CVF and Carrier Strike thread

[Yarra]

Hrmmmm, the Ford Class weapons handling looks pretty awesome:

A lift and trolley:


Compared to us poor cousins robot awesomeness

I was on QE 18 months ago, and our hosts were gushing about the automated wpn system. TBH, they were also gushing about the Flyco's chair... so are obviously easily pleased.

I was particularly impressed at the amount of wood cladding in the Wardroom.. it looked like a Wetherspoons super bar.

Having been on Lusty way back in the day, QE made her look like the IoW Ferry in comparison.

Y

ETA, good skills the Andrew.

 

[Wightsparker]

I was on QE 18 months ago, and our hosts were gushing about the automated wpn system. TBH, they were also gushing about the Flyco's chair... so are obviously easily pleased.

I was particularly impressed at the amount of wood cladding in the Wardroom.. it looked like a Wetherspoons super bar.

Having been on Lusty way back in the day, QE made her look like the IoW Ferry in comparison.

Y

ETA, good skills the Andrew.

Gosport ferry, surely?

 

[PhotEx]

The weapons handling elevators on the Ford class are a properly impressive design.

All 11 have design differences, and each has a different set of design and integration issues.

 

[Yarra]

Good point. ..well presented. (Ws)

 

[wafubustard]

The HMWHS on our carriers removes all the bombheads from the mags during normal operation.
We can get a pallet of bombs up in a very short time frame for the weapon prep teams to prep for the flight deck ..

 

[RCT(V)]

QEC’s efficient design still takes the cousins breath away, the weapons handling in particular.

"Berlin" WALT !!

How appropriate . . . . .

Berlin -Take My Breathe Away theme from Top Gun with Lyrics​

 

[Mattb]

Spear 3 is far more likely to be needed and id suggest theres a better case for sticking spear 3 on a joint LMM /30mm mount accross the fleet than there is for a heavy weight ASM

Spear 3 seems a bit OTT for that sort of thing, Martlet or at most Sea Spear would seem more reasonable.

VLS Spear 3 is something I’d like to see though.

 

[Lindermyer]

Spear 3 seems a bit OTT for that sort of thing, Martlet or at most Sea Spear would seem more reasonable.

VLS Spear 3 is something I’d like to see though.

Completely agree

I had a slight brain fart -on reading the thread.

It was Meerkatz talk of good agains FAC and pecking at a ship made me think Spear 3 was LMM / Martlet - hence my reference to the (existing as a demonstrator) combined LMM 30MM Mount. (mainly for the benefit of the IRGC)

Although i stand by my origional point LMM / Venom / Spear are far more likely to be relevant in the current environment than a Harpoon replacement

 

[Mattb]

Completely agree

I had a slight brain fart -on reading the thread.

It was Meerkatz talk of good agains FAC and pecking at a ship made me think Spear 3 was LMM / Martlet - hence my reference to the (existing as a demonstrator) combined LMM 30MM Mount. (mainly for the benefit of the IRGC)

Although i stand by my origional point LMM / Venom / Spear are far more likely to be relevant in the current environment than a Harpoon replacement

Aye - further muddying the water is Sea Spear, which is a surface-launched variant of Spear Cap 2 (the later Brimstone models), which is also touted for use against FIACs. I'd say it's a bit overkill for a distinctly secondary weapons system though, given the other weapons available to a surface combatant - plus Martlet means that if the ship is carrying Wildcat then there will be a common ammunition type.

 

[PhotEx]

Aye - further muddying the water is Sea Spear, which is a surface-launched variant of Spear Cap 2 (the later Brimstone models), which is also touted for use against FIACs. I'd say it's a bit overkill for a distinctly secondary weapons system though, given the other weapons available to a surface combatant - plus Martlet means that if the ship is carrying Wildcat then there will be a common ammunition type.

we now have multiple overlapping systems, most duplicating each other, to smite FIACs,

Machine guns, 20mm, Phalanx, 30mm, 40mm, 57mm, 4.5”, LMM, Spear, Sea Venom, Sea Ceptor....

but not a single credible missile to put a major surface combat at threat.

 

[rampant]

I-SSGW is meant to be later this year, Harpoon maintenance contract has just been extended

 

[PhotEx]

I-SSGW is meant to be later this year, Harpoon maintenance contract has just been extended

Yes, SAAB have been pushing very aggressively, taking full page ads in MOD publications.
NSM should be a no brainer as its been selected for the F-35 and as a medium weight SSM by allies.

Harpoon?

RAF will get current Block Harpoons as they are buying US weapons OTS for their P-8's, but it's not clear if the RN will get newer Harpoons. But Harpoon still suffers from being very much last century's non LO airframe, aggressive endgame manoeuvring model.

RN/RAF really need a very long range heavy hitter like LRASM

 

[rampant]

Yes, SAAB have been pushing very aggressively, taking full page ads in MOD publications.
NSM should be a no brainer as its been selected for the F-35 and as a medium weight SSM by allies.

Harpoon?

RAF will get current Block Harpoons as they are buying US weapons OTS for their P-8's, but it's not clear if the RN will get newer Harpoons. But Harpoon still suffers from being very much last century's non LO airframe, aggressive endgame manoeuvring model.

