Unfortunately nuclear power is about the only long term available base load power capability available.

Everything else either uses up finite fossil fuels, contributes to global warming and climate change (which the extremists seem to believe will render life untenable for a large percentage of the Earth’s population) or is unsuitable for base load (wind, solar, other renewables).

Long term, it looks like countries either go nuclear to reduce their dependancy on fossil fuels, or take their chances with suppliers who have a track record of using their energy supply power to try and influence other nations policy’s to something more to their liking.

Unicorn

Lovely clear shot. 15 years ago the US would have paid millions for this level of quality photo of a Chinese or Russian boomer.

Unicorn

No surprise there then, it’s what everybody outside of a few people who believed the hype from the yard and customer expected, I’m betting most in the Indian Navy are not surprised in the slightest. A run down hulk, a major re-engineering project and a shipyard sector never in the better category of yards was always going to be a hugely problematic project.

Shush, you will upset the fanboys, they don’t like being told the Maharajah has no clothes…

Unicorn

Potentially they could look at some of the later Type 22s or Type 23s, which the RN will be putting up for sale.

Romania has Type 22’s and Chile has Type 23’s.

Alternatively some of the Dutch M class may become available.

They all have the advantage of being considerably younger.

Unicorn

Its a far more realistic timeframe for building a carrier than anything I have seen out of India or Russia lately.

Zoot alors! Bon chane mes amis.

Unicorn

Nice images, thanks.

Unicorn

I asked whether Harpoon could be launched from VLS and now I have the answer. Would there be any benefits, apart from some deck space saved (no dedicated launchers?

Regards,

P

The quad Harpoon launcher is anything but stealthy, dropping the Harpoons into a VLS would alleviate that problem.

Unicorn

It’s a little trick learned during the cold war against the Soviets and honed on the navies of India & China.

By getting in close to other people’s submarines and surface ships you could do things like photograph screws, which tell you a lot about their shaping, which in turn tells you about performance and quieting measures.

Looking at sonar gear allows you to get an idea of capability, often good shots of other people’s ships and subs out of the water in dry dock are hard to come by, so getting the images in a periphot is one way to do it.

Its the sort of thing you practice in exercises againt friends, so that you can do it for real against other people who may not be your friends.

Unicorn