Dobbo wrote:I can’t comment on any errors, agree that it adds little by way of offering an opinion on what options should be taken (other than the T26 Hull is the wrong option), but I think it offers a good overview of what the options are and therefore how significant the project is going to be.
Examples of the choices are:
1 - PAAMS or AEGIS? (Domestic industry v off the shelf type trade off).
2 - ABM capability or not? (Affects the choice at 1 above, if not there it’s a credibility issue).
3 - Son of Sampson or SPY?
4 - How many silos?
5 - What other capabilities (eg land attack) aside from AAW?
6 - what aviation facilities?
7 - what weaponry might come onstream by the 2030s and what can be done to future proof?
These choices are going to dictate the type of vessel the RN gets, but it is not going to be cheap and the ground needs to be paved for this to be an expensive system.
A few thoughts on T83 choices,
Would note in your above list you didn't mention budget, it will be most likely be one of the main driver/choices if T83 ever sees the light of day, we have seen how the choice of the multi-mission T26 FFBNW and old gen radar costs ballooned to over £1 billion each for the first three ships after the earlier aspirations for a build cost of between £250 and £350 million and as a result numbers cut from thirteen to eight.
Would break out PAAMS or Aegis to missiles/VLS cells, CMS and radars, all the possible missile options are foreign, Franco/Italian, Israeli and US, will be of interest if the RN ever releases the CONOPS of the T83 so as to narrow down possible missile options
The new Mk2 Aster 30 Block I NT, New Tech, capability 1,500 km ballistic missiles, shouldn't be too long before coming into service with France and Italian navies followed by the envisaged future Aster 30 Block II said to be capable of targeting 3,000 km range MRBMs, (Aster 30 Block I fitted to T45 capability limited to 600 km short range ballistic missiles)
David's Sling, capable of targeting tactical ballistic missiles at low level, Rafael was invited to bid for the Swiss $2 billion Air 2030 contract to replace Bloodhound retired in the late '90's against the Eurosam SAMP-T (land version of the Aster) and Raytheon Patriot, US refused Rafael permission to bid with David's Sling as partially funded by US, expect to have been far the lowest cost option.
US options include the new SM-6 1B, a larger missile than the Aster 30 Block II and another possible outsider the new US Army THAAD-ER said to be in development funded by the MDA, THAAD-ER if still fitting current 20" in dia canister would fit a Mk41 VLS cell.
If requirement to target longer range ballistic missiles, ICBMs etc, looking at the USN SM-3 IIA and Israeli Arrow 4, SM-3 IIA at £20 million plus per missile, USAF NORAD General recently testified it was too expensive as backup to the continental US Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, SM-3 IIA strictly an exo-atmospheric missile so would also need to procure SM-6 and SM-2 etc or alternatives to give full coverage.
UK BAE upgraded T45 CMS only looks viable if choice is the Aster, US missile pick would expect to lead to Aegis, though Spain purchased the Lockheed International Aegis Fire Control Loop to integrate with its own CMS, SCOMBA, for its five new F110 frigates, IAFCL cost $104 million per ship, if Israeli missile choice expect an Israeli CMS, eg Rafael’s Modular, Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense System (MIC4AD) was chosen for the British Army Sky Sabre/CAMM.
Radars, if understand correctly RN has refused to fund BAE development of Sampson GaN Mk2, so left with foreign options, eg USN GaN SPY-6(V)1 ~$170 million per ship system; Lockheed/Indra GaN SPY-7; Thales Nederland GaN SMART-L MM/N, Sea Fire 500, APAR Mk2 etc; Leonardo GaN Naval Kronos radars from the long range Power Shield L band and others developed for PAAMS.
Always think future proofing is a mugs game, it depends on your crystal ball, if you had bet on the USN electromagnetic rail gun you would have lost your money, USN has zeroed out all future R&D funding from FY2022, possibility the future short range lasers result will be the same.