UK MOD in a muddle over F-35C

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 26 Nov 2019, 06:14

Considering the Royal Navy will rarely deploy more than one Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier at any one time. They should at least embark "36" F-35B's. Especially, considering the size and scale of the ships...

:2c:

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 27 Nov 2019, 10:53

Via E-mail a FLYCO view 'not to die for '1.5 in thick ballistic glass windows & 8 foot long windscreen wipers' 26 Nov 2019.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 27 Nov 2019, 16:22

Corsair1963 wrote:Considering the Royal Navy will rarely deploy more than one Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier at any one time. They should at least embark "36" F-35B's. Especially, considering the size and scale of the ships...

They could probably easily handle 48 and an assortment of V-22s and helicopters.

notkent · by **notkent** » 27 Nov 2019, 22:36

Amazing picture Spazsinbad never saw 8 foot long windshield wipers before.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 29 Nov 2019, 04:33

Page 155 this thread there wuz da RONG CRARRIER discussion: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=15969&p=430262&hilit=wrong#p430262 [NAN = Naval Aviation News]

Speke of de debil - via e-mail I receive NAN WWII edition PDFs - latest 01 Oct 1945 has this cartoon about 'meatballs'. These would be Japanese aircraft with the RED MEATBALL insignia but also 'meatball' in todays LSO Hieroglyphics a 'red meatball' may be seen in the IFLOLS if pilot is VERY LOW on glideslope (of course this not relevant in batty days of WWII).

I've never bothered to look for them so here they are: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/h ... /1940.html

Naval Aviation News NAN 01 Oct 1945 Edition PDF (6.6Mb): https://www.history.navy.mil/research/h ... ber-1.html

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 01 Dec 2019, 01:44

We've seen the vHUD of F-35B view of an SRVL - now for the grand old SHAR (Sea Harrier) HUD VL view aboard a CVS....

Harrier deck landing, HUD view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KEnulwKP4A

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 01 Dec 2019, 02:25

GR7/9 not SHAR. That’s NAVFLIR video, which the SHAR did not have.

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 01 Dec 2019, 03:23

Inter service rivalry tussles over future budgets with Army making suggestions that one of the QE carriers should be leased to the US.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rs-US.html
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/ ... avy-100382
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top- ... -sgd7zmk3p

In a move that will cause uproar in the navy, army chiefs are pressing to mothball one of Britain’s new aircraft carriers — or lease it to the Americans. Navy chiefs, in turn, have joined forces with the army to press for the RAF to see a cut in manpower.

One source said: “The army hates the aircraft carriers, which they have always seen as white elephants, but the Americans love them. They’re cutting-edge because they can operate with far fewer crew than the US carriers.

“The army can’t recruit or retain the people it needs. Both the army and the navy think that the job of the RAF will soon be done by drones.”

The work is at an early stage but follows instructions from the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, that the armed forces must “cut their cloth” to the resources available.

He secured £2.2bn extra from the Treasury and has told it he will not “hollow out” the forces further but would prefer to cut capabilities and do a smaller number of things better.

Wallace has challenged the three service chiefs to focus on one priority. The army has been told to sort out recruitment or get no more kit. The navy was ordered to “get your ships working” and the chief of the air staff has been told to fix a shortfall of 250 pilots.

Wallace told navy chiefs the aircraft carriers could be deployed with US aircraft or escorted by Nato ships from other countries to cut costs.

The defence secretary is not thought to be aware of the full scope of the discussions, which have stepped up since the election campaign began, and oppose a smaller army. But a source said: “While ministers are away fighting the election, a lot of thinking has been going on.”

Defence sources say the shape of the changes might depend on who succeeds General Sir Nick Carter as the chief of the defence staff, an appointment that is expected to be made next year.

The cuts to the army are most likely if the first sea lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, wins the race, while the carriers are at greater risk if Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the chief of the general staff, gets the job.

The navy has not had a chief of the defence staff since 2003, a period in which the army has held the post four times and the RAF twice.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 01 Dec 2019, 03:36

quicksilver wrote:GR7/9 not SHAR. That’s NAVFLIR video, which the SHAR did not have.

OK - thanks.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 02 Dec 2019, 02:06

marsavian wrote:
In a move that will cause uproar in the navy, army chiefs are pressing to mothball one of Britain’s new aircraft carriers — or lease it to the Americans. Navy chiefs, in turn, have joined forces with the army to press for the RAF to see a cut in manpower.

Who said the USN would have any interesting is buying or leasing a Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier???

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 02 Dec 2019, 02:16

UK active duty personnel — all services — is roughly 150K. (The USMC alone is ~180K...). Makes one wonder what exactly the Brits wanna do with less of that makes them more relevant.

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 04 Dec 2019, 19:43

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 04 Dec 2019, 21:46

Here we go again:
An error occurred. Please try again later. (Playback ID: JzJNiPdrlsQ6H-93) Learn More
How about the URL link to the video in original post please - HOWEVER - IF I click on the WHITE TITLE LETTERS in the video - NOT THE RED BUTTON with WHITE RIGHT ARROW - I'll get this and jump to the vid. PHEW. :shock:

Portsmouth - now home to two aircraft carriers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yIE0ZxebRw

marsavian · by **marsavian** » 04 Dec 2019, 22:00

Royal Navy aircraft carriers dock together in Portsmouth

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england ... e-50657262

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 04 Dec 2019, 22:34

THREE pics now via e-mail (I'll guess these are on the web somewhere). The BLOCK & TACKLER is HMS VICTORY from yore.