shark bait wrote:donald_of_tokyo wrote:Why not just build Argus and Diligence replacements "based on Tides" hull, and just let the Waves as it is? Surely this will be cheaper
Could do, but I don't think that solution is a nice as having a common fleet of tankers. Tides also have reduced crew which the RFA would welcome.
I am not convinced. After you build the vessel, major maintenance work is on, propulsion system, and equipments such as RAS gears, navigation electronics, and networking assets, I guess. It is good to have the same RAS gears of Tides on Waves. Even navigation system and so on. But, complete re-arranging of a fleet tanker (Wave) to hospital AND aviation training ship is, I'm afraid, quite expensive. New built is surely much cheaer, you do not need to rip-off all the existing equipments and cut so many steels to makeup a space.
My point is;
1: Just built Argus replacements based on Tides (or SSS), shall be cheaper to build (for sure)
2: Number of propulsion system types is the same to your proposal. (2 Wave origin, 2(+4) Tides origin, 3 SSS origin)
3: Number of equipment gear is the same. It is important to make it common among Waves and Tides, I agree.
Both of our proposals will be more expensive than civilian conversions because they require constructing new platforms.
I am not convinced. Tides are almot civilian hull. Conversion is ALWAYS need cost. The only merit of getting civilian conversion is, when the ship is "not needed/out of date/not efficient" in merchant world, and you get it "almost free". Nothing else will make it cheap.