Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

[donald_of_tokyo]

Great thread! Comparing many types of accommodation, not only QNLZ.

[cockneyjock1974]

Did a bit of digging with regards to the “US personnel only” areas on HMS POW and got this very interesting reply....

The ground power supply for the F35 has US components that they are keen to keep a tight grip on. Whilst on QNLZ, the spaces were restricted to security cleared personnel only.

[inch]

What do you mean by ground power supply cockneyjock1974 ?

[cockneyjock1974]

I don’t know to be honest my military experience was running about the Pentlands with an A1 SA80 as a very young 15 yo baby part time pongo. I think it might be something to do with ground start up prior engine spool up. I think I’m right in saying that F-Jets don’t have an APU (Auxiliary power unit) so they can’t self start.

[whitelancer]

Cant imagine what could be so secret about a power supply system. I would have thought that its more likely to be something to do with ALIS which the US seem to want to keep firmly under their control, which is a problem in itself. As for US only areas on POW if they actually exist they shouldn't.

[bobp]

Power units for engine startup are usually on trolleys that can be moved around deck. So more likely a US communications area/admin area for when personnel on board. I seem to remember someone saying a couple of years ago there was going to be a radio room for the US.

[SW1]

The Honeywell IPP provides electrical power for main engine start on f35 along with a number of aircraft system functions which they may get excited about. F35 is the military’s first “electrical jet” in this regard and few other functions.

It’s not uncommon to have US only “black boxes” on aircraft we have them on a number of other aircraft. The joys of working with Uncle Sam. I assume not all the crew are US ITAR cleared.

[topman]

Regarding ground power supply. Generally you'll have portable ones outside that you can tow or push about. Inside it'd be fixed power supplies where diesel fumes can cause an issue.

Not impossible that there's some sort of information in how the power supply is super secret, it's probably more about what else this powers and how.

[Ron5]

I assume not all the crew are US ITAR cleared

Say what????

[Ron5]

Did a bit of digging with regards to the “US personnel only” areas on HMS POW and got this very interesting reply....

The ground power supply for the F35 has US components that they are keen to keep a tight grip on. Whilst on QNLZ, the spaces were restricted to security cleared personnel only.

Someone's testing your credulity.

[S M H]

It’s not uncommon to have US only “black boxes” on aircraft we have them on a number of other aircraft. The joys of working with Uncle Sam. I assume not all the crew are US ITAR cleared.

If anything its the clearance for restricted U S equipment. I have seen how secretive the American's have been over there intellectual property. They had equipment on U.K, vessels that marked U.S./U.K. only. Even though it was maintained and operated by U.K.cleared personnel. They had been in embedded in U.S. courses for maintenance and operating. Anything generated was marked US / UK eyes only with its security marking. later on it lost the U.K. part of the marking but did not alter the operational or maintenance by U.K. personnel.

[SW1]

. I have seen how secretive the American's have been over there intellectual property.

They are that alright having worked on a couple of a/c projects incorporating their stuff it’s pushed cost up and extending the schedule quite a bit, mind you it’s even worse when were doing it and the final customer Isn’t the UK.

[SKB]

https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/upgrad ... -carriers/

[SKB]

(Forces TV) 31st December 2019

Ahead of HMS Prince of Wales' formal commissioning into the Royal Navy this month, a ceremonial cake was prepared for the occasion. A 10-foot cake version of the second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier was created, including 240 crew members, in tribute to the real-life ship joining the fleet.

[SKB]

[serge750]

Looks Awsome with the fireworks! !! I think I might of missed something, where is she going that's hot in 2020? think I read that she is going to the north sea for F35 trials & a joint exercise mid year, is she sailing of the coast of americam again?

[Repulse]

where is she going that's hot in 2020?

Perhaps a CJEF exercise with France in the Med?

[SKB]

Hot: Bahrain and India ?

[Caribbean]

Florida and the Caribbean?

[Timmymagic]

Florida and the Caribbean?

Don't think another trip across the Atlantic is on the cards. Can't see anything beyond the Med. with a stopover in Gib.

[SKB]

(Warship TV) 3rd January 2020

Royal Navy Warships at Portsmouth Naval Base on 31st December 2019 including HMS Prince of Wales R09 & HMS Queen Elizabeth R08, Type 23 Frigates HMS Kent F78 & HMS Lancaster F229, Type 45 Destroyers HMS Dragon D35, HMS Dauntless D33 & HMS Diamond D34, River Class HMS Trent P224, HMS Medway P223, as well as decommissioned RFA Diligence A132 & SD Victoria.

[hovematlot]

My experience working particularly with the USN in joint facilities is that they always have their own SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) for dealing with US Eyes signal traffic mainly. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they don't have one on QNLZ and POW.

Cant imagine what could be so secret about a power supply system. I would have thought that its more likely to be something to do with ALIS which the US seem to want to keep firmly under their control, which is a problem in itself. As for US only areas on POW if they actually exist they shouldn't.

[Ron5]

A nice read from a fellow RAF fan ..

https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/what-h ... ne-for-us/

[NickC]

Radar/EMCON - any thoughts if my interpretation of the events on the shooting down of the Tehran Ukrainian passenger plane correct.

Of interest to me was the stand out comment that US intelligence claim that it was able to monitor the moment the Iranian Russian TOR-M1 AAM system low powered radar was turned on (Wikipedia quotes TOR-M1 search radar 1.5 kW / FCR 0.6 kW).

Unknown if TOR-M1 was monitored by ELINT a/c (eg RC-135), UAV or satellite, but if was an a/c or UAV should be noted Tehran to Iraqi border is approx 500 miles, so shows the long range capabilities of ELINT, and if using two a/c or UAV would be easy to triangulate position of radar/ship.

The Chinese and Russians have similar capabilities and emphasises the massive downside of using active radar on ships if you do not want to become target of Anti-Ship and Anti-Radiation missiles.

Would argue the old lesson of radio silence need to be re-learned and RN should prioritise funding into passive surveillance systems eg infra-red, if they want carrier group QNLZ-PoW to have a chance of surviving in the 21st century.

[Lord Jim]

I was under the impression most RN platforms already had quite a good passive detection capability. What we could use is a low probability of Intercept radar capability to allow vessels to scan their area without giving away their exact position. This is what the F-22 is capable of, so it should be possible to transfer the capability to sea and land systems.