If the RN only get 4 x T83 it would be a major blow !! unless they are Kirov type battle cruisers armed to the teeth !!

Sounds like a good approach, Oz gets more experience building more boats, UK gets more boats - even 1 more Astute for the RN would be good, as usual all comes down to the funding.....

If the budget for the T32 is £2bn mark i would rather have the RN get two extra T26 ( 3 if possible ) or at least make the T32 into a proper sub hunter with a Quiet hull + total ASW focus ( basic self defence, maybe a 57mm & 24 CAMM ) just to escort the carriers & as said free up the T26

Just bite the bullet buy 30 F35C + 4 hawkeye & convert QE to full CATOBAR, whilst leaving POW as the back-up STOVL/LPH multi-role strike carrier :thumbup: To "save" money though the gov would probably go the STOBAR route - like the indians - i read on twitter today that their rafaels ...

KiwiMuzz :lolno: :lolno: :lolno: :lolno: :lolno: Why on earth bother with a B/C ???? :crazy: The tail hook might get in the way when vectoring the nozzle downwards, ( unless its detachable depending on the mission ? edit + just realized, they could lower it in a VL mode anyway -D'OH :oops: ) but as ...

One of the reasons for keeping HMY Britannia was that she could operate as a hospital ship in war. Then the Falklands War came around and it was "discovered" she used a different fuel to the rest of the fleet and could not go with the task force. :roll: [/quote] That defo sounds like a Hom...

I think lockheed martin has just been given $49m and will come back & say "we have just developed a F35C-uk" but put some more stipes on it ...

Didn't the MOD release a request last year for a smaller catapult ? ( something to do with unmanned vehicles ) seem to remember a 2023 time frame for information - or was i dreaming that ? sure their was a discussion many pages back - will have a look later to satisfy my curiosity when i have more t...

Well if they are going to build one - can it be a " Q ship "

Or how about large medical facility's to help with disaster relief ....it need a better reason for spending the money imo

As the T45 will be getting CAMM near the asters, along Lord jim's idea, omit the hanger ( keeping the flight deck ) & use the space for a few Mk 41 silo's for whatever weapons are needed including anti ship missiles, wouldn't want to spend to much money on them as they are halfway through their ...

Looks like the broadside of guns on the T31 might be useful then...

Another piece in the puzzle, if a lot of the lead items has been ordered it would take a lot to de-rail the next batch of the T26, will be interesting to hear when it becomes officially announced though

Perhaps they will try to fit another one in.....i know cloud cuckoo land

Would it be announced on the MOD website if true ?.....Gov's always like to announce good things a few times over ha ha

I wouldn't mind if the T45 replacement is cruiser size ( 10000t + ) as long as we get a 1 for 1 replacement - i.e. 6 - but i would prefer an increase & getting at least 8 comparable sized replacements with at least 24 CAMM & 48 aster to grow the numbers of the fleet Also if the T32 are a ful...

Shows how broad the flight deck is compared to POW ! Quite surprised there are not more F35 on deck, would be good to have a few merlins aswell - but i do like the additions of Chinocks

Would they use the F35 as simulated attackers ( when as a task group working up ) or would that be too expensive ? or could the banshee Drones do the job ?

Even a 50% increase would be fantastic !! maybe they are playing the bargaining game - we need double but 50% would be ok.... I would like to see, IF it was going to happen accelerating & increasing T26 ( preferably full fat ASW ) to 1 a year at least 4 extra ships before the T45 replacement com...

Looks like the Statue of liberty may be going back to france - he he

I'm hoping for 1 with 20 UK F35b + 10 USMC & the other with Chinocks & Apache's ! probably be a short deployment but will be Amazing to see !!!!

maybe late summer ????

Escort could be 2 x T45 & 2 x T23 again ?

I wonder what the was ratio of operations our UK F35 vs the USMC F35....

As said a really good deployment for experiencing a good amount of aircraft - massive thumbs up to the whole personnel who contributed

Yeh Glad the pilots OK, shame it happened this early into the RN getting back in the Carrier business, on the plus side it gave the recovery teams to put all their practice into reality ! Also one less airframe to update :twisted: as long as it will be replaced by a new version :thumbup: Will be int...

Now we know there are not going to be an interim missile the 1st priority should be the upkeep of the submarines Tom's & then as a matter of urgency intergrate a anti-ship missile onto the CBG F35b as a emergency measure

Well that would be good for the Oz fleets & the RAF (very few planes ) for future upgrades or possibly even replacement/increased airframes

I sort of hope that when project tempest delivers a shiny new offspring that all the F35 would lose some of their new glitz and be prioritized for the carriers

This just popped up on my youtube suggestions....August 2022 Does Anybody know if any decision/news on IAC 2 ?