Sadly this does mean that Ocean will no longer be replaced 🙁

Was there room in the shipyards in the ~2018 time frame in the first place? 😉

Actually, that could be an interesting question, because Argus is supposed to be replaced at about the same time.

FYI, the JMSDF Kongo and Atago classes are built to mercantile/commercial rather than military standards.

Really? I thought they were Flight 1 and Flight 2 burkes, just built in Japan rather then the US. 😉

Country your carrier is for: Australia
Type of carrier: CATOBAR
Weight: 40,000 tonnes
Length: 270m
Width: 65m
Power supply: Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP)
Number of Aircraft: 24 F/A-18Fs 2 Hawkeye AWACS 2 Seakings
Type of Aircraft : As above – using the 24 F/A-18Fs bought recently
Defencive weapons : 2 RAM launchers

Except with a 24 aircraft purchase you’d only be able to deploy circa 12 at a time. Not worth the cost of a carrier. Better to spend the money spent on the carrier on tankers, further amphibs or additional MRH/NFH-90’s.

The only way we will ever se Mistrals in the RN is if we do a reciprocal deal with the French along the lines of you build us two Mistrals and we’ll build PA2; it makes sense in asmuchas we have a ‘production line’ set up for the CVFs and the French have a ‘production line’ set up for Mistrals. They would have to be modified to British requirements though, primarily meaning deleting the Dock and vehicle deck in favour of more troop accomodation. RN amphibious philosophy has no need for an LHD, the first wave of troops are landed by Helicopter from a LPH which has to stay mobile for it’s own protection. Once the beach head is secure the LPDs and LSDs can come in and land the heavy equipment and the second wave of troops. Even the USN is moving away from LHDs with the new America class, which although classed as LHAs are really closer to LPH in concept. LHDs are better suited to Navies that cannot afford specialised amphibious classes like LPD/LSD/LPH. A reciprocal deal of say three Mistral LPH for one CVF/PA2 might prove beneficial for both countries, though the french shipbuilding industry might kick up about it.

To fit a third CVF you’d have to delay FSC another few years, can the T22B3’s and T23’s be run on that much longer?

We would have difficulty nicking – or more properly – requisitioning any cruise ships, the only two cruise ship I am relatively certain could be requisitioned are the QM2 and Queen Victoria as they are the only cruise ship registered in the UK, all of the P&O ships are registered in Bermuda, so I am unsure what the position of those would be, the rest who knows. Many of the ferries are also flying flags of convenience – the last time I saw an Isle of Man ferry is was registered in Nassau?!?!

As Bermuda is a British overseas territory, I don’t think there would be any problems requisitioning them, if worst comes to worst you ring up government house in bermuda and give them the money to pay for it, doubt it would come to that though.

Nassau is the capital of the Bahama’s which is a commonwealth country, doubt they’d cause problems.

It would be interesting to see where the British owned, overseas registered ships are actually registered, as in, are the majority registered in commonwealth countries of which Elizabeth II is still Queen?

I honestly think everyone is honestly being a bit too pessimistic.

– CVF will Happen.
– C1 and C2 will happen, though the form and numbers might change.
– Astute is going full speed ahead

The programs that are at the most risk are:
– MARS
– LPH(R)
– Argus Replacement
– Diligence Replacement

I’m guessing MARS may suffer a reduction in numbers, and the Argus replacement may be merged with the LPH(R) program. Anything could happen with Diligence.

I’m surprised they didn’t just find an old airbase, build a ski-jump at one end of the runway and build a mockup of the island next door.

I won’t be surprised if the whole thing is photoshopped/

Why? Its no different from the dummy Invincible class deck at one of the RNAS stations in the UK, or the mockup of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Islands being constructed at the moment.

The dummy deck is for training deck crews, the mockup islands are to test the electronics to make sure there is not interference, there was/is a similar mockup built to test the electronic systems of the T45 destroyer.