If you take the T42's also regarded as excellent ocean going ships they too were of a similar size at 14.3 metres beam and 119.5 metres long ( 132 metres batches 3). Batch 1 ships were known to have difficulties in heavy seas. http://www.seaforces.org/marint/Royal-Navy/Destroyer/Sheffield-Type-42-c...

jonas wrote:has there been any formal announcement in regards to the fit and if so do we have a link.

I have had a good search online and have been unable to find anything official about City class Sea Ceptor silos besides the published imagery.

Phil R

Mushrooms are cheap, weather durable with few maintenance requirements.
Any dedicated launcher (Mk 41, Slyver, ExLS) is going to be more expensive, over engineered for CAMM and bring additional maintenance (cost) burdens.

Phil R

Presumably the Sea Ceptor ‘mushrooms’ will be much closer together on the Type 26 in that case, as the large vacant space between each silo on the refitted Type 23s is due to the no longer required plenum for containing and venting the hot-launch exhaust from Sea Wolf. The Sea Wolf exhaust vents ar...

SKB wrote:Wooooow!

That looks great!

Phil R

Has anyone seen any footage of Zephyr S landing / recovery?
I suspect it would be a low speed belly landing.

Phil R

bobp wrote:so which is right?

Probably both true to some degree.

https://youtu.be/qCqtjr0sVU0

Phil R

RAF>FAN wrote:Are there any vids of Lizzies Artisan working?

Best shot that I can remember.
https://youtu.be/NPnD6gL2vTM

Phil R

Looking at the payload bay, I keep imagining Lox/LH2 tanks.
Stick a small aerospike in the rear in leiu of the protusion and you could have a modern SR177.
Royal Aerospace Force anyone?



Phil R

No such policy, as demonstrated by:
2011 when HMS Westminster deployed to Libya carrying just four Sea Wolf missiles.
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... siles.html

Phil R

Some more footage of HMS Trenchant on exercise on the Arctic.
https://youtu.be/9mDlNBU4-z0

Phil R

If SSKs were of no real combat use and SSNs were the only effective game in town a lot more nations would be trying to get on the band wagon Effective SSNs are extremely resource and expertise intensive. Most nations realise that effective SSNs are beyond their capability to sustain. China and to a...

Mainly defensive in nature! Tell that to the guys on the USS Ronald Regan! Yes, defensive forces often engage offensive forces, and vice versa. Also good training should never be a totally one sided affair. It is not plausible to expect a SSK to actively locate, stalk and then engage an active CVBG...

If an AIP Sub is good enough to penetrate an American Carrier Battlegroup on multiple occasions without being detected then in my opinion it must be good enough to at least have a very serious look at. AIP boats have their uses, but they are mainly defensive in nature. AIP simply lacks energy densi...

Smokey wrote:Apart from a Soviet “fishing” trawler...

Something fishy about those "trawlers"....
https://www.military.com/defensetech/20 ... o-trawlers

Phil R

NickC wrote:What role is the T31 currently designed to do

As a forward presence and to act as a tripwire for the subsequent CVBG response i suspect.

Phil R

dmereifield wrote:I also note that the FSL does not explicitly state that these would all be UK assets....

First Sea Lord wrote:"sovereign UK Carrier Strike group"

I would assume UK only assets as the carrier group was described as "sovereign".

Phil R

It is a shame the lowland haggis became extinct, it's ability to hover avoided any issues associated with it's leg length.

Digger22 wrote:BAe 146 for me though!

The 146 is quite under powered and is regularly described as:
Feels like 1 engine.
Actually has 4 engines.
Probably needs 6 engines.

Probably not the best choice for take offs from the carriers

Phil R

Here's a question to think about while we wait for PoW's naming and float out. How would you IMPROVE the QE class in future upgrades and refits? Keep it reasonable. No "third island" or "nuclear reactor" type answers allowed! Best upgrade IMO, would be removing the LPH role. i.e...

Sunk at Narvik wrote:Impressive, bet the RAF couldn't move an entire airfield that quickly

Not an airfield, but they did once move Australia a little bit.

Phil R

Did not see this until today: Sea Venom Test Firing
http://www.mbda-systems.com/press-relea ... venom-anl/

Good to see this programme slowly making progress.

Phil R

SKB wrote: (HMSQnlz) 'The ship's rugby team making use of the flightdeck, whilst an anchor.'

I do not envy the first crew member to fall and graze themselves on that deck!

Phil R

cockneyjock1974 wrote:My usual long range shots, however I think they give a certain perspective to her size.

Thanks CJ, lovely shot as QNLZ majestically passed PWLS and their islands aligned.

Phil R