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by shark bait
09 Jan 2024, 10:48
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Sure! and I need a private jet so I can go surfing in California at the weekends. But much like the Navy needing a third carrier, the fundamentals are so broke there is no reasonable path to achieving this. For example, despite spending over 2 decades consuming itself to build carrier groups, the Na...
by shark bait
09 Jan 2024, 10:32
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

While I agree in principal with the logic above, the rest of the Navy is so broken it feels ridiculous to even consider expansion like this. First the Marines need to decide to be a airborne force, with only limited ability to bring heavy equipotent ashore. The next decade would be spent operating f...
by shark bait
09 Jan 2024, 09:41
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

So if RN ultimately decided to procure one Canberra sized LHD for £1bn (to replace the LPDs) plus 4x 14428 Enforcers for £350m unit (to replace the 3x Bays and Argus) what is the difference? I hate to sound mean, but this is just flat out fantasy rambling now. The Spanish built Canberra costs £1.3 ...
by shark bait
08 Jan 2024, 21:35
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Poiuytrewq wrote: 08 Jan 2024, 19:16 Helicopter carriers without MALE STOL drones are old news now.
Bold choice of words in a world with not a single navy operating MALE STOL drones at sea.

For todays Navy another carrier is an unhelpful distraction that does nothing to fix the state of the Fleet or Marines.
by shark bait
08 Jan 2024, 14:48
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

It’s obscene for an island nation that spends £50bn per annum on defense to have a single LHD? It's a bit more complex than 'money in > equipment out'. The British have got a totally dysfunctional MOD to get through first. A helicopter platform would be good for the Royal Navy, but there is so much...
by shark bait
08 Jan 2024, 12:48
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Sure, maybe in a sunny future that makes good sense. Today the UK has a navy that can't handle two carriers, so suggesting a third is frankly obscene.
by shark bait
08 Jan 2024, 10:29
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

I have said before that an "F35 capable LHD" is not realistic IMO Not in the slightest. It is totally unreasonable to analyse the abysmal state of the Royal Navy and conclude another carrier is the way to fix it. On the equipotent side the RN needs nothing extra. The surface fleet needs s...
by shark bait
05 Jan 2024, 22:24
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 83 Destroyer (RN) [News Only]
Replies: 324
Views: 123453
Pitcairn Island

Re: Type 83 Destroyer (RN) [News Only]

SD67 wrote: 05 Jan 2024, 21:44 Stretch a T26-derived hull just enough to squeeze in another MT30, without going back to square one
No such thing. Ships are built around their propulsion, there's no way adding another MT30 happens without going back to square 1.
by shark bait
05 Jan 2024, 22:22
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion
Replies: 5981
Views: 1500596
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Amphibious Capability - General Discussion

Time to sell them and move on?

The LPDs have been untenable ever since the carriers hit the water, is the MOD going to continue to pretend otherwise?
by shark bait
04 Jan 2024, 22:14
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Let's not pretend the RN has a list of requirements and then builds a fleet to deliver. It the other way round, the requirements are derived by what's available.
by shark bait
04 Jan 2024, 21:15
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Future ASW
Replies: 560
Views: 177346
Pitcairn Island

Re: Future ASW

Deployment is location crucial places via frigate, e.g TAPS, GIUK, or situations where the frigate manages multiple XLUUV to increase the efficacy of a patrol. That is one of the main points of Unmanned systems; A greater presence, spread and efficacy, e.g in MCM. Totally agree drone subs should ex...
by shark bait
04 Jan 2024, 10:34
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Future ASW
Replies: 560
Views: 177346
Pitcairn Island

Re: Future ASW

I struggle to see how a Frigate and XLUUV would make an effective pairing. With drone subs expected to be very slow (<5kts), they'll never be able to keep pace with a Frigate or Carrier Group.
by shark bait
23 Dec 2023, 10:26
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

tomuk wrote: 23 Dec 2023, 03:44 So there is no similarity between the concept of a simplified dedicated AAW ship and a simple dedicate ASW ship?
It's not about the ship, it's about the operational concept. Alone in the Atlantic is a very different place to the center of a carrier group.
by shark bait
22 Dec 2023, 13:25
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

