The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > General > Military Weapons

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-26-2017, 11:22 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Arrow Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier sets sail for first sea trials

Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier sets sail for first sea trials
By: Andrew Chuter, June 26, 2017 (Photo Credit: UK Ministry of Defence)
(Photo of this British Carrier on site only - something to see)
RE: http://www.defensenews.com/articles/...rst-sea-trials

LONDON — Nearly 20 years after the British government first decided to build two large aircraft carriers to revive the Royal Navy’s global air strike capability, the first of those warships, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has left the dock at Rosyth, Scotland, to start sea trials.

The 70,000 ton carrier slowly emerged from the dock today where the BAE Systems-led Aircraft Carrier Alliance has assembled the warship from modules built by shipyards around Britain in a program set to cost around £6.2 billion (U.S. $7.8 billion) by the time the second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is completed in 2019.

The Queen Elizabeth squeezed out of the dock with just 14 inches clearance either side to start initial trials in the North Sea.

The contractor trials are expected to last for around 11 weeks before the carrier heads for the naval base at Portsmouth, which will be her home for the next 50 years or so.

If things go according to plan, the carrier is expected to be accepted off contract by the Royal Navy around the end of the year.

Unspecified technical issues have delayed the start of the trials by about two months, but Ministry of Defense officials have previously said it is a minor setback and within the tolerance of the program to remain on track.

The carriers are the largest warships ever operated by the Royal Navy.

The vessels are 280 meters long and can embark up to 40 Lightning II short take-off vertical landing jets and helicopters — although senior naval officers have said they could actually carry many more aircraft if required.

The most notable design feature is the carriers two island sections instead of one. The design provides independent control of navigation in the forward island with an air traffic operations in aft island.

The hangar deck measures 155 meters by 33 meters with lifts capable of lifting two aircraft onto the flight deck simultaneously in about 60 seconds. The vessels are powered by an integrated electric propulsion system employing two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine units and two Wärtsilä diesel generators.

Although not referring directly to the sea trials process, the National Audit Office, the government’s financial watchdog, warned in a report recently that the MoD was now entering a “high risk phase” of the project as it sought to bring together various core carrier strike programs between now and full flexible operating capability in 2026.

“The next three years will be critical to establishing the carrier strike capability. The MoD must bring together the carriers, F-35B Lightning II jets, and Crowsnest [airborne early warning ] radar [helicopters] with trained crews and supporting infrastructure, logistics, communications and surveillance. It needs to test and operate all these elements together in preparation for deploying in 2021,” said the NAO.

“It [the MoD] is focusing on managing strategic risks across the program over the next three years which could have a significant impact on delivery,” said the NAO report on delivering the Royal Navy’s carrier strike.

The report highlighted shortages of skilled naval personnel, tight schedules with limited contingency on the three core carrier related programs and operational unknowns that would only become clear after equipment testing as being the prime risks.

Queen Elizabeth’s emergence from the dock at Rosyth has been a long time in the making. The Labour Government led by Prime Minister Tony Blair mandated the revivial of the Royal Navy’s large deck carrier capability in the defense review of 1998.

The contract with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance saw the first metal cut on the warships around eight years ago. To finally get this far is no mean achievement for the program. Labour and Conservatives have both sought to reduce, delay or cut the program altogether at various times.

At one point, the Conservatives even sought to have parts of the carrier redesigned during construction when they opted to swap the F-35 B for the conventional take-off and landing carrier variant. ‎That idea was eventually scrapped due to the high cost of amending the carrier design. It will be the first time the British have had a large deck carrier at sea since 1984 when the Royal Navy pensioned off HMS Hermes. Since the Conservative government's Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010, the British haven’t operated a naval air strike capability at all after the Invincible-class light carriers with their Harrier jets were controversially scrapped.

British pilot and carrier operational skills have been retained primarily by seconding personnel to the U.S. Navy

Initial operating capability of a force of F-35B short take and vertical landing strike jets, along with Crowsnest radar-equipped, airborne early warning-equipped helicopters, onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth are expected by 2020.

Fixed-wing flight trials with three British F-35Bs off the East coast of the United States are slated for next year following earlier helicopter tests with Merlin and Chinooks.

