My personal opinion is that the CVF should be built as a CTOL carrier:

1) Opens up options for alternate aircraft, my preference is for Super Hornet.

2) F-35B’s could always be cat launched (as was planned for the P1154),

3) It provides full cross decking facilities with the USN,

4) It would allow the purchase of E2 Hawkeye’s with its much better performance than the AEW Seaking or the potential replacement.

I also believe that the power plant should be more powerful to allow station keeping with the US carriers.

Also they should be better armed, at least add RAM but preferrably ASTER 15.

With regards to the comment about the size of Argus, she was a conversion of an existing hull not a custom design, to a degree her role has expanded to fill the space, she was originally intended to be a helo training ship and aircraft ferry. Remember that the preceding helo training ship Engadine displaced barely more than a destroyer and most of the hull was void, and before that was the Lofoten which was a converted LST.

Just an idea, why not build the two hospital ships, using “civilian” funds, in the way the Italians funded the third San Giorgio. Then fund their operation through whichever Quango takes care of international aid, and use the ships for disaster relief. Then in the even of military need requisition them for the RFA.

With regard to ships ownership, I do not think that lines are ownership are that clear, it is not like the days when shipping lines adopted flags of convenience but the ships were still owned by a single company. Looking at the cruise industry, the apparantly British cruise line’s P&O and Cunard, are part of the Carnival Corporation and American Company. Also the crews are a mish mash of different nationalities, you may have a Bermuda Registered ship but its Captain and Chief Engineer could be Italian.

As has been stated over and over again – for what was a maritime nation – we have effectively destroyed our merchant fleet. To a large degree the American’s have done the same but when push comes to shove they can feed themselves!!!!!

Canberra!!!!

Have a look at this:

http://www.sscanberra.com/

If you look in the photo section there are some really interesting pictures of the ship being scrapped in Alang.

I worked for P&O in the 90’s, and the rumour was that during the famous shots of the Great White Whale in San Carlos Water, the entire board of P&O were on their knees praying that she was sunk.

Did my own search on Google, love finding things out (think I want to be a P.I.). I couldn’t recall the name as being one of the STUFT ships, and I found this list on WIKI (I know):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_naval_forces_in_the_Falklands_War

Could it be the Tor Caledonia your after?

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/DFDS_TOR_Line.html

Or the St Edmund which is the only name I can match with Sealink – it was purchased; as the Keren, after the conflict for trooping duties between Ascension and the Falkands until the completion of Mt Pleasant air field that could take heavy aircraft.

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/BR8_Harwich.html

Hope this is of help.

Are helicopters equiped with ‘Fenestron’ tail rotors any less vulnerable to RPGs?:confused:

Apologies, wrongly worded question, it should have been:

Would it have performed better with a fenestron?

Regards.

Same for me the Google Earth image of my home town is at least three years old.

Where will the Chinese have obtained the engines and boilers from, have they got a domestic scource, or will they have managed to purchase them from Russia or Ukraine? If they have been obtained domestically what steam conditions will it they have?

I would agree that the easiest way to install new machinery would be by cutting a hole in the hull side; although the hull structure/framing would have to be taken into account. I have worked on a cruise ship when work on the engine room necessitated a relatively small hole to be cut in the hull, to do work in the engine room and install outsized items – new evaporators if I recall correctly. It was also a way that a large numbers of new TV’s were smuggled of the ship during the night:eek:.

I still; based on the information on the refit/rebuild of Victorious, find it rather strange that the ship was built to the stage it was without having engines and boilers fitted?