I thought I read somewhere that the Prince of Wales had given his consent to giving the ship another name! I can’t remember what it was ???

My favorite would be HMS Hood to honor the famous Battle Cruiser and the lost crew!:cool:

Quite ironic that the other RN ship from that battle was Prince of Wales. You know that shortly afterwards Prince of Wales was lost as well?

Why spend money developing exotic ground attack capabilities for Typhoon when Lightning II will provide them? That money would be better spent providing interoperability between Typhoon and Lightning II through LPI data links and SATCOM.

As long as we’re only interested in using Paveway 2 and 4, because those are the only UK air to ground weapons the F35b will be able to use for quite some time.

Does anyone know what the island on HMAS Canberra weighs? Because BAe up the road in Williamstown Melbourne built it and craned it onto the hull (built in Spain and bought out here on the Blue Marlin) a few months ago. I’ve seen photos but can’t find them on the interweb, it’s a hefty unit.

Have a look here:

http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/navy-maritime/juan-carlos-canberra-class-lhd-12136-2/

Im not a fan of the LCS either.

Don’t think there’s that much wrong with the basic idea, it’s been exceuted extremely badly.

Some of the potential capabilities for T-X include:

• Cockpit displays which are software configurable to mimic the instrument panel layout of other airplanes
• Flight control laws which are software configurable to mimic the handling qualities of other airplanes
• Built-in ACMI
• Built-in switchology/control movement/flight path recording to facilitate post flight debrief between student and instructor
• Software configurable emergency situations (simulated) to exercise the student’s prowess (e.g. simulated deadstick landing)
• Software configurable weapons training

The bottom line is T-X could be a software configurable flying classroom.

That sounds extremely expensive, can the USAF afford it?

Well, more and more countries are looking for a Air Capable Ships. Plus, the fact that the market will soon have a number of second hand Harriers (AV-8B’s, GR-9’s, etc.) available. So, combined with the recently retired Spanish Carrier. I don’t think its such a great stretch to at least discuss the possibility. Which, is not to say it’s likely. Yet, it is possible….

Remember, many said China could never return the ex-Varyag to service!

Where are these second hand Harriers coming from then? You’ve already stated the GR9s have been sold as a spares store for the Marines AV-8Bs, who is selling Harriers that would make a purchase of second hand Harrier carriers attractive?

i’d always wondered why Harland & Wolff didn’t get to build them, or at least one.

They did build the previously largest RN carrier, HMS Eagle, as well as the largest oil tanker (193 000t, 320m) ever constructed in Europe.

Perhaps it was having to up their workforce, as you’ve said, mixed in with a little politics?

Certainly, they have the facilities.

It would have made sense and I believe that BAE were originally quite keen for it to happen there, in the end much of the work went to the doorstep of Gordon Brown.

What was that about retiring it in 2015 because we won’t have any use for it after we withdraw from Afghanistan?

Used in two other wars in just over two years since that announcement was made. Hmmm.

Always sounded a ridiculous statement bourne from short term penny pinching, hopefully they have proved their worth and stay in service.