The cash-strapped British won’t have sufficient F-35Bs available initially to fully equip the warship and the British government announced late last year that U.S. Marine Corp jets would also be deployed on the Queen Elizabeth during it’s first operational deployment scheduled for 2021.

The British don’t have the resources to operate both of their carriers at once but the completion of HMS Prince of Wales will enable the Royal Navy to have one carrier available for operations at all times.

The jets are also being flown by the Royal Air Force on land-based operations.

The British government has pledged to buy 48 jets and has given a vague commitment that it will eventually acquire 138 Lightning II’s by the time the aircraft program ends.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2  
Old 06-26-2017, 11:40 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Default

The morning after the night before… Making the best of ‘Plan B’
Subj: The Royal Navy Carriers do not use catapults 5-11-12
RE: http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/the-...est-of-plan-b/

(Note: Photo on site - take a look at it)

Yesterday came the announcement of a very badly kept secret that the new RN carriers would not now be fitted with catapults and would fly F35B STVOL aircraft. It was a complex issue and we disagree with this decision. However the Royal Navy will do what it has always done; make the best of what it has, and maintain a positive ‘can-do’ attitude in the face of setbacks and go on to success. Like the failed battle to save the Harrier, we must accept what has happened and get right on with focussing on ‘plan B’. The Defence Secretary’s statement to Parliament (full video here) yesterday raised some interesting questions about the way forward for the carriers. This is a quick overview of some of those issues.

There is now no excuse not to commission both carriers
Under plans made in the 2010 SDR that still stand, the second carrier HMS Prince of Wales will mothballed and or even sold. It was hinted that this could be changed in the 2015 Review so that both carriers become operational. Hammond even stated that it has been costed at just £60 Million per year in additional running costs for the second carrier. (This is a surprisingly low figure, and this probably does not include maintenance and refit costs). To have a carrier continuously available requires at least 2 (ideally 3) ships otherwise one could be in refit or unready just when needed. For the carriers to be a credible deterrent and a reliable instrument for foreign policy requires 2 ships. Part-time carrier capability leaves us hoping we will get lucky with the timing of events. Hopefully the carriers will never fire a shot in anger but realistically that is wishful thinking and they are likely to be in big demand. RN carriers or amphibious ships have been used on some sort of active operation on average every 2 years since WWII. Hammond showed the total lack of understanding amongst politicians of the need for 2 carriers by admitting the second carrier would have been axed straight away in 2010, had BAE Systems not been canny enough to lock the MoD into an unbreakable contract. Having been denied the better option of catapault-fitted carrier(s) on supposed cost grounds then way is clear for government to ditch the half-baked single carrier option and plan to keep both.

How many F35Bs will the RN get?
The last quoted cost for an F35B from US Department of Defense is a whopping $150 million each. (approx £94million, depending on exchange rate). This cost will probably rise further but as Mr Hammond talked of flying up to 36 F35Bs from the carriers then we must assume the MoD is going to place an order for around 50. Has this £7.5 Billion been budgeted for? (remember this does not include aircrew training and the heavy maintenance costs of a complex STVOL stealth aircraft) Has a significant contingency been set aside to allow for the fact that unit costs may rise even higher? Despite assurances from the US Defense Secretary that all is well with F35B there still remains a chance that the US national debt problems could result in cancellation of F35B. Is there a contingency plan to deal with such a disaster? (EMALS anyone?)

Rebuilding the Fleet Air Arm starts here
Mr Hammond stated the F35s would be “jointly owned by the RAF and Royal Navy”. In the context of the F35B this is ominous. There is every reason for the RN to own and operate the F35Bs as Fleet Air Arm assets. The RAF will have their F35As. When the RN was forced to ditch the Sea Harrier and form the “Joint Force Harrier” with GR9s on an RAF base, they discovered the Harriers got precious little time at sea as RAF took control. The RN must run its own aviation as it understands the unique requirements of carrier operation and fleet air defence. It must not have to rely on the RAF being in the right mood or have to negotiate every time it needs to operate aircraft from the carriers. There is nothing wrong with RAF pilots operating within the FAA and learning naval aviation skills but the aircraft must be under RN control to maximize their potential. Will the planes be based at an RAF station or HMS Heron at Yeovilton?

