Tempest414 wrote:If the HMG want to invest in the UK then as I have said time and again it can with a 1.1 billion per year over the next 30 years allowing for
15 x tier 1 escorts ( one very 2 years at 450 million per year )
8 x tier 2 escorts ( one very 2 years at 200 million per year )
16 x 95 meter multi mission sloops ( one very year at 150 million per year
3 x SSS ( one very 2 years at 200 million per year )
3 x Bay replacements (one very 2 years at 200 million per year )
2 x LHD (one built over 4 years at 300 million per year )
I feel this is enough work to keep 4 yards open like so
BAE tier 1 escorts
Babcock tier 2 escorts and Multi mission sloops
CL & H&W SSS , LSD's , LHD
Edit in the first 6 years of this plan there is 250 million a years for off board systems and between year 6 and 12 this drops to 100 million
Two points I cannot agree.
1: Optimistic build schedule/volume. It will be very very very "nice" to see it happening.
But, if you WERE the leader of these industries, will you be confident enough to, train and grow up precious skilled labors, and invest on large and efficient infrastructure at your own risk, believing there will be a good future?
Or just keep renting labors internationally (east Europe?) for part-time job and continue using current in-efficient infrastructure ?
Surely the latter. Wish is wish, please tell me (I mean, him) if it come true. Currently, it is not and it will not be in foreseeable future.
2: Even if the list comes true, there is no rationale supporting 4 yards (or 5 yards, including SSNs). I think 2 (or 3) is enough.
One SSN shipbuilder. I think this yard can also "join" part of the RFA building programs (building blocks). Normal shipbuilding labors cannot built SSNs, but part of the SSN labors can surely join building RFA vessels (or its blocks). Good training and (order) vacancy-filling (save the day).
One shipbuilder for ALL other surface vessels = tier-1 and tier-2 escorts, sloops, and all RFA and landing ships. Invest large on infrastructure and make it competitive even in international market. No need to
intentionally limit the escort builders' capability to its currently limited one established on the 2 sites along river Clyde.
If possible, 3rd small-vessel yard could be independent, building Sloops. The yard also MUST be competitive, so that they can build border force cutter (be competitive enough against, say, Damen), and get international export orders. Many of the ferries for British internal use shall also be build here.
If thinking large (on item-1), keep thinking large (item-2). Distributing works to small and inefficient yards is just a total waste of money. UK government's ship orders are still small compared to, e.g. those fed into Fincantieri-Navalgroup alliance.