wilhelmIm sorry if my comments hurt or upset anyone, they were not intended to.
The Brits insult the French and vice versa we insult the US and Vice versa everyone insults each other. British servicemen even now like to insult the Americans and say derogatory things about them even although the US is very much keeping our men alive in current warzones as the Goverment of this country fails them on many levels.
The US and UK should never have went into Iraq there was no solid reason. I tend to support the theory of Iraq wanting to switch to selling Oil in euros and the US wanting to stop this. That is just a theory but one i suspect has some real grounding.
Back on topic as well. I wouldnt be too suprised if you are right as to what this admiral was alluding to. 6 seems like a good number for the Russians as this would allow them to have at least 3 constantly deployed at any one time and surge more when needed. One could be deployed in the Indian Ocean region, another in the Pacific and one in either the Black sea, Med or Atlantic. This would give the Russians some credible influence comapared to what they have had in years gone by. Furthermore the Mistral class are very affordable for this sort of Mission and due to their commercial design have high availabilty and low maintenance costs.
Personally i see the Mistral class as a huge soft power asset as apposed to hard power. These vessels could be used to enhance Russian image abroad much like the US boost in popularity following the 2004 Tsunami and the massive effort put in by the US armed forces. Especially after the massive drop in opinion after the Invasion of Iraq.
If Russia does build proper carriers again i would Guess there would be no more than four built. My reasons for thinking this are cost and 4 would allow 3 avaliable hulls with another in re-fit. 3 hulls is enough for one in each ocean. But i dont see this happening for a long time the Russian armed forces are a mire currently and would need sorted out.
Hey flubba, no worries. I’m sure you never meant it as a direct insult.:)
It is more the fact that the insult as originally crafted by others, whilst purporting to be humerous, takes no notice of the fact that many French soldiers over the years have paid the ultimate price, even though they would most likely have chosen to be with their loved ones at the time rather than at war. And I’m not French, and even I find some of their mannerisms “unusual”:D:p (apologies and regards to our French members!)
I concur exactly with you on your assessment that a number of Mistral type platforms would be a very effective direction for the Russian Navy to head.
wilhelmDont presume to know me.
Whatever. Your comments are posted here, and that is how people know you.
And the term was instigated on the internet after the invasion of Iraq by Americans to view their displeasure at the French who, rightly as it has turned out IMHO, thought the evidence against Iraqi involvement in 9/11 was rot. The insult clearly has no long term historical veracity and is a short term political one. It is insulting to The Fallen and therefor has to apply to the fallen at Verdun. It is distasteful.
Back on topic, I’m wondering now if the Russian admiral who stated the commitment to “6 medium carriers” was actually talking perhaps of Mistral type ships in the first place, and not conventional fixed wing carriers?
wilhelmYes, Wilhelm. The battle of Verdun during WW1 congratulations nor the French or the Germans won. Yes admittedly the French did not surrender but they couldnt the allies would have looked upon the French in digust had they done so. Where do you hail from??
I take exception to the fact that you would categorize the almost quarter of a million French men that were killed at Verdun “cheese eating surrender monkeys”. These were fathers, brothers and sons who would never see or laugh with their loved ones again. Would you also insult the fallen British men of the Somme in such a fashion? As an ex-soldier, I don’t have to be French to find that the insult is not funny, it’s distasteful.:mad:
And no, the allies would not have looked at the French “in disgust” as you put it had they lost at Verdun. Every year at Verdun they still find some of the 100 000 French soldiers who simply have no known grave.
Sorry to all concerned for being off topic, but I as an ex-serviceman I find insults like these extremely offensive.
wilhelm….. but there is still the pride and strange need to return to superpower status.
A brief lesson in geography and politics will reach you that it is not a “strange need” at all.
Flubba
Pioneer, French bash away i call them cheese eating surrender monkeys and so do people i know.
Verdun.:(
wilhelmWell, well … so it does look as if we may see her enter service sooner rather than later….
wilhelmI have not really followed the design process up ’till now. What is the reason they have gone for 2 islands?
wilhelmThe Superhornet is a considerably larger and heavier plane than the Rafale. It is almost 4000kg heavier in it’s empty state, and apart from height, is a larger aircraft. It is 3 meters longer, and has an almost 3 meter wider span. Granted, the wings do fold though.
However, could the Sao Paulo’s catapults or elevators actually accomodate them? (the SH’s)
I do know the Rafale conducted trials on board the ex-French carriers. I doubt the Super Hornet would be a good fit….
wilhelmI also wonder if they would be interested in one of the Invincible class when we are finnished with them. That is of course if they were allowed to purchase the F-35. They might of course be interested in buying some second hadn AV-8Bs that might be available by then. But thats a different conversation.
If the Brazilians keep Sao Paulo going for another 5 to 10 years, which they should easily do, then that would put them into the timeframe of being able to order a similar carrier to what the Indian navy is currently building. The Indian ADS is of a similar size to the Sao Paulo, but with a smaller crew requirement. It would also most likely be far cheaper than a new European conventional carrier.