A balanced airgroup
Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft are almost as vital as the fighters in protecting the fleet as they hugely extend the radar horizon to warn and assess threats before they can get too close. Without catapults the carriers now no longer have the ideal option of launching a long endurance, all weather, fixed-wing aircraft such as the Hawkeye and will need an aircraft that can land vertically. Currently the RN operates the Sea King ASaC7 helicopter in this role but they are aging and will need replacing. There are 2 realistic options. Either a modified Merlin helicopter or an adaption of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor which offers greater endurance, speed and range than a helicopter. US carriers operate fixed-wing CoD (carrier onboard delivery) transport aircraft. There is a very good case for the RN being equipped with a handful of the highly versatile Chinook helicopters that could be permanently embarked and would be extremely useful in transporting stores, troops and personnel, as well as medevac and RAS roles.

Train them up…
With Harrier pilots and swathes of experienced aircraft maintainers and handlers made redundant when the Harrier was axed, the RN now faces a challenge to re-build and re-learn its hard-won STVOL aircraft operating experience. There are a few RN pilots in the US flying F-18s but this now becomes of little relevance. The RN will need help from the US Marine Corps to build up its STVOL skills and in bringing the F35B into service. The RN has stated that if both carriers are to be commissioned it will need more manpower. As it is currently in the process of cutting it’s manpower by 5000 through voluntary or compulsory redundancy it would help if government committed to the second carrier as soon as possible. The additional skilled manpower cannot be whistled up overnight and some long-term thinking on this needs to start now.

So we now look forward to the carrier(s) coming into service. If we were to be as optimistic a Phillip Hammond, HMS Queen Elizabeth flying F-35Bs will be fully operational by 2020. The Royal Navy must now successfully negotiate the 2015 Defence Review unscathed, (hopefully a review that will not be as rushed and botched as 2010) and we hope, against a background of a more stable economy and reduced deficit. Mr Hammond we applaud your determination to make the MoD fit for purpose and bring competence, accountability and discipline to defence procurement. A big test of the ‘new’ MoD will be if it can oversee the completion of the highly complex carrier programme and deliver at least 13 capable Type 26 Frigates, on budget on time and up to scratch.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-26-2017, 11:51 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Default

F-35B Lightning II: Everything you need to know about Britain's new £70m stealth fighter
By Allan Tovery - 7-8-16
RE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/...s-it-any-good/

(Photo on site only)

What is the F-35?

A new “fifth generation” fighter that is set to form part of the core of offensive capabilities of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force of the future.

The F-35 is a single-seat, single-engine supersonic jet with the most advanced computers and networking abilities yet to take to the air, and stealth capabilities designed to make it hard to pick up on enemy radar.

It comes in three versions: the F-35A, the “standard” aircraft; the F-35B, which has a lift fan mounted behind the cockpit giving the jet short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, meaning it can hover like a Harrier; and the F-35C, a beefed-up, navalisedversion for use on American aircraft carrier.

How fast can it go?

The F-35's top speed is 1199mph - or 1.6 times the speed of sound. It can also pull 9G while packed full of bombs and fuel.

Earlier generation fighter jets carry bombs and missiles on the exterior of the aircraft which create drag that slows them down, while the F-35 stores its weapons internally. Hanging missiles, bombs and external fuel tanks off the outside of the aircraft also create a large radar signature.

Can it really land vertically?

Yes - well the F-35B can. It can also take off in a very short distance. The F-35A will take off on conventional runways, and the F-35C via catapult from the deck of an aircraft carrier. The first of Britain's new supersonic 'stealth' strike fighters accompanied by a United States Marine Corps F-35B aircraft, flies over the North Sea.

Who makes the F-35?

A lot of companies.

The main contractor is US defence giant Lockheed Martin, and Britain’s is the only tier one partner in the international project, with BAE Systems making about 15pc of each airframe. Rolls-Royce makes the lift fan for F-35B, and many other British companies make sub-systems for the aircraft.

Who is buying it?

We are. F-35s will become a core part of Britain’s defence capabilities and will enter service with the RAF and the Royal Navy in 2018.

It will form the backbone of the America’s future military fleet, with the US air force, marines and navy all using the various versions. Nine other countries are also buying the jets.