The whole FADS nonsense with low\no crew magazine or radar ships is just T23 sonar Tugs all over again. It's not. The old T23 frigate conops was for a squadron of simple independent ships out in the Atlantic optimised for sub hunting. After The Royal Navy took lots of missiles hits in the Falklands...
by shark bait
21 Dec 2023, 16:50
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Then loose that engine room, and switchover to the standby engine room. Redundancy is how to make it work.
by shark bait
21 Dec 2023, 11:06
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Not difficult, seal off the compartment and loose it, then pump everything like crazy.

The automation is noting challenging. More challenging is making everything redundant to mitigate failures, and even more challenging is the cultural changes needed to make it happen.
by shark bait
13 Dec 2023, 07:52
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

So basically the Royal Navy need to "French-it-up" a bit?
by shark bait
13 Dec 2023, 07:46
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8470
Views: 2142846
Pitcairn Island

Re: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]

The Proliferation of guided weapons makes it far too risky to put such a valuable asset within visual range of a hostile coast. This leaves an extremely narrow window of opportunity to use naval artillery, so it's effectively dead. Fire support from the sea is still valuable, it just needs to be lon...
by shark bait
12 Dec 2023, 10:11
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]
Replies: 8470
Views: 2142846
Pitcairn Island

Re: Type 31 Frigate (Inspiration Class) [News Only]

The T31 gunnery felt at bit underwhelming when first announced, however the T31 now seems to have the most useable arrangement of guns in the Royal Navy.

Not sure it's worth spending the money on the T23's, but the T45's deserve modern guns.
by shark bait
08 Dec 2023, 20:37
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

new guy wrote: 08 Dec 2023, 16:33 why not use the skysabre VLS system?
Skysabre doesn't spend months exposed to salt water, that's presumably why the Navy need to cover their canisters.

The Army's launchers are much denser, and demonstrates there is room for improvement on the Naval version .
by shark bait
08 Dec 2023, 09:54
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

The low packing density is because they've opted for a frangible cover vs a mechanical flap. That decision is good because simple is usually best. However it does mean each canister needs a lot of space around it, because squares and circles don't pack neatly together. My suggestion is to place 4 ca...
by shark bait
07 Dec 2023, 09:58
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

The Royal Navy is going to be a Navy with 2 fleets, the 'carrier group' fleet, and the 'everything else' fleet. The T31 fills out the 'everything else' fleet, and more importantly it's cheap, making it the only realistic option for an extra batch.
by shark bait
07 Dec 2023, 08:38
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

I would like to see SDSR 2025 decide on a future fleet of 31 12 X T26 9 X T83 10 X T31 batch 1 & 2 SSN X 12 Increasing SSN numbers is going to be a monumental challenge, and will consume a mountain of cash. Political support is high, so it's feasible, and will see funds from Navy command redire...
by shark bait
06 Dec 2023, 17:28
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

mrclark303 wrote: 05 Dec 2023, 19:14 We all know the Admiralty will push for a 10,000 ton Cruiser sized bespoke platform otherwise, that will rapidly become unaffordable.
Word on the street is the FADS team is studying a 5,000 tonne ship that is for air defence and cruise missiles only.
by shark bait
06 Dec 2023, 10:17
Forum: Royal Navy
Topic: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion
Replies: 19147
Views: 7057362
Pitcairn Island

Re: Current & Future Escorts - General Discussion

Caribbean wrote: 06 Dec 2023, 09:44 I suspect that the base T26 will need a bit of stretching . It's approx 2.5m shorter and 40cm narrower than the T45 - I could see the T83 being stretched (for additional MK41 space, perhaps) and widened slightly to allow the radar to be placed higher
BAE are already doing this for the Australians.