MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Controversy in Westminster over the surface fleet and the Type 26 frigates
British MP Julian Lewis, who chairs the Commons defense committee, claimed contractors BAE Systems were ready to start work on the multi-billion pound Ministry of Defense's new Type 26 frigates, known as global combat ships. The project has already been cut from 13 to eight new ships, while a target to start cutting steel in May has been delayed indefinitely. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesHigh speed rail link estimated at £43bn benefitting who ?
Sep 13th, 2016 - 01:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Type 26 at estimated cost of £1bn each. Scrap the HSRL and buy 13 type 26, still saving £30bn OR scrap the RN as we will have no ships to operate.
It's not a matter of creating employment. Without these ships, the RN will be unable to function to any meaningful level.
Now that Brexit has been declared, and there is no uncertainty over the armed forces being controlled from elsewhere or disbanded, surely there is a clearer vision of what is needed and where the money will go?
Sep 13th, 2016 - 02:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0With the strike amongst the contractor workers at Rosyth, some suggest that it is an example that the work is better to be carried out in Scotland.
@2
Sep 13th, 2016 - 04:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You do know that Rosyth is in Scotland don't you?
“With the strike amongst the contractor workers at Rosyth, some suggest that it is an example that the work is better to be carried out in Scotland”
Sep 13th, 2016 - 06:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What a bellend statement!!...Are you an Argturd?
It was probably a misprint by KAYNE that's all,
Sep 13th, 2016 - 07:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Getting back to ships, as we are now coming out, the military should start withdrawing some military units sent to aid and help our European allies,
you know, the ones who are threatening abusing and insulting us,
so they say,
either way, the Royal Navy do need, not only more ships, but ships with attitude, [if one can say that ]
instead of ship built for, but not with , or ships that have been given second hand equipment taken from older ships,
just saying like.
No misprint Briton...just a Johnny Foreigner....
Sep 13th, 2016 - 07:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0My....that was funny....;-))))))))))
5
Sep 13th, 2016 - 08:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks Mr. Briton,
Yes, an error on my part.
I took the location from the context of the article and the many comments.
It was confusing, as some described lots of corruption at the yard, and others were saying construction should be in Scotland.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/aircraft-carrier-workers-strike-rosyth/?utm_source=FB&utm_medium=FacebookPage&utm_campaign=social
Perhaps an informed Scotsman like Mr Clyde15, with good knowledge of the subject could elaborate.
It would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
@2 Kanye
Sep 13th, 2016 - 08:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Now that Brexit has been declared, and there is no uncertainty over the armed forces being controlled from elsewhere or disbanded, surely there is a clearer vision of what is needed and where the money will go?”
Maybe, but unfortunately there is no clearer vision of where the money is coming from.
@5 Briton
“Getting back to ships, as we are now coming out, the military should start withdrawing some military units sent to aid and help our European allies,”
They are there because of NATO, not the EU. Besides, why would you want to piss off our allies even more than we have already?
#7
Sep 13th, 2016 - 10:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I have not seen anything about corruption in the Rosyth yard. There was a strike by sub-contractors because of an employee being blacklisted.
The other strike is at the firm of “Oceaneering” who have gone back on redundancy pay promises to the workforce.
None of this involves corruption.
There are ongoing enquiries by HMRC into “tax haven status” for dodgy east European businesses and government leaders using “off-shore” companies registered in the town of Rosyth, for money laundering.
7
Sep 13th, 2016 - 10:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yeah it might be confusing to Johnny Foreigner with no concept of UK geography....
After all who in the UK doesn't know where the aircraft carriers are being assembled...
Rosyth...yon side of the Forth Road Bridge...but don't get it confused with the first, second and third...
Agh...the old ones are the best....;-)))))))
9
Sep 13th, 2016 - 10:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mr. Clyde,
I knew you would know.
The comments I saw were conflicting, but generally in line with what you said.
Perhaps some of the “offshore” companies will find it more difficult to operate after Brexit is complete and immigration controls are regormed.
Maybe that is where the frustration stems from.
Thank you for taking the time.
The government would be better off ordering the Venator 110 light frigate design before the Type 26.
Sep 14th, 2016 - 11:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0Could be better in service by 2020,at half the price.
Before the Indyref and the promise was 12 ships a week after it was reduced to 8 a simple case that Westminster knew they had no intention of honouring the commitment to the shipyard workers.
Sep 15th, 2016 - 08:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sir Michael makes the case for cost effectiveness yet much of the costs are due to the politically imposed delays intereference and cost changes ie the original order for the F35 VTOL for the new carriers was changed to the conventional launch type F35, in doing this the deck on the carriers would require to be redesigned for catapult launched aircraft at enormous cost rendering any cost savings meaningless and returning back to its original order but reduced number of aircraft. The UK can not afford two carrier battle groups they simply don't have enough escort ships and there appears to be no intention to change it, the carriers have a 50 year operational life span none will see full service with the RN they will be to costly to operate and an excellent target for cost savings, one will be sold off as the UK further struggles to maintain itself as a regional power.
The Government says we are the 5th riches country,
Sep 15th, 2016 - 11:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0but the way we are cutting back and penny pinching, one truly has to wonder if we really are scrapping in at 20th perhaps,
#12
Sep 15th, 2016 - 04:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The trouble with splitting the order between the stealth/silent type 26 ASW frigates and the stripped down general purpose types would be the apportioning of costs between the vessels. If only the ASW version is built, then all the research and development costs would be added to the frigate price making them much more expensive per unit. If all the vessels are built then research and tooling costs can be spread over the total build.
We need the best ASW Frigates to protect the carriers...the type 26 promises to be this. From what I have read, it is partly the design of the hull that was causing some problems. It has to be perfect as it cannot be corrected once the hull is started. The hull design makes the Frigate totally silent so that it is invisible to submerged submarines.
#13
The carrier build has been a bit of a shambles partly because the F-35 was taking so long to come into service.
Initially, it was to have a linear magnetic launch system. This has not yet been perfected for carriers although it will be soon. As our carriers were designed for this, a change had to be made. It was proposed that a catrap system be installed. However, this requires steam . The carriers had no way of producing steam SO in order to install a steam producing unit, the deck would have to be ripped up to allow installation and space found for the steam producer.
In effect , a hugely expensive rebuild. Back to the STOVL version of the F-35 !
Although much maligned by the press, it seems to be popular with its crews.
I read an article in the aeronautical press where 10 experienced USAF/USN/USMC COMBAT pilots were asked to vote for the aircraft in which they would want to go to war. They all said the F-35. It was regarded as a game changer. In a recent combat test with an F-16, which the F-16 won, it was later revealed that the F-35 had software installed which kept it's speed, turn rate and g-force limited from what would be the actual combat performance..
The Venator-110, could this be Britain’s future light frigate?
Sep 16th, 2016 - 07:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/venator-110-britains-future-light-frigate/
Perhaps the MOD will agree on this and get it built.
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