the_leander wrote:
These "Super" aircraft carriers are going to be loosely based on the old kit that got broken up/sold off just prior to the falklands, big ships indeed, but they aren't going to have any aircraft to fly off of them - the MOD's desire for this american VSTOVL stealth aircraft means that the ships will be ready for service in about 6 years, but they won't be compatible (the aircraft in question are already beyond the specs that the carriers are being built to) leaving the Navy looking rather daft.
Back in the 60's the MOD was tendering for two super carriers (to be called the HMS Queen Elizabeth II and HMS Prince Phillip, allegedly), which were cancelled when it was decided to downscale our navy to a helicopter carrier only role. The Invincible class are indeed helicopter carriers that happen to be able to carry Harriers.
The last of the big carriers (HMS Hermes) was withdrawn soon after the Falklands conflict and sold to India.
Fast forward 25 years and the new super carriers are designed to operate STOVL aircraft, and be upgraded in future with steam catapults should the need arise. A service life of 50 years is forecast. The F35 JSF is intended to be in service "by 2012", but on the face of it that looks optimistic, considering it took the F22 exactly 14 years to go from first flight (1990) to service (2004) and the Typhoon 18 years (first flight of BAe demonstrator was 1986). The prototype STOVL JSF is said to be worryingly overweight.
Withdrawing the Sea Harrier was as shortsighted a plan as they come, the MOD has found a new way to waste millions (by flying standard Harriers from the carriers). Well done Hoon!
Eurofighter, which has the salt water resistant parts in place already and would require little modification for full sea borne capability, has been discounted by the MOD because it would cost too much to equip the carriers with catapaults and arrestor gear... We have nothing else either in development or out there that could now operate off of the proposed carriers that could offer air to air defence.
Incredible... The carriers are designed to have it, but we can't afford to fit it.
The French Navy with the Charles De Gaulle and their fleet of seaborne Rafales can surely be heard sniggering away even from this side of the channel...
Let's hope the JSF isn't delayed.