RN/RAF really need a very long range heavy hitter like LRASM

We won't likely hear anything until after the results of this have been released.

Will the French-British FC/ASW Missile Program Survive a Hard Brexit ? - Naval News

In March, MBDA announced the end of the Key Review on the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon program. In June, the company unveiled scale models of different multipurpose missiles that could be linked to the FC/ASW.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Lindermyer]

We won't likely hear anything until after the results of this have been released.

Will the French-British FC/ASW Missile Program Survive a Hard Brexit ? - Naval News

In March, MBDA announced the end of the Key Review on the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon program. In June, the company unveiled scale models of different multipurpose missiles that could be linked to the FC/ASW.

www.navalnews.com

Brexit really is just a tack on at the end of that article - to justify the sensationalist (Brexit oh noes) headline.
Especially since it even acknowledges the agreement was made after the Brexit vote

 

[PhotEx]

We won't likely hear anything until after the results of this have been released.

Will the French-British FC/ASW Missile Program Survive a Hard Brexit ? - Naval News

In March, MBDA announced the end of the Key Review on the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon program. In June, the company unveiled scale models of different multipurpose missiles that could be linked to the FC/ASW.

www.navalnews.com

'The AGM-158C LRASM sharing the same airframe as the AGM-158B JASSM-ER, such a solution could theoretically fill all the British requirements of the FC/ASW program."

Thats the badger right there.
They're available, they're proven, they've been ordered in quality by close allies, they ticks all our boxes.
FC/ASW is at least 15 years away, and MDBA hasn't exactly been stellar at rolling out the sexy new flavours of ASTER it promised. By the time FS/ASW (or Block 2 ASTER) show up, the T45's will bellowing to be paying off.

 

[rampant]

Brexit really is just a tack on at the end of that article - to justify the sensationalist (Brexit oh noes) headline.
Especially since it even acknowledges the agreement was made after the Brexit vote

Yep, but the program has hit its milestones as of last year. So we should hear something soon.

 

[Lindermyer]

'The AGM-158C LRASM sharing the same airframe as the AGM-158B JASSM-ER, such a solution could theoretically fill all the British requirements of the FC/ASW program."

Thats the badger right there.
They're available, they're proven, they've been ordered in quality by close allies, they ticks all our boxes.
FC/ASW is at least 15 years away.

On the other hand cooperating with France -

Keeps us in the design game
provides Jobs
Potentially brings in money through exports, (More so if its ITAR free )

With the US reorientation to the Pacific and the UK / France team in the med - it gives us commonality with a major ally when we may not have US stores

 

[PhotEx]

On the other hand cooperating with France -

Keeps us in the design game
provides Jobs
Potentially brings in money through exports, (More so if its ITAR free )

With the US reorientation to the Pacific and the UK / France team in the med - it gives us commonality with a major ally when we may not have US stores

The same arguments advanced for selecting ASTER/SYLVER over the RN's preferred SM2/Mk41 VLS option

Well, with ASTER we've got design authority on an orphan missile and VLS no one of note other than the launch partners bought. And while ASTER/SYLVER has stagnated, SM has moved on to become a far more capable missile family able to kill air, missile and ship threats out to 200nm at speeds of Mach 6 in the atmosphere and has a full ABM/ASAT capability with SM3.
T26 has selected the US Mk41 VLS, other US weapons to go in it are under consideration.

We aren't going to the Med, that's France puddle, the RN's future is east of Suez, and its key partners out there all use SM/JASSM and are buying LRASM. And even in Europe, Spain. Holland and Germany has politely declined to buy ASTER and bought SM/Mk41.

Far better to do an 'F-35' and buy into a big program - get a 15% share of many thousands, rather than do another Merlin and get 33% of few hundred

 

[Lindermyer]

Allways the same with you

US develops something and its RA RA USA bleeding edge innovation.

UK develops something and its why waste money just buy what exists - reinvent wheel.

Industrial benefits really do pass you buy, we were allowed to buy into the F35 by proving we had the capability (if not funding) to develop LO combat aircraft.

If the UK doesnt continue to develop / design / produce advanced systems - how do you expect it to demonstrate the skills to be allowed in as a high level partner in the Future Fxx programme

 

[instinct]

The same arguments advanced for selecting ASTER/SYLVER over the RN's preferred SM2/Mk41 VLS option

Well, with ASTER we've got design authority on an orphan missile and VLS no one of note other than the launch partners bought. And while ASTER/SYLVER has stagnated, SM has moved on to become a far more capable missile family able to kill air, missile and ship threats out to 200nm at speeds of Mach 6 in the atmosphere and has a full ABM/ASAT capability with SM3.
T26 has selected the US Mk41, other US weapons to go in it are under consideration.

We aren't going to the Med, that's France puddle, the RN's future is east of Suez, and its key partners out there all use SM/JASSM and are buying LRASM. And even in Europe, Spain. Holland and Germany has politely declined to buy ASTER and bought SM.

Far better to do an 'F-35' and buy into a big program - get a 15% share of many thousands, rather than do another Merlin and get 33% of few hundred

We aren't going to the Med? But we were in the Med this summer?