The Ark Royal, which is the newest of the Invincibles, was launched in 1981, which means in 10 years time she will be approaching 40 years of age. Whilst the Sao Paulo was also of a similar age when purchased, I have always believed it to be a, relatively speaking, interim purchase to buy the Brazilian navy some breathing space (10-20 years) so as to look at options and retain it’s pilots skills. I may be wrong of course, but I personally think they will order a large conventional carrier around the 2020 timeframe. If they do, I think it highly unlikely that an Invincible purchase would be effected, even assuming they are still around then.
wilhelmi can’t believe that the hangar of the valours can accommodate two lynx. i think the lynx has a footprint of nearly 11 x 3m.
are there any drawings or pictures showing this dual heli setup?
I don’t have anything with me right now, but I’ll see what I can dig up at home, if anything. I do know that the official South African Navy site mentions this fact as well. Off the top of my head, the Valour Class hangar door is at least 4 meters wide. The hangar itself is wider than the door, but by how much I’m not sure of off the top of my head. Having been in the hangar, I can say that it is quite long.
wilhelmBut was Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi actually ‘responsible’ for the deaths of 270 innocent people?
Libya has, I think, accepted responsibility for the bombing of Pan-Am flight 103 and Megrahi was a member of Libyan intelligence acting under orders.
I’m not condoning this, or any other, act of terrorism but is the right man rotting in jail?
Precisely. As much as it pains me to say this.
wilhelmBut was Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi actually ‘responsible’ for the deaths of 270 innocent people?
Libya has, I think, accepted responsibility for the bombing of Pan-Am flight 103 and Megrahi was a member of Libyan intelligence acting under orders.
I’m not condoning this, or any other, act of terrorism but is the right man rotting in jail?
Precisely. As much as it pains me to say this.
wilhelmThe Valour Class has a lot of potential stretch.
In basic terms, there is still space to increase the VLS Umkhonto IR SAM from the current complement of 16 to the designed 32 complement. This is notwithstanding the fact that the current Umkhonto IR SAM may well be complemented or replaced by the heavier, longer ranged Umkhonto Radar SAM.
The 76mm was an expedient solution lifted from the Warrior Class (ex-President Class) strike craft. The intention always was and still is to replace it with a heavier weapon in the 100mm to 155mm class.
There is a programme to fit a locally designed remote fully automatic 12,7mm Rogue system to keep the immediate environment surrounding the vessel sanitized.
There is space in the design to incorporate land attack missiles in the future, which is currently not carried due to political considerations.
The Valour Class currently operate 1 lynx helicopter, whilst they are designed to carry and operate 2 Lynxes easily, or 1 lynx and 2 UAV’s, or single heavier vehicles such as the Oryx or Rooivalk.
I think the Valour class are an exceptional design, and that the SAN are only at the start of it’s developmental career. These vessels are designed to have a 40-odd year lifespan, and were designed from the outset with plenty of growth potential.
Lastly, the Valour Class have to operate in the Southern Ocean, with some of the roughest seas on the planet. They are exceptionally stable vessels, according to one of her captains I chat to every now and then. The Valour Class is almost 2 meters wider on a hull only 3 meters longer, for roughly the same displacement, with different superstructures. The ANZAC problems don’t apply here at all. They are basically very different designs.
wilhelmASRAAM[/URL] has very minimal control surfaces (Like the A-Darter)…
and regarding the A-Darter…. Oh yes…. I think about 5 years ago the Denel/Kentron website itself stated that the A-Darter could hit a peak maneuverability of 100gs 😮 But since then they have removed it. :confused: But several unofficial/third-party source have mentioned very high g-limits for the A-Darter. Unusually High.
Very true. The A-Darter of course having TVC.
The sources are official. Denel Dynamics CEO Jan Wessels has publically announced that A-Darter has already been tested at 80g’s, with the goal being somewhere between 90 to 100g’s.
Pretty hot stuff.
Are there advanced editions of ASRAAM and IRIS-T in the pipeline?
wilhelmThe China-Taiwan crisis scenario is one such scenario which would necessitate the use of the F-22A, and therefore is relevant to a discussion of continued production. Provided it doesn’t degenerate into yet another anatomical measuring contest, there is no reason to quash that line of discussion. Which would be my job, and not yours.
On the topic, albeit slightly obliquely, I think the fact is, over the next 20 years or so, we’ll probably see a progressive merging of China and Taiwan, particularly in the economic field. Geography and economics will dectate this. This is already happening with Taiwanese investment on the mainland at an all time high.
The shut out of major US aerospace sales to Taiwan, particularly in the fighter field seems to also suggest this. Well, certainly on advanced platforms anyway. I don’t foresee an F-22 deployment to Taiwan, even during the occasional hiccups that occur cross-straight. I also don’t think, IMHO, that Taiwan will ever be granted a purchasing licence for the F-35, due to the same concerns.
This being the case, wouldn’t it be time for Taiwan to develope their own fighter? A more advanced follow on to the Ching Kuo? It would be more expensive naturally, but the other options appear very limited indeed.
wilhelmThe unfortunately named ‘Gayduk’ corvette has been around for at least 5 or 6 years
OK…. that sentence just made my Friday morning.
People in the office are looking at me whilst I chuckle in a slightly demented fashion.
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