Cut out the crap management !
 

Roland,

I fear we are all talking the same message here, but it has been misunderstood under way.

We all know the NHS for instance is ludicrously over-managed, and any shaving off the top-heavy scheme would not go towards so much as a single bit of body armour - so as a bear of little brain I'll have to take take that as a separate issue.

- Though I am still amazed that they are closing hospitals ( and schools ) while both are in greater need than ever, let alone the utter disgrace of the treatment of injured servicemen, & the Ghurkas.

Like you I would love to see the CVF's, all tooled up with F-35's ( and some sort of airborne radar/ sensor coverage ) - just worried that they will drain all the money & manpower from what's already a way too depleted 3 forces.

I notice in an otherwise poor book I've just read, the Falklands are retaken by the Arg's taking out our 'patrol vessel' on station - armed with all of a 40mm cannon ( though I suspect a few other MANPADS on the quiet ). - This is sadly realistic !

I know we might theoretically need Trident phase 2 if Russia or China really kick off, but in reality wouldn't more hulls in the form of SSN's or SSK's with TLAM etc be more productive ?

Also it strikes me that we retire ships, subs' & even possibly aircraft too early; note the Type 22's & 23's & the ex-Hermes still proving useful - a good source of work for our shipyards too !

I'm half Scottish BTW - vote for me ! Only joking, I couldn't stand the company - might be fun wreaking havoc though, and I'd look to Pprune for REAL guidance !

Latest News - Getting Closer!?!
 

BBC News reporting on the "launch" of BVT Surface Fleet as follows:

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Glasgow, Lanarkshire and West | Warship deal takes a step closer

Isn't this what the gov't been waiting for?

Any bets on when the signitures will be exchanged :hmm:

Tomorrow? :ok:

Of course it'll be tomorrow!
 

Why are we still moaning on about this? When will we get the message that we're constantly being conned by the Broons by the promise of jam (new kit) tomorrow? Let's forget it, eh?

I remember 1SL telling the assembled keen young officers at a BRNC passing-out in 1999 that some of them would soon be serving in one of the two new carriers. He didn't advise them not to hold their collective breath but he should have! :E

"Giant carrier deals to be signed "
 

Maybe not "Tomorrow" SammySu, more like today:

BBC NEWS | UK | Giant carrier deals to be signed

Any one else see these being years late.Massive over spend.No planes to go on them.Too expensive to run.Full of faults and problems.Oh for a real steam catapult and real planes with teeth to go on board.

Why aren't they nuclear powered? Too expensive?

All this fuss about two bloody aircraft carriers for £4 billion. That's obviously peanuts. £4 billion is $8 billion, coincidentally just the amount left by the late New York heiress (and tax fraud) Leona Helmsley to the care of dogs.

(As a dog lover that actually might be the better way to spend $8 billion!!!)

Nice neutron powered tea-kettle ruled out in mid-90s due to perceived through-life costs and the need to undertake a new reactor design (PWR2 didn't have enough grunt). Of course oil was about $10/barrel back then. The same logic also saw the choice of a two-shaft design (again to save costs) which has resulted in two huge heavily loaded props, delivering the best part of 40MW each. Incidentally, for all future aircrew on the ship, these are right below your messdeck, separated only by several large water ballast tanks......

thrum, thrum thrum etc.................

No doubt there will be an underspend on self protection, so it will down to the 12 T45's to provide very local air defence:{ (sorry six,one of which will be having a major overhaul, one routine maintenance, one yatching off Barbados catching weed, one for each carrier and that leaves......one for the far the east/middle east/med and home defence!:bored:

It seems that I have to take back my last sarcastic comment

All news : RN Live : News and Events : Royal Navy


:O :ok:

Ok so I was a day out but it's great news - lets all hope that they are built to schedule - I can't wait to land on one.

Isn't there a by-election due in Glasgow soon?

Fantastic news, long overdue. All we need now is an airgroup.

Wanted - One possibly two large white elephants (though grey will accepted and modified at our great cost). Ability to stage cocktail parties on white elephants a must, all other considerations secondary. All applicants please contact Royal Navy Cruises.

Bombedup -

Forget the comparison of the dog lover giving $8 Bn away - that's fair enough as long as it's not all to buy them pink hairbands or something...

No,think more along the lines of Northern Rock - suddenly the CVF looks a bargain !

Not a boffin -

Oh err, I hadn't caught on to the twin shaft potential snags - though much larger merchant ships plod happily ( most of the time ) on one, I doubt the needs of a carrier propulsion system are the same...

Sad but true remark about the price of oil at design stage compared to now; years ago my ( usually vehicle off roading nut ) chum came on a sailing holiday on my boat, and took the 'P' that the engine was the prime mover, the sails just got in the way of his tan.

I mailed him last week, " bet you wish your Range-Rover had sail power now ! "

Maybe that's the answer - adapt the CVF's as square rigger windjammers, with masts which fall aside for flying operations, a la Thunderbirds !

I'm thinking about placing a bet on the actual in-service date. Anyone like to make a few suggestions?
I reckon 10-1 against for 2014. My bet would be on 2017 for QE commissioning ceremony. Hopefully HMQ will still be around to see it launched.

It? It? Her! Report to the Master At Arms at once!

N_a_b

Couldn't they have used two PWR2s? I believe Charles De Gaulle uses the same reactor as French SSNs and SSBNs?

This news is long overdue, but very welcome. When does the steel cutting start?

Incidentally, today is the anniversary of first naval air strikes in Korea in 1950, from HMS Triumph and USS Valley Forge.

Which is one reason why she only does 27kts max chat...........

AIUI the french reactor was designed overpowered for the sub to allow its use on the carrier. PWR2 predates the CVF prog.