A collection of interesting stuff from around the internet this week
Mine Countermeasures Changeover in the Gulf
Marine, Land and Air Equipment Sales
Flexible Lithium Ion Batteries
Olympics Recovery to Take 2 Years
Chris on Royal Navy Deployment Cycles
Cavalry Men Swap Tanks for Warthogs
The Air Sea Battle Concept Takes One Hell of a Beating
Elements of Power on Billy Mitchell and Pearl Harbour
Syria’s Coming Sectarian Feedback
Some awesome links there TD.
Was any logic announced over the decision to withdraw Fort George while retaining Orangeleaf? Orange leaf is a 1980′s mechant conversion which would be totally obsolete. Further the real savings of getting rid of a ship (the logistic’s support) hasn’t been achieved because you have retained Fort Victoria????
Not announced, but it is a matter of expense and capability. Fort George and Fort Victoria between them consumed 40% of the RFA’s maintenance budget. Fort George had a crew 2-3 times the size of Orangeleaf’s. Orangeleaf has greater capacity as a tanker but is pretty much restricted to secondary duties now anyway, so expect to see her as FOST tanker until being replaced by a MARS FT unit. The official requirement is for only three dry stores ships, reflecting the reality of the last few years and the future of MARS SS.
The real savings are definitely not in the parts inventory.
Thanks Anixtu, a real pity given Fort George’s cabability.
However Logistics support is a lot more than the parts bin. Keeping any platform class in service generates an enormous paper trail from class support contract, to technical investigations to document management. These can all entail serious amounts of money.
Three store ships? If we threw a replacement for Argus in (PCRS) could we get four of these?
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/images/meshd-200-image01.jpg
That’s going to struggle to RAS(S) or RAS(A) a CVF or anything else that requires serious cargo ammunition holds.
@TD – Thanks for an excellent set of links. Can’t believe Jon Jeckell passed up on the opportunity for a quick “Rebel scum” quote though.
Why thank you sir