ARmy Rumour SErvice

**omegahunter** · 02-01-2012, 21:18

I wonder how many staffers does it take to work out a plan as to how many missiles a VLS system should when they don't plan to use the system?

**Dafty duck** · 02-01-2012, 21:45

I get the gist of what the matelots on here are saying but surely if the ship has the capability to carry the things should it not be carrying them just in case?

It's better to be out on the town with a condom in your pocket and not need it than not have it, need it and end up catching the clap off some dirty skank.

**California_Tanker** · 02-01-2012, 21:45

Originally Posted by A2_Matelot

The Septics do a very similar thing even 5th Fleet assets steaming out of Bahrain - they carry what they think they need for a region/tasking as directed by a theatre entry plan, to the theatre entry standard.

Lets just leave it at that.

Though this is true, there is some inherent flexibility in the ships. A Mk41 cell can carry anything from VLASROC through twin ESSMs. There is precedent of one Tico being loaded with every single one of the 122 VL cells holding a Tomahawk. Is my knowledge off, or can the Type 23's Seawolf cells only carry Seawolf missiles? If so, then where's the advantage to not carrying them?

It is true - the powers that be knew this and decided AA engagements were unlikely

Is that not more or less the same as the Israeli assesment of the Hezbullah threat shortly before INS Hanit took an anti-ship missile to the helo hangar?

NTM

**Yokel** · 02-01-2012, 22:18

I imagine that there's no great conspiracy. Wasn't Westminster sent to Libya in a hurry? If so, it may simply have been a case of saving time.

**the_guru** · 02-01-2012, 22:21

Originally Posted by Yokel

I imagine that there's no great conspiracy. Wasn't Westminster sent to Libya in a hurry? If so, it may simply have been a case of saving time.

Hasn't it been stated that it replenned in Gib?

**tiny_lewis** · 02-01-2012, 22:36

And as if British military history isn't littered with similar operational assessments that proven to be either incorrect, or allowed for no Murphy Factor.

You mentioned the Falklands, A_2... then you ought to remember the fcuk ups that were made there.

**cloudbuster** · 02-01-2012, 22:36

Originally Posted by seaweed

That was the fun of being a go-anywhere, do-anything Navy.

Edited for tense.

**labrat** · 02-01-2012, 22:44

Originally Posted by tiny_lewis

And as if British military history isn't littered with similar operational assessments that proven to be either incorrect, or allowed for no Murphy Factor.

You mentioned the Falklands, A_2... then you ought to remember the fcuk ups that were made there.

And as mentioned before, even then we still kept the Nukes with the fleet "just in case" there was an unpredicted escalation of the situation or it kicked off somewhere else in NATO...

**Mattb** · 03-01-2012, 00:04

Originally Posted by chocolate_frog

Let's look at the big picture.

What are the cost implications of the RN parking the boat on a 'uncharted' rock, sinking and losing the lot?

TBH, if the canoe is worth quarter of a billion as some seem to suggest, then even if the missiles were £1M a pop the cost of losing the lot would be chickenfeed compared to the loss of the ship.

**rickshaw-major** · 03-01-2012, 07:13

Originally Posted by California_Tanker

Though this is true, there is some inherent flexibility in the ships. A Mk41 cell can carry anything from VLASROC through twin ESSMs. There is precedent of one Tico being loaded with every single one of the 122 VL cells holding a Tomahawk. Is my knowledge off, or can the Type 23's Seawolf cells only carry Seawolf missiles? If so, then where's the advantage to not carrying them?

Is that not more or less the same as the Israeli assesment of the Hezbullah threat shortly before INS Hanit took an anti-ship missile to the helo hangar?

NTM

Oh no - now you've upset the Andrew apple cart! I suspect that the launcher only holds Sea Wolfs. So where is the advantage in not carrying them. Or were the empty holes filled full of other stores such as rations?