Fokker went bankrupt about 10 years ago, so these are second hand. Formerly used by the royal Netherlands air force.

The viable parts of Fokker where taken over by Stork, a mayor Dutch industrial company. This includes maintenance of Fokkers and construction of components for amongst others Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream both for civil and military projects.

The reason for my question was that I recalled some form of Fokker still existing, despite said bankruptcy. Thank you.

It’s just a statement.
If English is not your primary language, let me explain….

No need to patronize.

English is my second language but after about a decade worth of English language education plus a decade living and working in an English speaking country, my mastery of the English language and English comprehension are just fine. As I’m sure is the case with most posters here.

It was meant to satirize Wanshan’s (and others) willingness to take NK’s word on the incident.
Sure, why not take the word of a dictatorship without a free press and a long track record of war-like actions and provocations.:rolleyes:

That’s quite an accusatoin. Perhaps you yourself should learn to read English proper. For at no point have I uttered anything that would indicate I believe official NK statements.

If SK has proof (which will come under some scrutiny in the media and sites like this) that NK used a torpedo and all NK can say is “Not us!”
Who are you going to believe?

SK has just now released information on its findings about the incident. Most of our discussion was already going on before that. The report doesn’t answer many of the issue and angles raised here. If you want to confuse pointing that out with supporting NK then there’s something wrong with you.

So who would you believe?

I trust/believe none of the stakeholders in this grand game.

No need for that, because it was sunk in national water. The line of that was set in Panmunjon.

You’ld still want you know, wouldn’t you.

If you could commit to vertical landings then a rail launcher like I proposed would allow you to take a destroyer or frigate and give your Harrier a substantial takeoff boost. Your rails for launching would lay on the outskirts of the ship, eliminating the need for the whole flattop of a carrier. You would be basically a conventional takeoff with a vertical landing platform. You would suffer not having much tarmac space, but your planes could takeoff with a big relative payload.

And you’ld have how many on board?

Looking at Europe as a whole, that’s actually what you have

at least 4 VSTOL carriers
a helicopter carrier or two
various sized LPD (albions, rotterdam/galicia/dewith/bays, italian & french lpds)

Evidence of torpedo attack secured

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter

Investigators looking into the sinking of a South Korean warship in March have secured “decisive evidence” to prove that the frigate was sunk by a torpedo strike, a senior military official said Tuesday.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/05/205_66104.html

Traces of explosive collected from the wreckage are similar to those of a North Korean torpedo found in the West Sea seven years ago, the official said on condition of anonymity.

CIrcumstantial evidence (see earlier items on RDX)

The investigation team discovered pieces of the propeller from the torpedo,

Determining it was not a mine or some other source of explosion.

Still, one needs to find out what type of torp, who owns such torps, who has suitable platform and what the actual firing platform was. And, as Jonesy pointed out, the circumstances under which it was fired (i.e. who provoked who and why)

Short answer: yes. A few general-purpose vessels like the French Mistral or the Navantia BPE (Spain and Australia), rather than a large collection of specialised ships, seems a cheaper, more flexible option.

And the LCS seems over-specced and over-priced: you could probably get 90% of the functionality for a small fraction of the price.

How many LHA/D does the USN operate again? How are they any less multi purpose than Mistral or BPE?

… and then there is this :rolleyes:

Though it bring out some interesting theories concerning torpedo delivery systems and magically disappearing launch platforms….