From: Under a recently defunct flight path.
I read that Times article at breakfast time and almost spluttered cereal over my iPad when I came to the last sentence "The ship will then return to Portsmouth for a pre-planned maintenance period."
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From: Greater Aldergrove
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Devon
Sad to acknowledge the death of actor comedian John Bird who did a marvelously prescient sketch on the aircraft carriers with John Fortune. Always good for a laugh.
(127) Bird & Fortune - Admiral Sir George Parr - YouTube
(127) Bird & Fortune - Admiral Sir George Parr - YouTube
1. The cheap shot about the number of Admirals was inaccurate even then, and based on only counting certain types of ships.
2. The Navy leadership knew exactly what they were for - for sea control and power projection. Presumably the sketch writers bought into the end of history idea when everyone could put flowers in their hair and hold hands.
3. The CVF and FCBA projects started at pretty much the same time - and F-35B was always very likely.
4. Typical nonsense about the F-35B and technical issues.
5. Cobblers about Harriers - and ignoring the fact that the Sea Harrier (scrapped by then) had real air defence capability.
6. No mention of the latent threat from Russia, Iran, and so on.
7. No mention of ASW.
I could go on...Here is a video of ex F-14 Tomcat RIO Cdr Ward Carroll USN (Rtd) talking to a Surface Warfare Officer (later an Engineering Duty Officer) involved with early work on the new Ford class aircraft carriers. At 2.27 the mission needs statement is mentioned:
Independent of land bases, the aircraft carrier's airwing must simultaneously perform surveillance, battle-space dominance, and strike in sustained combat operation forward.
Not too dissimilar from our own planning:
MARITIME OPERATING CONCEPT - THE MARITIME FORCE CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTEGRATED OPERATING CONCEPT
Under section 5 - Force Level Outputs - page 50
The Maritime Force will be organised around four Force Level Outputs: Homeland and Operational Advantage in the North Atlantic; Persistent Engagement; Carrier Strike; Littoral Strike.
Carrier Strike - page 54
The heart of the Maritime Force’s – and NATO’s – warfighting capability Built around the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. Carrier Strike: Homeland Defence/Contingency/ Warfighting. Contribute to OANA. Through deployments to strategic locations across the globe, promote UK interests, deter adversaries and prevent conflict.
• Project decisive air power from a protected maritime task group, including gaining and retaining the necessary degree of sea control to ensure Freedom of Manoeuvre.
• Demonstrate Global Britain, with regular deployments openly demonstrating British will to engage and resolve to act.
• Contribute to UK/NATO warfighting capability, as a more lethal and more integrated Maritime Force.
• Enable and execute Special Operations.
Sea control is a carrier role - as discussed at length on this discussion about carriers and the NATO sea control mission.
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 12th January 2023 at 10:21.
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From: Australia OZ
"The first of a long-awaited 6-part documentary series “The Warship: Tour of Duty” covering the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group deployment (May-December 2021) will be broadcast on BBC Two and iPlayer on Sunday 22nd January 2023 at 9pm." https://www.navylookout.com/bbc-to-b...up-deployment/
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From: Herefordshire
Joined: May 2002
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From: Downeast
Seems it was not just a wee repair.....but rather a critical design fault that is forcing a modification to the Ship.
Are both shafts being replaced with improved versions?
Does that same design fault exist in the sister ship?
After the one is repaired and back in service....and have to undergo testing and work up training to be Operational....does the other ship get pulled in to the repair facility and have its two shafts replaced?
Are both shafts being replaced with improved versions?
Does that same design fault exist in the sister ship?
After the one is repaired and back in service....and have to undergo testing and work up training to be Operational....does the other ship get pulled in to the repair facility and have its two shafts replaced?