The Ship Enthusiast thread

[Drago]

A friend of mine ex R.E. works for Lockheed. He won't say much, but discretely stands by the "can't climb, can't turn, can't fight" view of the 35B.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Doesn't need to do all that when it's main air-to-air weapon is a Mach 4+ BVR missile and close in work is done with a Mach 3+ all aspect missile. Why turn to face an opponent when you can pop off an ASRAAM and it'll go in any direction?

F35 isn't an air superiority fighter, that's Typhoon's job - something it's very good at.

 

[Drago]

Problem is, the Typhoon isn't a carrier aircraft. The F35 is limited as a strike aircraft due to payload restrictions when launched with a ski ramp, and, as you say, its not an air superiority fighter so isn't the best for point - or in this case - fleet defense either. Its been chosen on the basis of being V/STOL, and this simply being able to get into the air at all without a cat, with everything else very secondary to that.

Conversely, a Nimitz or a Ford class can launch a Hornet with both full fuel and full weapons load, and they can buddy-refuel, so they have excellent a strike and air to mud capability. They have a different version of the same airframe for point defence. But to be fair they also have a much bigger budget.

The Typhoon is supposed to be a superb air superiority machine, better than the F-22 if one overlooks its relative RCS.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Hornets work because there's a critical mass. In any strike package a number would be "Growlers", tasked with suppressing enemy radar and SAM sites. Some would also be CAP, protecting the strike package from interdiction. The theory is F35 doesn't need separate suppression assets as it's LO allows it to get through defences so you don't need as many.

Don't get me wrong, a Gerald Ford class is awesome, but it comes with costs, strategic limitations and manpower commitments that we just can't afford.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Watching Camilla naming Prince of Wales yesterday

 

[Drago]

Good thing it wasn't called HMS Prince Edward.

 

[Gravity Aided]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qatIoGwC6Qk

A resupply voyage in the Med, in the summer of 1939. Looks like dirty, hot work, in some dodgy locations, due to get a lot dodgier, and that right soon.

 

[SteveF]

Bit of a beast on the Thames..

 

[SteveF]

A grey day...

 

[jongooligan]

As an 8 year old I remember the Alacrity being launched. We were let out of school to march up to Lock Hill in Goole. I lived there for 20+ years but this was the only ship I watched going down the slip.

She suffered a fire and an explosion in Monrovia in 1989 and was broken up there.

 

[MiK1138]

I've got the Upper Clyde AIS live on my laptop

Used to have a boss who lived in Rothesay he would frequently call in to say he would work from home as the ferries where off, we ended up tracking them on AIS to keep him honest

 

[snorri]

A grey day...

Sand and gravel dredger Victor Horta?

 

[SteveF]

Sand and gravel dredger Victor Horta?

Could be, I see it often, will see if I can get the name next time I pass her.

 

[taximan]

my first ship

 

[taximan]

Woops!