The UK government’s 2015 defence plan includes:

£178bn - to be spent on equipment in next decade
£7bn - efficiency savings expected from defence chiefs
2 new RAF Typhoon squadrons
2 new rapid reaction strike brigades of 5,000 troops by 2025
9 new Boeing P-8 maritime patrol planes £2bn more on special forces
1,900 more spies for MI5, MI6 and GCHQ
450 new sailors for the Royal Navy
42) F-35 stealth fighters bought by 2023

Which type of F-35 is Britain buying?

The F-35B and its STOVL capabilities mean it can operate from the Royal Navy’s two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, which are smaller than US carriers, and unlike the American vessels do not have the expensive catapults and trapping wires needed to operate the F-35C.

How many are we buying?

The 2015 defence review said about 140 of the jets will be purchased.

Military insiders say that it might not be worth buying solely F-35Bs, and that once we have 60 or so of them, which will be enough to equip the Queen Elizabeth carriers which will each on average accommodate 24 jets, that Britain should buy the F-35A, which is slightly cheaper.

The F-35 is the most expensive weapons system in military history. Each F-35B has an estimated 2015 cost of $104 million (frame without engine or electronics) or $251m fully operational).

The F-35 is a fifth generation jet fighter which, as defined by the manufacturer, means it has:

Stealth capabilities
Low-probability intercept radar
High-performance flight
Advanced networked electronics for situational awareness
Role:
Stealth multirole fighter
In service
(F-35B): 2015 - 2070 (projected)
In use by
(testing and training): United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Netherlands
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Performance Max speed (F-35B): Mach 1.6
Max altitude: 15km
Combat radius (F-35B): 833km
Typical armament (Varies by mission):
GAU-22/A 25mm cannon,
two internal bays for bombs up to 450kg,
two internal bays for air to air missiles (eg. AIM-132 ASRAAM),
two wingtip mounts for air to air missiles as above,
four other wing-mounted pylons for air to surface missiles, air to ground missiles or additional fuel tanks.

How much is the Lightning jet going to cost?

A lot. As with any defence project the actual price of the jets makes up only a fraction of the total cost, with servicing and training making up the bulk of the cost.

But how much?

The overall cost of the entire project is estimated at $1.5 trillion over its entire lifetime, though that’s for about 3,000 jets among all the different customers. That makes it the single most expensive military project in the world, ever.

It’s reckoned by suppliers and buyers to cost around $100m a copy but the contractors are working hard to reduce this, though don’t expect it to go down too much. However, critics of the programme say the true cost is much higher.

That’s a lot of money

Yes, especially when the original concept was for a low-cost jet that could be modified to suit different requirements, keeping costs down.

Why all the song and dance?

Well, the jet is making its first public appearance in the UK at the 2016 RIAT airshow, having flown over from its home base in the US where Britain has taken delivery of its first jets and UK pilots are training to fly them.

Rather embarrassingly, especially with the UK so heavily invested in the F-35, the jet failed to show at the 2014 Farnborough airshow, where it had been due to headline.

The reason it didn’t show up was because of an engine fire that caused all F-35s to be temporarily grounded, giving critics of the project yet more ammunition.

Is it any good?

It depends who you ask.

Recent stories from test pilots have raved about its abilities and there are reports of it performing very well in training exercises, shooting down adversaries before they were even aware it was nearby. Other defence experts hint at classified powers and abilities that they can’t talk about but make the F-35 a very capable warplane.

However, more mainstream reports list constant problems with technologies that have caused huge delays - it’s about five years behind schedule - and cost overruns.

One of the most high-profile attacks came in 2015 when a test pilot revealed that in a training dogfight, the F-35 was unable to manoeuvre well enough to shoot down a 1970s-era F-16 jet - one of the aircraft the F-35 is due to replace.

However, others pointed out that F-35’s stealth capabilities and computers mean it should have shoot down an adversary long before getting into dog-fighting range and if a pilot found himself having to make hard manoeuvres, then he had done something wrong to get himself in that position in the first place.

Is it the right plane for the job?

It’s hard to say. The US sees the F-35 as a replacement for the vast majority of jets in its arsenal, while Britain will mix its F-35Bs with older generation, non-stealthy Typhoons.

Whether it is the right plane for the job depends on the kind of wars that are fought in the future. Dropping bombs on Afghanistan doesn’t require a hi-tech stealth jet when there is no enemy air force to face, but if we find ourselves up against an adversary of equal technical capability then the F-35’s capabilities will be vital.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.