‘What really threatens our future?’

RGR · Post by **RGR** » 07 May 2011, 20:42

[quote="Andy Hunt"]

RGR · Post by **RGR** » 07 May 2011, 20:45

[quote="Andy Hunt"]

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 07 May 2011, 21:05

RGR wrote:
Andy Hunt wrote:No revolutionary warship has ever had a better name than HMS Dreadnought though

'Tis true.

Here's an extremely interesting though sadly obscure Great Briton, responsible for the Dreadnought class.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fishe ... ron_Fisher

Jackie Fisher obviously foresaw the UK Peak Coal of 1913, with his move to an oil fired fleet.

Incidentally, talking of coal powered ironclads, this is a very worthwhile excursion, alongside HMS Victory.
http://www.hmswarrior.org/virtualtour

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 08 May 2011, 00:22

I'm seriously worried - I agree with RGR's last two posts.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 08 May 2011, 00:43

Andy Hunt wrote:I'm seriously worried - I agree with RGR's last two posts.

Have the aliens got you too?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 08 May 2011, 00:54

I vote for HMS Warrior for best name and much better looking ship.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Warrior_(1860)

RGR · Post by **RGR** » 08 May 2011, 01:28

[quote="Andy Hunt"

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 08 May 2011, 01:35

Glad you're comfortable with the pace of progress. You're more resilient than I first thought.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 08 May 2011, 02:25

vtsnowedin wrote: I vote for HMS Warrior for best name and much better looking ship.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Warrior_(1860)

Actually, you might be right there.

Looks like me and RGR were both wrong. Probably my fault.

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 08 May 2011, 07:38

On the outside, yes it looks the better ship. When I looked around it a few years ago, the coal furnaces looked like a vision of Hell - keeping those fires stoked must have been a rough job.

Still, you're free to wander about at will, while nearby HMS Victory has timed tour groups. The guide was bemoaning the popularity of Jack Sparrow, but that's just corny entertainment for you.

Portsmouth Naval Dockyard is a good day out, well recommended.

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 08 May 2011, 07:42

RGR wrote:
Andy Hunt wrote:I'm seriously worried - I agree with RGR's last two posts.
BE NOT AFRAID! Enlightment comes to some sooner than others!

I agree with RGR too! And now we see self deprecating humour without the second U? I do believe he is getting the hang of this place better, now that he's mellowed...

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 08 May 2011, 08:46

Mean Mr Mustard wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fishe ... ron_Fisher

Jackie Fisher obviously foresaw the UK Peak Coal of 1913, with his move to an oil fired fleet.

Actually, oil provided the benefits of speed and manoeuvrability, without which coal-powered navies would be outgunned by oil-powered ones.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 08 May 2011, 10:02

The SS Great Britain in Bristol is another good one.

RGR · Post by **RGR** » 08 May 2011, 14:11

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 09 May 2011, 20:31

http://www.businessinsider.com/aircraft ... ampaign=bi

At several billion dollars apiece they're expensive, and in response to today's conflicts they're often seen as obsolete, but aircraft carriers are being produced today at numbers not seen since World War II.
The latest generation of carriers in the United States Navy is called the Nimitz Class, after the five-star naval admiral Chester Nimitz, and is powered by a small nuclear reactor allowing it to go 20 years without re-fueling. The ship has a service life of about 50 years, carries a crew of over 5,000, and is incredibly expensive to maintain.
Nuclear powered carriers have long been the domain of the United States Navy, which has 11 in its fleet, but according to a report on Fox, countries around the world are adding carriers to their fleet in unprecedented numbers.
Britain, France and Russia, as well as, Brazil, India and China are all increasing their fleets carrier presence. The French carrier Charles de Gaulle has been elemental in France's recent Libyan campaign:
The whole idea is about being able to project power," said Rear Adm. Philippe Coindreau, commander of the French navy task force that has led the air strikes on Libya since March 22.
An aircraft carrier is perfectly suited to these kinds of conflicts, and this ship demonstrates it every day," he said in an interview aboard the French carrier Charles de Gaulle, which has been launching daily raids against Moammar Gaddafi's forces since the international intervention in the Libyan conflict began.
These new carriers will help countries not looking to become superpowers, project their power within their own regions.
The number of carriers worldwide is impossible to establish as ships of various sizes perform various capabilities similar to a full-size carrier.
The United States continues to set the bar for fully capable carriers, however, and will induct the Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship in a new class of supercarriers in 2015.
The cost is expected to reach about $9 billion.
These new carrier contracts go to to established shipbuilders in their home countries. In the U.S. Newport News Shipbuilding Company (NNS), a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman (NOC), produces the ships and Westinghouse the nuclear reactors; in Britain, Babcock’s Appledore shipyard is one of five yards tapped for production of the hulls. The design and build in the UK is overseen by Aircraft Carrier Alliance (AKA).