U.S. commercial nuclear reactors are licensed to operate for 40 years by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Prior to termination of the original license, companies may apply to the NRC for 20-year license extensions. The average age of U.S. commercial reactors is about 32 years. The oldest operating reactors are Oyster Creek in New Jersey, and Nine Mile Point 1 in New York. Both entered commercial service on December 1, 1969. http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=228&t=21
CVN65 USS Enterprise has a nuclear propulsion plant that is now 50 years old, 7 years older than the oldest operating commercial reactors in the USA.
Built: 1958 – 1961
In service: 1962 – 2012
In commission: 1961 – 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(CVN-65)
France and Spain each got Independence class light carriers. France 2, Spain 1. France and Holland each got one escort carrier. God I love to nitpick.:D
I seem to remember reading somewhere that multirole fighters have been around since……well…….since there have been fighters. The trend really picked up around 1940. A few examples being the FW-190, P-51,47,40,38, F6F, F4U, Hurricane etc………….
The problem with the F-35 is not its price alone or its capabilities alone. It’s the combination thereof. The bird should either cost much less or it should deliver much more for the price tag. Option one would allow sizeable western airforces stuffed with large number of relatively mediocre aircraft – that would be not much different from the past where the backbone of NATO forces was F-16A/MLU. Option two would allow airforces considerably reduced in size but equipped with superior weaponry.
So far it looks we will get option three – limited number of expensive mediocre aircraft which are costly to operate. This all so that USMC can have roughly the same type flying off Tarawa (as if export customers would care). I am afraid that the F-35 will be responsible for the largest setback of NATO/western aerial advantage compared to its peers (China, Russia) in history. Unless Chinese don’t screw up their J-20/J-31 combo somehow (or Russians their T-50), that is.
Hard to argue with that. So how about we let them fight it out?
RN & Army vs RAF & treasury
If an actual battle is deemed politically unacceptable then how about settling it on the rugby pitch?
I think the best way to picture it is thus: Imagine the heads of the three branches of the UK Armed Forces as seagulls from the movie “Finding Nemo” and all three of them are looking at the total defence budget……..:D
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