Do you have a crystal ball? Neither does anybody else, that’s why they have military forces. :rolleyes:

No but I do have common sense.

and many have predicted future conflicts with China over Taiwan and other Territorial Disputes. The list is long and many………….:(

And what has China and Taiwan got to do with the UK? Or is the USN suddenly unable to defeat the PLAN? (Because obviously the SK and Japanese fleets would stand by and do nothing:rolleyes:)

While, more ships would be the preferred option for the RN. Let’s not forget the UK would fight along side with other Allied Nations. As a matter of fact during a major conflict. Smaller members could and likely would provide additional escorts. Many of which are extremely capable……..like the Norwegian Fridtjof Nasen Class Aegis Frigates!:diablo:

Again, what major conflict?

That’s not a carrier battle group, that’s a strike force, and compare it to the strike force we should be getting:

1x CVF (plus airwing)
1x LPH (HMS Ocean or replacement)
1x LPD (Albion Class)
6x Type 45
6x Astute

Plus assorted Future Surface combatant vessels, 6 C1, 9 C2 and 9 C3

Hell 2 Type 45s is just enough to escort the carrier, what happens to the supply train?

The royal Navy has been screwed!

And what exactly does the supply chain need to be protected against?

Picked up some discussion on this issue over at CDF. Paraphrased:

To the extent there is a problem, it is with boilers not steam turbines: boilers can be ruined due to inadequate preparation of water and poor maintenance. (i.e. not a technical problem but a people problem)

SU Navie’s Sovremennys had these problems during the years of decline (after 1990). At least the repaired Sovs in RuNavy (4 of them) have not reported boiler problems anymore.

One of the early operational challenges on 167’s propulsion was similar :somehow the crew didn’t follow manufacturer’s manual on handling water for the boilers causing repeated breakdowns while on overseas trips.

The PLAN’s greater willingness to send the steam powered 167 towards all sorts of overseas trips suggest a strong confidence on the power plant, at a time when the original 052s (DDG 112 and 113) had a few issues on their own.

Gas turbines aren’t idiot proof either. Nothing is. 112 and 113 had their issues, both in gas turbine and diesel, and some of it may be attributed to the idiot factor.

Repeat after me: Steam propulsion is less reliable and efficient than gas turbines.

Wow………….that picture is stunning! Is there a higher resolution version anywhere?:cool::)

The only extra Merlins I have read about are the ones we bought off Denmark, the replacements on order belong to the Danes. If there is another order for the British armed forces I haven’t read about it anywhere, Wiki tells me about the order I already know about.

The Merlins purchased from Denmark were additional to the original UK requirement and purchased direct from the production line, consequently they represent an additional order, it is impossible to represent tham in any other light.

Laurence you haven’t addressed my question. 8 Chinnoks that should have been in service years ago are being brought up to useable condition at huge extra cost. This is not an increase in airlift capability in as much as it is not over and above the original requirement.

Wrong, the criticism included the fact the Chinook airframes were un-airworthy. The fleet that was criticised did not include those airframes as they were out of service. I addressed this previously. Consequently they are additions to the active uable fleet. The extra Chinooks are not being added ‘at considerable extra cost’, it will be cheaper at this stage to modify the aircraft rather than discard them and order new ones.

Any re-engineering work on any airframe will take airframes out of service for an unspecified period of time therefore reducing the airlift capability. If any airframes are required to replace service losses and the intended replacement is in for re-engineering you’re out of luck until the work is completed.

I addressed this in my previous post.

What is needed is more helicopters in the field, the number of airframes there is dictated by the total available including those being used for training purposes, maintenence reserve purposes, work-a-day purposes and now re-engineering purposes. Seeing as the overall number of airframes is undergoing an increased number of tasks, the number available for immediate field use in, for example, AFG will effectively by reduced.

This has also been addressed, the re-engined Lynxs will provide additional fleet flexibility thus increasing availability of aircraft for theatre deployments. Bothe additional Merlins and Chinnoks are tro enter the fleet also (as previously mentioned).