Search found 89 matches

by Blackstone
01 May 2021, 15:53
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

well, they (the MACs) are big so where else - in the surface fleet - to put them? - San Antonio Two -class? Purely for testing, you could use an amphib. Operationally I don't think they actually have the room to host one or two without sacrificing more than the Gator Navy would like. But demands on...
by Blackstone
11 Feb 2021, 15:10
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

the 30mm Mk44 in that spot Thx, I just haven't paid attention and thought it was the first instance for the LCS ASuW module (=turret) having been rolled out to other ships. - in what form will the Zumwalts get theirs (as opposed to the originally intended 57 mm's)? On non-LCS hulls, the Mk46 MOD 2 ...
by Blackstone
16 Jan 2021, 20:26
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

In the graphic, above, the ASuW module from LCS designs seems to have replaced CIWS? Missiles in a box? I can see lots of them being rolled out to the deck in back, normally a helo platform, and used-up 'boxes' unceremoniously being dumped overboard, to keep up the 'RoF'. The LPD-17s have never had...
by Blackstone
09 Dec 2020, 15:39
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal
Replies: 4600
Views: 117284
United States of America

Re: Brexit - The UK's EU Referendum & Withdrawal

Jim Ratcliffe jumps off the sinking ship he helped build.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55236852
by Blackstone
17 Nov 2020, 16:05
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Wonder if there's been a sternly worded email sent from Arlington to Fort Belvoir, requesting to know why the MDA release leaves out the name of the DDG. It seems to have been DDG-113 John Finn.
by Blackstone
09 Nov 2020, 17:57
Forum: Political Discussions
Topic: If Biden wins
Replies: 81
Views: 4763
United States of America

Re: If Biden wins

SKB wrote:Biased lefty American media reported the UK was celebrating Biden's win with fireworks on 5th November.
Apparently they'd never heard of Bonfire Night.... :lol: :mrgreen:
When did Bonfire Night move from November 5th to November 7th?
by Blackstone
09 Nov 2020, 17:55
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: CANADA
Replies: 378
Views: 32220
United States of America

Re: CANADA

Naval Strike Missiles, Tomahawk Perhaps we will wake up, some day, to the idea that the RN may need to sink some ships? Tomahawk, though, seems to be the land attack version. I wonder if USN ever took the anti-ship (capable against moving targets) version into use? If Seaceptor for some is a limite...
by Blackstone
01 Aug 2020, 19:43
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: The loss of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse 10 December 1941
Replies: 26
Views: 8198
United States of America

Re: The loss of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse 10 December 1941

The decision to send a Froce to Singapore was reasonable in the pre-December 7th world, but it's important to remember the limits of what deterrence can achieve when up against someone sufficiently determined to act. The RN could have put more ships in the East, the Dutch could have built their batt...
by Blackstone
09 Jul 2020, 00:16
Forum: Royal Air Force
Topic: Boeing E-7 Wedgetail (RAF)
Replies: 593
Views: 181513
United States of America

Re: Boeing E-7 Wedgetail (RAF)

Other documents have discussed adding UAVs with distributed sensors to their AWACs fleet, an "E7B"with new/modernized radar could also fall under that line item, or they may be planning to take a look at whatever systems USAF finally coughs up to replace E-3&8.
by Blackstone
08 Jul 2020, 22:49
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion
Replies: 15432
Views: 4405450
United States of America

Re: Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

Why would Germany want a carrier? Never really had one before. Purely for their own needs they don't, and likely couldn't make it happen in any kind of reasonable time frame unless they bought from someone else. But a joint carrier project presents possibilities depending on its shape. A purely Fre...
by Blackstone
08 Jul 2020, 21:56
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: French Armed Forces
Replies: 1865
Views: 125370
United States of America

Re: French Armed Forces

The "rush" option for MN CV was the PA2/CVF-FR, having discarded that it's not going to be a huge schedule advantage (unforeseen issues notwithstanding) going conventional over nuclear when you're talking about a clean-sheet carrier the size of a Kitty Hawk . And, as Xav points out in his ...
by Blackstone
24 Jun 2020, 15:51
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

The US House Armed Services Committee's Seapower Subcommittee has some ideas for the Navy that are quite decent. It wants the Navy to look at converting an EPF (during construction) into a lightly-manned LUSV prototype rather than trying to start buying from-scratch unmanned designs with no experien...
by Blackstone
02 May 2020, 00:03
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Would there be a reason not to equip with a bow sonar on the FFG For FFG(X), cost containment has been a priority and the requirements ultimately allowed the bidders to choose either a hull sonar or a VDS rather than mandating both. It is interesting to me that the AmeriFREMM bow is so different fr...
by Blackstone
01 May 2020, 18:04
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

I wonder if they USN will reduce further the number of LCS it intends to purchase with the aim to have a mix of the FFX, increasing the number purchased, and DDGs as its core fleet, hopefully complimented by a dozen or so LSC. Tough question to answer because right now there appears to be what the ...
by Blackstone
01 May 2020, 12:40
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

The interesting thing for me is the weapons fit 32 cell vls plus 16 box launched NSM plus 22 cell RAM launcher Plus. MAD-FIRES and ALAMO rounds for the 57mm. I wouldn't be shocked if they bolted on a Hellfire box launcher or a Laser before long. Nearly another $500m in GFE though. Curious what that...
by Blackstone
30 Apr 2020, 22:57
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

FREMM wins FFG(x) https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/fincantieri-wins-795m-contract-for-navy-frigate-program The Navy awarded a $795-million contract to Fincantieri to begin building a new class of guided-missile frigates, in the first new major shipbuilding program the service has started in more th...
by Blackstone
28 Apr 2020, 00:33
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Navy's force assessment (no final one out yet?) has positioned the Zumwalts not as mud movers (what's inside those turrets?) but flagships for surface task forces - I guess that's the nomenclature for a carrier not being present? - any announcements. or all just speculation so far? The Navy has a h...
by Blackstone
16 Apr 2020, 16:37
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

SKB wrote:
Image
Name five bays in the US... :mrgreen:
Already some talking here and there that this hull would make a great starting point for a new, more flexible/affordable hospital ship class.
by Blackstone
26 Mar 2020, 15:58
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Any chance of the one entering service being named Comanche... or is that name "spent"?
Anything is possible, but I wouldn't put much money on it.
by Blackstone
26 Mar 2020, 03:33
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Bell and Sikorsky designs make it to the FARA finals.
by Blackstone
28 Feb 2020, 17:02
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: French Armed Forces
Replies: 1865
Views: 125370
United States of America

Re: French Armed Forces

xav wrote:Could a Chinook fit inside CDG hangar ?
I have CDG as having a 6.1m hangar, which would be enough to squeeze in Chinook if you're careful and nothing's hanging too low from the ceiling. Not certain on that number, though.
by Blackstone
25 Feb 2020, 20:48
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Little J wrote:Is there really a need?
When the INF treaty still existed, I understood it to be something of a workaround system. Without INF, I'm not really sure what case they're making for it.
by Blackstone
24 Feb 2020, 16:43
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Blurry preview of the stonking, yuge, BIG 1000-mile cannon we're apparently building https://twitter.com/lfx160219/status/1230962661086486529?s=19 What’s the longest range cannon they’ve got so far ? This seems far beyond ambitious The M777 can hit 40km with Excaliber, though they've demonstrated a...
by Blackstone
22 Feb 2020, 22:41
Forum: Defence Elsewhere
Topic: USA Armed Forces
Replies: 2088
Views: 108384
United States of America

Re: USA Armed Forces

Blurry preview of the stonking, yuge, BIG 1000-mile cannon we're apparently building