It sounds like its because the RAF want delivery 2009-10, when I think I have seen that based upon current output and orders production will have ceased by then :confused: Has anyone heard where the current order book stands ?

But would you take one of those into the South Atlantic or either of the Capes in winter ? :rolleyes:

Not quite, as what we are discussing is a blue water patrol craft that could be operated thousands of miles from home and potentially at most latitudes and Sea states. That makes things a lot more complicated designwise than a local Coastguard patrol vessel (even the big ones) before you start worrying about the other things. Look up the new HMS Clyde as a baseline of what might be a starting point of the sort of thing Jonesy is talking about. Lots of navys are apparently looking at vessels like this.

I still think the Global Corvette idea had merit. It was a daft decision to kick it into the long grass without giving it try……:confused:

And does anyone know if they removed the radars from the SHAR’s before they sold them ? If they did, then no doubt they are sitting in some store somewhere or perhaps they just chucked them in a waste skip ? 🙁

Did I see somewhere this week that the US congress has approved another ‘small’ batch of C-17’s at low production rate to keep the line going while other countries make up their minds whether to buy ?

I may have imagined it though after a rather heavy Xmas Party at Nimrod towers ………………….:diablo: 😉

Back then they had the Strike Carrier Hermes (now INS Viraat) which could carry more Harriers than the current small carriers. Over 20 if I remember correctly.

I was having a chat with a design engineer the other day who works in a different industry but is interested in Naval stuff and we were discussing the CVF’s. He reckoned that the UK CVF’s may not need such a steep ski ramp as the Invincible class as the F-35’s will have a significantly longer deck run before reaching the ramp and should not be so marginal powerwise on take off. So If say the ramp was only say 5-7 degrees rather than 12 as currently then that may mitigate things towards the Hawkeye as fewer Mods to the landing gear would be needed to beef it up. It would still need arrester gear though.

However, as usual I have a horrible suspicion that this will once again be a cost led or ‘UK Industry first’ decision and that a Merlin will be decided upon or maybe something from left field such as a ‘cheap’ AEW UAV with the few remaining Sea King AEW as back up until the technology was mature………………