Royal Navy Aircraft Carriers

[Michael H. Standart]

From All News, Royal Navy Live:

Douglas Bay To Welcome The UK’s Fleet Flagship

quote:

The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Ark Royal, will become the first aircraft carrier to be seen off the coast of the Isle of Man in over a decade when she sails into Douglas Bay on Monday, 9 June 2008.

The 20,000 tonne Invincible Class aircraft carrier will be en route from Liverpool back to sea to continue a period of operational flying training, and will be dropping off some of the Island’s VIPs, including the Lieutenant Governor, the President and the Chief Minister.

Full story at http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.12906/changeNav/6568

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From All News, Royal Navy Live:

HMS Illustrious Returns From Indian Ocean

quote:

Hundreds of family and friends gathered early Friday morning on the quayside at Portsmouth Naval Base to welcome home loved ones serving on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.

The aircraft carrier is the star of a six part Channel 5 TV series “Warship” which is gaining viewers each week on Monday nights at 9pm. The observational series follows the life on board the warship over a four month period on the deployment known as Orion 08 operating in the Indian Ocean. She was accompanied by the American destroyer USS Cole which escorted her throughout the deployment.

Story with photos at http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.12920/changeNav/6568

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From All News, Royal Navy Live:

Array of Ships Sign Up For Navy's Summer Spectacle

quote:

The aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious — star of Channel 5’s hit ‘Warship’ programme — heads up an impressive list of ships which have committed to Meet Your Navy in Portsmouth in July.

More at http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.12985/changeNav/6568

Meet Your Navy webpage at http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.6605

Comment: Quite the opportunity here for anyone interested in the Royal Navy. I just wish I could be there.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Navy News:

The bye of the Tigers

quote:

SIX tigers bade farewell to HMS Illustrious after four months abroad, conducting a flypast of the carrier in the Channel before heading for home.

The helicopters of 814 Naval Air Squadron, better known as the Flying Tigers, are back at RNAS Culdrose — as are the 140 men and women who flew and maintained them.

For the rest, see http://www.navynews.co.uk/view-story.aspx?articleID=196

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Scotsman:

Job fears amid ship-building delays

quote:

MPs voiced concerns that delays in the construction of a £4billion project to build two new aircraft carriers could lead to job losses.
Defence secretary Des Browne confirmed last month that it will go ahead, although the deal, known as CVF, remains unsigned.

Work on the 65,000-ton ships is to be carried out at Govan in Glasgow and Rosyth in Fife as well as at two yards south of tADVERTISEMENThe Border.

More at http://www.scotsman.com/latest-scottish-news/Job-fears-amid-shipbuilding-delays.4212379.jp

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From Lloyd's List:

UK Royal Navy shipbuilding contract is finally sealed

Brief synopsis on the signing of the contract for the two carriers Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales at http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/viewArticle.htm?articleId=1214992689556&src=rss

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Times OnLine:

Navy signs deal to build biggest ever UK super-carriers

quote:

The Royal Navy was promoted into the maritime superleague yesterday when ministers signed the long-awaited contract for two 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers.

They will be the second biggest of their kind in the world, each the size of the QE2. Only the American Nimitz Class aircraft carriers, at 90,000 tonnes, have a more impressive tonnage.

The Ministry of Defence went ahead despite a stretched defence budget and murmurings about the near £4 billion price tag and the wisdom of building such huge warships.

Two page story begins at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4262046.ece

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From Your Shipbuilding News:

Carrier mission system contract for BAE Systems

quote:

The Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a £275M contract for the design and supply of the mission system which will underpin the warfighting capabilities of the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers.

The company will be responsible for systems engineering and integration of the mission system which caters for over 1000 operational users and will be present in 1200 compartments on the ship.

Full story at http://www.yourshipbuildingnews.com/news_item.php?newsID=7700

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The BBC:

Companies win £91m ship contracts

quote:

Seven UK firms have won contracts totalling £91.5m to build parts for the Navy's two new aircraft carriers.

Corus, based in Scunthorpe, will get £65m to provide steel for HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7490041.stm

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From Global Security.org:

FIRST SIMULATED LANDINGS ON NEW ROYAL NAVY CARRIERS

quote:

Farnborough, UK — Engineers at BAE Systems, a major partner in the F35 Lightning II fighter programme, have successfully simulated the aircraft performing a shipborne rolling vertical landing manoeuvre (SRVL) to the deck of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier (CVF) using the BAE Systems simulation facility at its Warton site in North West of England. This represents a world first with the integration of the F-35 and CVF synthetic models.

For the rest, see http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2008/07/mil-080714-bae-systems05.htm

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From All News, Royal Navy Live:

The Royal Navy’s Largest Warship Achieves another Major Milestone in 10 Month Docking Period

quote:

The Plymouth based aircraft carrier HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy’s largest warship, has taken the next step in returning to sea. On Wednesday 16 July, the ship’s company moved back onboard along with the newly regenerated 9 Assault Squadron Royal Marines.

More at http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.13305/changeNav/6568

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Navy News:

Special FX for Ark

quote:

FLAGSHIP HMS Ark Royal headed to the Eastern Seaboard for war games with the Americans.

One hundred and forty men of 3/9 India Coy, USMC, (that’s India Company, III Battalion 9th Marine Regiment) called Ark for Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) 08, a major naval war game stretching from the shores of Virginia to Florida.

On top of the Semper Fi guys, the carrier was joined by two American helicopter squadrons: CH-46 Sea Knights of the ‘Wild Geese’ — HMM-774 Sqn — and two MH-60 Blackhawks from HSC-26 Sqn, better known as the Chargers.

For the rest, see http://www.navynews.co.uk/view-story.aspx?articleID=239

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From All News, Royal Navy Live:

Fleet Flagship Returns to Portsmouth With New Commanding Officer

quote:

HMS Ark Royal, the Royal Navy’s fleet flagship, returns to Portsmouth from the United States on Thursday (14/8) with a new Commanding Officer at the helm.

Captain John Clink has taken over from Captain Mike Mansergh who was in charge of the aircraft carrier since August 2006.

The new CO took over on July 31 when Ark Royal was in Florida nearing the end of a seven-week deployment off the east coast of the US.

More at http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.13496/changeNav/6568

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Mail OnLine:

Royal Navy fly-past scrapped because of Prince William stag party controversy

quote:

A jet fly-past for Royal Navy flagship HMS Ark Royal's return home has been scrapped by top brass amid fears it could bring bad publicity for 'wasting taxpayers' money'.

The concerns only came to light when an e-mail from the navy's Fleet Headquarters was accidentally forwarded to a local newspaper.

More at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1044985/Royal-Navy-fly-past-scrapped-Prince-William-stag-party-controversy.html

Comment: Oh, for the love of...what the hell does one have to do with the other?

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Register:

Royal Navy plans world's first running-jump jet

quote:

British boffins and test pilots are continuing to work on a new deck-landing technique, to be employed by Blighty's upcoming generation of supersonic stealth jumpjet drivers when coming aboard the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers. It seems possible that the "Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing" (SRVL) may become a routine option in future.

Full story at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/21/runningjump_jet_for_rn_carriers/