To put it bluntly the T31e in its current form is not needed and is utter political bollocks. Maybe not how I would have wrote it but I think it's clear how you feel about the T31 :D I am a fan of the T31 programme but not in its current form, hopefully it evolves into a credible escort. - Antarcti...

The River are going to have to step up more, and a UK strike capabilty will be the minimum us whatever nation will provide escorts to the tasking. I'm actually expecting the USN will bolster a UK CSG in the med as it most likely be cheaper for the USN to provide escorts then even a light carrier. D...

I’d say peacetime, when outside of the UK EEZ the on-call CSG would consist of the CVF, a T45, a T23/T26, a FF/DD from an allied nation, a FSS and I’d argue a LPD. The only overseas standing commitment I see being met permanently by a T26/T45 is Kipion. I can't see five T31's making up the shortfal...

Under the original MARS there were to be 2 separate classes: One of two ships purely For fleet replenishment and another For afloat support to forces ashore. The requirement was merged in a single Class of 3 ships ahead of the sdsr2010. Losing Ocean and Largs Bay arguably has made some of that aflo...

benny14 wrote:A kind of mini ro-ro.

Is that likely to have impact on the Point class or is it simply to offset the loss of Ocean and Largs Bay?

National Shipbuilding Strategy which was to sell vessels before first major refit at around 15 years service life. Have they said where will they find the money for that? It think it's in relation to the £250m T31's rather than the £1bn T45 and T26's. A major refit on a Tier 1 escort might cost mor...

Given that USN is intending to life extend all Arleigh Burke destroyers to a 45 year service life would it even be possible to do the same to the T23's? https://news.usni.org/2018/04/12/navy-will-extend-ddgs-45-year-service-life-no-destroyer-left-behind-officials-say USN seems to operate its vessels...

In peacetime or low threat deployments, it will be one escort or less, just like when the old Ark Royal was in service. But yes to your point that the RN is going through a major change to become a CSG centered Navy. That's the plan that's being executed. So what standing deployments are going to b...

I was thinking two T45's and four T23's or T26's but in hindsight that is a bit excessive for a peacetime deployment. That will mean that all of theT45's will be tied up escorting the carriers most of the time? Given a similar availability rate with the T26's, apart from escorting the carriers proba...

The US Carrier strike group that recently arrived in the Mediterranean consists of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60); Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Farragut (DDG 99), USS Forrest Sherman (...

Aethulwulf wrote:It is only press reports that say the budget is £1b. The same press that stated the budget for T31 to be £2b, but is currently stated to be £250m each for 5 ships.

I think we've been through this before, don't believe everything you read in the papers

The likelihood is the FSS will be a low cost option with a hull, single flight deck, hanger and bridge layout very similar to the Tide class - but with bulk liquid tanks replaced with holds for solid stores. If four Tides cost £450m why would three FSS ships built in a similar manner cost £1bn? If ...

Are you thinking along the lines of the Karel Doorman style with the RAS rigs removed? Dokdo-class perhaps? What hull would you base it on? Are you thinking along the lines of the Karel Doorman style with the RAS rigs removed? 20,000t version of the San Giorgio class. Both great designs, I just don...

I'm actually thinking that a cheap LPH style ship without a large hanger (but deck space to load troops), davits for operating LCVPs / CB90s, vehicle deck and steel beach for operating Griffon HOVCATs would be a better replacement. What hull would you base it on? Are you thinking along the lines of...

The LHD's would be Albion's replacement. The well docks would be moved to the SSS and Bay 2.0. Makes sense. Would you retire the Albions early? They're not due for replacement until mid 2030's. Would the PCRS element be better if distributed between a number of vessels rather one large hospital shi...

I guess only 1 "Ocean 2.0" is enough, as "the 3rd flat-top", to ensure 100% readiness of LPH ship Again that is the bare minimum that would be acceptable, having 2 LPH is clearly the better solution (like the RN have 2 carriers), allowing each to focus more on its core role. Bui...

shark bait wrote:Yes, international defense procurement is almost always about politics.

Lucky we are in the middle of negotiating a major free trade agreement then.....

I would like to see the SSS end up looking something like 205 meters with a hangar for 2 Merlin's or a Chinook with a 2 spot flight deck and well dock and vehicle deck for up to 40 armoured vehicles(if this deck had a gantry crane it can also be used for stuff like 4/5 LCVP or CB-90's) as for a Hel...

Thanks, good read. Looks like the T26 is in with a good chance in both the Australian and Canadian programmes. Bit mystified by this sentence, 'If selected, the Royal Australian Navy build timeline will commence before that of the UK, the Type 26’s existing customer' Isn't the first T26 being built ...

How many T26 Frigates would HMG have to order for BAE to build the Frigate Factory on the Clyde after all or has that ship sailed? From BAE's point of view it would seem like a good idea to invest in it to help cement their place as the home of complex naval shipbuilding in the UK. If the Frigate Fa...

Lots of articles in the press today regarding the MOD putting bids to build the 3 FSS vessels out to international tender at the end of the month. How is this possible if a design has not been finalised? The winner will get to design and then build it. So the one billion would get a chunk carved ou...

Whist we should want to pack big aviation facilities into these, it wont and shouldn't come close to a Ocean Replacement. A well deck would be a highly desirable feature on these ships, it would turn them into highly flexible assets. It would also contribute towards the RN amphibious renewal, maybe...

meh, not the RN's concern they have bigger things to worry about. Global competitive process will get the best price for the RN. The £1bn figure is interesting if true. I don't believe it, but if true that could give us the well dock equipped support ship displayed years ago. A realistic way of rep...

It appears most of the coverage is based on a drive from the Unions to have the ships built in the UK. Not really any new information. The budget for the FSS project is pretty healthy at £1bn. If 3 ships similar to the FSS concepts in the public domain can be built within the budget that's a lot of ...

Lots of articles in the press today regarding the MOD putting bids to build the 3 FSS vessels out to international tender at the end of the month.

How is this possible if a design has not been finalised?