THEODORE ROOSEVELT IN UK WATERS
 

Just seen some pictures of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in UK waters on FB and the BBC, a very impressive beast indeed, do we really want something like this when we can't afford MPA. I understand some of the thinking behind it but I am still not sure.

..... Something like this... is right.


Broon's Memorial White Elephants are still smaller than the big Teddy & if we scrape up the manpower to fully staff it, we probably won't have anybody left to man the escort, so it'll need to remain permanently in port.......


This will be no bad thing, as I hate to think of the running costs for them considering that they are gas turbine powered rather than nuclear.


...... and that's before we work out whether we can put anything on it that might be capable of flight, whether it needs a catapult, or not.....


End Rant Mode.

Debatable whether we're getting anything like a Nimitz Class carrier...

...and which is at least capable of carrying its own MPA.

Interesting on manpower. The 30 year old USD TR has a crew of 3200, 90 aircraft and 2480 people on its air wing.

The QE will have a crew of 679 and 250 troops and a total of 1600 bunks. On ccontrast it will have only 40 (50) aircraft.

It's escort, Winston S Churchill has a UK navigator, RN I'm assuming, as a nod of respect to the ex WW2 Prime Minister..

That'll be the same prime minister that shat all over Bomber Command then . . . worth respecting unless you're one of the 55,000 casualties' next of kin of course.

I just raise that because we're commemorating all sorts of stuff at the moment.

Sorry about the thread drift, just finished one of several books on WWII and Who Betrayed the Bomber Boys video.

Pontius- The Ford-class carriers under development have a crew (minus air wing) of 2600 due to automation.

Brian W May

That'll be the same prime minister that shat all over Bomber Command then . . . worth respecting unless you're one of the 55,000 casualties' next of kin of course.

To add to the thread drift, the Poles who fought with the British forces received the same treatment from Churchill at the end of the war.


I am a great admirer of Churchill, and possibly understand the politics that made him do this, but having a WW2 Polish heritage and great respect for Bomber Command, it just doesn't seem right.

Helicopters late flying Fareham Portsmouth
 

Multiple helicopters heard flying over Fareham very late last night, wondered if it was anything to do with the US ship in Solent

Does anybody know if there will be any fixed wing ops from her while she's here.?

I'm expecting the mockery regarding folding wings etc etc!

Ooh, what a lot of planes!

USS Theodore Roosevelt From The Air 2015

Fixed that for you....

679 and 250 troops and a total of 1600 bunks. On ccontrast it will have space for up to 40 (50) aircraft - which will leave lots of room for volley ball and cocktail parties around the 10-12 available from the currently expected total purchase.........

My, what a load of misinformed tripe.

The Brown thing is a myth - if you actually look at the history of the project he tried everything to kill them - or at least avoid ordering them. The complement is broadly the same as a CVS - incidentally, that's one reason why they're so big.

Glad to see you're fully informed as to the relative running costs of nuclear vs diesel and GT-powered ships. I can't wait to see your comparison.

She'll sit on Charlie buoy for the week she's here. No flying ops other than any helo VIPTAX/HDS.

Thanks for the info re flying ops. Disappointing! I was there when she arrived, to the point of watching her drop anchor and being able to hear the anchor chains run from the shore. Now if only I can get a tour!,

I can dream!

Well, one has been done.

Bottom line, nuclear is more expensive, for LSD class ships and larger, unless the price of oil goes above $323 a barrel (in 2011 dollars).

Congressional Budget Office - 2011 - The Cost-Effectiveness of Nuclear Power for Navy Surface Ships

Indeed - and that study was conduced on the assumption of an existing support infrastructure for nuclear surface ships - which the RN doesn't have.

Makes the earlier assertion that GT powered ships were going to be vastly more expensive than nuclear even more ludicrous dont'cha think?

"The 4.5-acre (1.8-hectare) warship has been anchored off Stokes Bay because it is too big to dock at Portsmouth's Royal Navy base. Its sailors were due to disembark the ship for shore leave later this week.


Portsmouth City Council said the influx of the ship's crew to the city could lead to a boost of about £1.5m for the local economy.


Donna Jones, leader of Portsmouth council said: "This is great news for Portsmouth because it means money spent in local businesses: restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as strengthening the ties between the British and American Navy."


and not just restaurants, cafes & shops methinks...........

Resurrect overpaid, oversexed and over here?

I was thinking of Art galleries, gyms, the many and varied cultural centres of Portsmouth............................. ;););)

Managed to get a look around an American Carrier off Portsmouth in 1982 (was waiting to embark on HMS Invincible for a trip to Copenhagen...those were the days..). Mightily impressive beast (can't remember the name). Met some US Marines on one of the decks. Asked how many Marines on board, '500' he said. Role I asked, 'Crowd control' he said. For on shore I asked, 'no, on board' he replied. :confused:
Allegedly living areas were grouped by ethnic origin and the Captain had a 24 hour armed guard.
On another tack, they had 80 aircraft on board, an impressive collection.
Invincible had 3 Helicopters and 6 Harriers....:(
Great run ashore though in Copenhagen. Tannoy not long after docking told us where the local parks were. We sat there at lunchtime and waited for all the female workers to appear, get their tops off and eat their sandwiches....happy days...:ok: