new guy wrote: ↑02 Dec 2023, 14:20 Apparently real damen MRSS proposal

Looks like the Damen Enforcer reference design we've known about for years. It looks like a modern iteration of the Bay Class, which is no bad thing.

The B1's don't need replacing, and the Royal Navy does not need a 110m OPV.

The B2's are imperfect, but they are good enough, and there's no value throwing good money at a problem that doesn't need fixing.

Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑04 Dec 2023, 10:34 How has HMG allowed it to get to this state?

We all know the answer right? Delaying investment decisions and racking up huge maintenance bills, which delays investment even further. It's how the entire country is being run!

The Royal Navy should definitely "go there", but not "on as many vessels as possible" as previously advised.

I didn't know BAE has increased the beam for the Australians. Turns out is not jut the UK MOD that buys standard stuff and the buggers with it!

Why? Compared to a F35 the complexity is of different magnitude. Mojave can be shipped in a crate and operated from austere airstrips. A large but modestly equipped flattop would be more than good enough. Protector needs everything an F35 needs to operate, the pilot is just somewhere else. Austere ...

Once the potential of MALE STOL drones is fully understood it will be a high priority to get them on as many vessels as possible. The utility of organic Naval aviation has been understood for decades. Crew or no crew onboard this does no change. The limiting factor is how expensive it is. Operating...

At 100m it's a wired hybrid between an OPV and LPH. Does this make the Portuguese the first to commit to a drone carrier? Will be an interesting one to watch.

Transit range from one continent to another is totally irrelevant as it’s completely impractical to rely on drones from the other side of the world that may need to be rapidly replaced. This class of drone tends to be collapsible so it can be airfreighted anywhere around the world, arguably faster ...

The above is what the B2s should have been. Unfortunately that's not what got built, and the time has now passed, with Royal Navy making the most out of the OPVs they have. Into the future, MHPC does not exist anymore, the Navy consider part P satisfied with new OPVs, and is moving forward with the ...

- Take the money from the MRSS programme, scrap both Albions and build and crew a third CVF On a thread full of outrageous takes, this is the most wild! Cool idea, but seems impossible to realize. My hot-take/fantasy-fleet is for Navy that's actually operational, and can send the ships it has to se...

Patrolling and ISTAR for the UK Home Waters EEZ will need a mixture of smaller OPV's, landbased P8 Poseidons and Protector MALE drones, Yep Only aircraft can generate the coverage, plus a couple of boats for when enforcement is needed In terms of ocean going OPV's, I don't think we need more than c...

Probably an unpopular opinion; cats and traps is an unhelpful distraction from developing the carriers

Why do the B1s need replacing?

Isn't is better to let them go and shift the crew to the T31?

The singletons should not be putting much demand on the tanker fleet apart from training in UK waters. It voids the whole concept of a simple and lean manned T31 if it needs a whole other ship to follow it around. The Royal Navy is transitioning away from standing commitments with singleton gun ship...

I think we could build a 110 by 16 meter ship built to OPV standards But why? The Rivers are imperfect, but good enough and do not need replacing. They are doing a good job for the policing and engagement missions. Corvette type ships do nothing to address the escort gap either, instead they need e...

I'd make that a Norwegian style Aegir-18R if possible. Whatever MRSS eventually brings is going to need sustaining and the FSS is carrier focused. This is a good idea for a tide batch 2, and more valuable than keeping the Waves mothballed untill eventually sold. Better to sell now and move forward!...

new guy wrote: ↑17 Nov 2023, 16:20 programme cost.

Also know as the actual cost.

Dream up whatever numbers, it doesn't mater, the Royal Navy is still paying £2bn for 5 ships.

Correct, a long way to go from demonstration to deployment, but cool nonetheless.

Poiuytrewq wrote: ↑17 Nov 2023, 11:22 The basic T31 are around 6000t and £275m

The Navy is paying £400m for each T31. This is published MOD data.

it is it's operating cost and more importantly than that availability. The more complex and more maintenance intensive the lower it's value as an asset compared to a normal escort. This is the entire value of the River class. The procurement of the OPVs was a disaster, but by chance of Frigate and ...

The Meteoro-class (BAM) is the right type of small ship for an oceanic fleet like the Royal Navy. I didn't know the Spanish were building more so that's cool! Also for the "pie in the sky costing", consider that Spanish state owned enterprises are not comparable to UK private yards. Hilari...

Should sell them and get extra Tide on order.

Always thought they should be 100m long, a 10m extension to the rear, so the Rivers can have a flight deck AND and mission deck at the same time.

A class of highly automated and minimally crewed SSK with most of the crew replaced by advanced AI may be required to bridge the gap This voids the concept even more than my last post. Humans are expensive, and they are eye-wateringly expensive to keep alive under the sea. Weather its 6 or 30 peopl...