Britain may sell aircraft carrier to India to limit cuts

[ironman]

Britain may sell aircraft carrier to India to limit cuts​

MoD may sell aircraft carrier to India to limit cuts

Sale would leave Royal Navy with just one replacement

* Tim Webb
* The Observer, Sunday 15 November 2009


One of Britain's new £2bn aircraft carriers could be sold off under cost-cutting plans being considered by the Ministry of Defence. India has lodged a firm expression of interest, the Observer has learned.

The sale of one of the two 65,000-tonne vessels would leave the Royal Navy with a single carrier and could force Britain to borrow from the French fleet, which itself has only one carrier and is reluctant to build more. Last summer the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, proposed to Gordon Brown that the two navies co-ordinate maintenance and refitting so that one was at sea at all times.

According to senior defence sources, Whitehall officials are examining the feasibility of a sale as part of the strategic defence review that will start early next year and is expected to result in savage cuts.

The carrier programme has already been delayed by two years to push back spending commitments, which itself will end up costing the taxpayer more in the long run. BAE Systems began work in July on HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is due to come into service in 2016. Preparatory work on the Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018, has also started. The two carriers will replace the ageing Invincible class and are three times the size.

There were fears that the government could scrap one altogether. But it is understood that the financial penalties would be prohibitive. About 10,000 jobs in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness, Fife and Glasgow depend on the orders.

The two-island STOVL variant proposed by the Alliance industry team. The 70t-load deck-edge aircraft lift between the islands is in the lowered position. An AMS S1850 3D air search radar is mounted on the forward island. A BAE Sampson targeting radar is on the aft FLYCO island. A crane for lifting downed aircraft is installed to the starboard side of the FLYCO island.​

 

[ironman]

Queen Elizabeth Class Design​

​

Carrier design is an exceptionally complex three-dimensional puzzle in which flight deck, hangar deck, stability and sea-keeping requirements interact. Initial studies for CVF encompassed six different candidate ships across a range of capabilities and aircraft types and led to the adoption of the technologically advanced, innovative and highly capable “Design Delta”, centred on MoD’s choice of the STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA).

The adaptability of Design Delta is unique and has involved extensive modelling, computer analysis and tank tests.

Some of the innovations in the design include:

* First adaptable design that, while configured to operate STOVL aircraft, can be altered later in its projected 40-50 year service life to accommodate catapults and arrestor gear to fly conventional CV (Carrier Variant) aircraft;

* Location of main engines high in the ship, reducing penetration of large downtakes and exhausts deep in the hull;

* First full integrated waste management system to meet projected future environmental standards;

* First carrier with split “island” superstructure - improving control of flight deck operations.

The Aircraft Carrier Alliance has worked exhaustively to achieve value for money. The result is a design capable of operating more than twice as many larger and heavier aircraft compared with existing Invincible class – but carrying a similar sized crew – and with increased strategic capability.

Design Delta also displaces about three times as much as an Invincible, has four times the internal hull volume, carries 70 percent more ship and aircraft fuel, has 75 percent more unrefuelled range and accommodation to the very latest and highest standards.

Queen Elizabeth Class Quick Facts (approx.)​

Displacement 65,000 tonnes

Length 280 metres

Max. Beam 70 metres

Max. Draught 11 metres

Complement 1450 (including air crew)

Aircraft 40 (Including short take-off Vertical Landing and helicopters)

Weapon systems designed to receive the latest generation of Phalanx close-in weapon systems and 30mm and mini-guns located to counterasymmetric threats

Power generation 2 x Rolls-Royce MT30 Gas Turbines and 4 x Diesel Generator sets giving total installed power of109MW

Range 8,000 to 10,000 nautical miles

Design : Queen Elizabeth Class : Future Ships : Surface Fleet : Operations and Support : Royal Navy

 

[Iggy]

There is no doubts that its an incredible Aircraft carrier..and its a real asset to the Indian Navy ..We are planning to make Aircraft carriers of our own and at least 2 of them are in pipe line and adding Vikramadithya to the fleet the real question is can Indian Navy afford the operational cost of all these carriers . and also we have to divert some frigates and destroyers and submarines to protect these vessels..So that means we have to build or acquire more war ships..Is it feasible for us??


PS:I would love to see this Aircraft carrier in our Navy..nuclear power even better ..its a sexy looking Aircraft carrier

 

[ironman]

^^Indian Navy already finalized for 5 aircraft carriers. So there is no need for doubt about the operational costs.

 

[Iggy]

^^Indian Navy already finalized for 5 aircraft carriers. So there is no need for doubt about the operational costs.

Then baby its party time

 

[Panditji]

So Britain can cut costs by selling off it's aircraft carriers, and Indians are purchasing 4 more to complement it's one. Buying owning and operating them costs money, which could be better used to feed the 'bhookhe nange' in our country, but we NEED to buy those carriers - why? two words - Hostile neighbours.

Sad, but life's like that.

 

[beckham]

Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier

 

[Comet]

So India want to buy yet another AC. No problem. By the way, how many AC carriers does its "Hostile Neighbors" operate?

 

[Jako]

Umair,india plans to operate 5 ac-s in the long run for a proper blue-water navy it dreams of........well,we always will try to have the higher hand over our 'hostile' neighbours so we must build ourselves to block them of completely in case of any hostility showed by them

 

[Comet]

Umair,india plans to operate 5 ac-s in the long run for a proper blue-water navy it dreams of........well,we always will try to have the higher hand over our 'hostile' neighbours so we must build ourselves to block them of completely in case of any hostility showed by them

yeah rite! and what about the "Bhooka Nanga"?

 

[SU-57E]

none, they dont operate one. however even for for future 3 would be enough. although this is areal beauty but this can very well turn out to be a white elephant. because imho i dont think there is going to be a full fledged war as it would be disastrous for aal the countries involved and they know this very well.

 

[praveen]

Brand new got to be bought this will send the Russians a message that we have an alternate option.This gives us a clearly defined edge in the IOR.Good for us.It will bring fresh tech to our indigenous program

 

[SU-57E]

yes it will. but do we really need 5-6 carriars.

 

[Iggy]

Brand new got to be bought this will send the Russians a message that we have an alternate option.This gives us a clearly defined edge in the IOR.Good for us.It will bring fresh tech to our indigenous program

Yes buddy but it will come only in 2015 or some thing close to that by that Vikramadithya is already inducted with us...

 

[Jako]

Umair,dont we all know the answer to that??....is your country any different??