Can anyone tell me why Japan uses E767 and Hawkeyes?

So was this a "last hurrah" for the ability to do it?

"The USN (DoD?) have classified the new Chinese "55" thingy as a cruiser... now, what does that make their Zumwalt into? A monitor?"

A castrated one as the gun doesn't work

I would go 57 or 76mm for everything except T26. T26 can do NGS on the rare occasion it is required, and the others would find the smaller caliber better for small/ fast craft and anti Air. If we used 57mm could that go on everything with a gun bigger than 30mm? or bigger than 20mm Phalanx. ie stand...

I still say the T31 should be ASW focused, anything else is bonus. If or when it is "patrolling" it will not be in a high threat area so can port for re-supply. If clearing a path for the boomers, it will be close to home. If the MOD wants to "play it safe" why not either: A. Say...

Concentrate on what we are good at. Build dedicated (i.e. radar / weapons for ONLY ASW), small but "1st tier" ASW (insert appropriate name, OPC/Frigate/sloop....) ship. Based in Scotland ( for TAPs etc). This would require a smaller crew and shorter range. Make the design life for 15 years...

Ps. It will also be unique (cheap top quality asw) so we may be able to sell some to other country's

As has been stated numerous times, a cheap asw ship is required. It can do taps, fre etc. It will have UK air cover and can return to port regulary. Only expensive bit will be "quieting ", which going by sir David A. Should be doable relatively cheaply.

With one class of subs, with 2 sub classes (SSN and SSBN) would there be a lot of maintenance saving over 2 different classes?

Can anyone tell me, if after the 4 SSBN's have been made they made some more but without the "Trident" stuff how much more expensive would they be than new design SSN's? I know there is a lot of "unknowns". Would they be to big?. Could we fit TLAM's in the back? Better accommodat...

It's not so much about the cost aspect it's more to do with keeping that sovereign capability so of shit ever hits the fan we can still do it ourselves. A. If we are in SH1 territory the war will be over before BAE powers up it's autocad, never mind starts cutting steel B. Look at all the discussio...

I would have thought the cost of buying a design every 40 years would be less than maintaining a design team. The Australians and Canadians are doing it and they are buying more than we are.

Sorry Jake, ment to quote Donald's comment re maintaining design skills.

I like this idea but would go for an extended T26 for the T45 replacement to allow a larger number of VLS and better accomadate the Sampsons radar set up. Does this matter!? We order in such small quantities now; it appears you can get the design work done by others (T31) and hull designs seem to l...

Could someone do a quick comparison between the options?

I think they may go for "an Absolon style solution". They could order 6 (not 5) but decommission the Albions saying: increase in total well decks, increase in frigate numbers, therefore a growing Navy.

And how do we man these t27's!

Isn't "high" crew numbers going to count against it?

So there is even a Britannia replacement option.lol

Is it just me or is it a sad day when the Royal Navy has to pay the Danes for a "warship" design because we haven't got / can't do one. The last time we were concerned with their ship designs they were made of wood, long and thin with shields down the side and a had a single sail. (oh and ...

I would have preferred Ajax. Agincourt is backward look and a land battle. Just my opinion.

Think may have dock, so that the Albions can be withdrawn. (I know they are not the same thing, but will be used a fig leaf.)

I think I know what is coming. We have 5 new B2's and 5 T23GP's and we are short of sailors. Scrap/sell Gap's ( and Clyde quietly), use crews to man B2's and claim T31 are increase in hulls.

When our friends launch their missiles from ships and we don't have any it may just make the politicians think ( for 10 minutes before they are distracted by NHS,schools etc). Just have to hope the top brass use that 10 minutes wisely.

"And in addition it acts as a frontline-tanker for other aircraft" ?