H.M.S. Dauntless sets sail for the Falklands

[mrmouth]

i'm actually more interested by how the rest of the south american countries appear to be supporting argentina's claims through some sort of 'regional solidarity' thing. Perhaps that's why obama's being all pussylike over it, given his need to woo brazil and the others

Hows about just not picking a side when we exist in the Western Hemisphere? We have lucrative trade agreements, etc. South America already pushes a fairly significant victim complex, and poking that beehive simply isn't worth it in this case. If Britain were ever truly threatened, we would act.

I mean the butthurt and the attention this anniversary garners, is just insane. Maybe climate change will do us a favor and make those islands disappear.

[brandbll]

Her Majesty's Ship Dauntless is due to set sail from Portsmouth today for a six-month deployment in the South Atlantic whilst tension between Buenos Aires and London increases. A few days ago services in both countries were held to mark the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War. A conflict which resulted in the loss of 258 Britons and 649 Argentines dead.
The ship is one of the most advanced in the Royal Navy. As a Type 45 Destroyer, it is easily capable of wiping Argentine planes out of the sky. It is a clear warning to Mrs. Kirchner's Government that Great Britain is prepared to defend her interests and will not tolerate foreign aggression.

The Full Story:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...Argentina.html



H.M.S. Dauntless


Do you believe it possible for a conflict between the two nations to spark? If so, which country would stand triumphant?

Holy crap!! Look at the Tesla laser on top of that thing!

[Pielstick]

Besides a detachment of Marines, a lightly armed patrol ship managed to keep in check Argentine imperialism for years, until it was decided to cut funding for it. The Dauntless seems like overkill.

Dauntless - and her sister ships Daring, Dragon, Diamond, Duncan and Diomedes - are replacements for the old Type 42 Destroyers which have been used as the Falklands guard ship for many years. The Type 42s are old, hopelessly obsolete in the air defence role for which they were built and are not in the best material condition.

This is the first real deployment of a Type 45 and as such something of a big stepping stone in the T45 programme. The environment of the South Atlantic is pretty harsh. It's a long way from home with very little in the way of support. In other words it's the ideal proving ground for the T45 and the lessons learned from the Dauntless deployment will be used to help get the entire class fully operational.

[Darkhorse]

...and hopefully see another 6 built as Mk II's in a few years time maybe....heard it on the grapevine.

[Markas]

Holy crap!! Look at the Tesla laser on top of that thing!

It's a Teapot.

[The Edain]

It's a Teapot.

Can't have any sane British crewman go without a good cuppa can we? There'd be mutiny within the week!

[Pielstick]

...and hopefully see another 6 built as Mk II's in a few years time maybe....heard it on the grapevine.

Optmistic! Once the QE carriers are completed it will be time to start building the Type 26 to replace the Type 23, most of which are due to be retired in the 2020's. Then of course the question of a replacement for the Trident and V-Boats will rear its head again.

[Darkhorse]

I wouldn't be surprised if the V-boats replacements were just the same design just modified. I look forward to the Type 26, the only RN ship class planned to be produced in relatively large numbers and promising too.

[Hazelnut]

Once the QE carriers are built they will be obsolete, smaller Ark Royal sized Drone carriers are the future.
The Type 45 is arguably the most advanced and best ship of its kind, however considering its not even fully fitted out its hardly a provocation.

[Darkhorse]

No point fitting the ship out in peacetime, operation costs and all.

I would also be very surprised if the QE class did not have drone launching capability. Absolutely the best thing for AEW.

[Hazelnut]

Yes it would still have the ability to launch a drone. But in a age when aircraft carriers can rather easily be targeted and destroyed there is an advantaged on have more smaller craft then two big ones. Besides smaller craft would also allow more ground to be covered.

[Darkhorse]

But that's what these Type 45's are for, to protect the carriers. They are the most advanced anti aircraft destroyers to date.

[Hazelnut]

Yes, but however advanced they are if they came under sustained attack in a war situation they could be overwhelmed, and it only takes one good hit to sink a ship. Why put all your eggs two baskets compared to building 4 or 6 much smaller craft. You have the same fire power, can operate in more areas at once, and if the worst came you wouldn’t lose all your well trained and experienced pilots in one attack.

[Dr. Croccer]

The continued sabre rattling from Argentina just shows how right the British are in maintaining a military presence on the islands.

[Condottiere 40K]

It's a compromise on various political and military levels.

The larger the carrier, the more economic it's to operate it in terms of the power it projects, and I bet that the MoD has come to the conclusion that it's highly improbable that either the UK or the carriers will ever be placed in a situation that it will be facing an enemy that could seriously endanger them, during the operational lifetime of said carriers.

[Pielstick]

Once the QE carriers are built they will be obsolete, smaller Ark Royal sized Drone carriers are the future.
The Type 45 is arguably the most advanced and best ship of its kind, however considering its not even fully fitted out its hardly a provocation.

Whilst I agree that there is definitely a future for the smaller sized UAV carrier, UAV technology is not yet at the point where it can do everything a manned aircraft can.

As Darkhorse pointed out, the raison d'etre of the Type 45 with it's state of the art anti-air systems is to provide aerial defence for the QE carriers. If the large carrier really is so vulnerable then someone had better tell the Americans (and the Russians, French, Chinese....)

[Hazelnut]

I agree with both points that a large carrier can be financially more appealing, and that war is very unlikely. However, that doesn’t stop the use of 4 small carriers being superior over two bigger one, in a war situation.
Currently the unmanned drones cannot do everything a manned plane can do. However, in 2017 when the Queen Elizabeth is likely to be commissioned(added a year for delays), I would speculate that drone technology will have improved to the point that it rivals manned aircraft in everyway.
Yes ships are very vulnerable. If a major country wished to take down a aircraft carrier they would have no problems firing enough missiles to overwhelm the air defence. Also the SS-N-27 Sizzler could possibly take down a ship by itself.
　

[Condottiere 40K]

It really depends on what the Admiralty envisioned the way the Royal Navy would fight and with what, because I get the distinct impression they're not quite sure who they'll be facing, if anyone.

[Carach]

...and hopefully see another 6 built as Mk II's in a few years time maybe....heard it on the grapevine.

you're joking? the budget has enough trouble supplying the few there are let alone another 6. Government never increase funding for the armed forces. every successive government use the defence budget for plundering. short term cuts long term losses (not just financially)

as for UAV carriers - UAV's are still incapable of air-to-air combat. they may work perfectly fine in an environment whereby one has complete air superiority (understatement), but they have never been tested under other circumstances, and, as said, they practically all lack any air-to-air capability whatsoever.

Carriers are essential to Britain's future, or anyone that wishes to remain relevant in global political struggles. Hence brazil's efforts to get a new project off the ground, India continuing theirs, China further developing their own, America maintaining, and Russia wishing to redevelop. Naval forces are simply the most important asset one can have. Its a statistical fact.

[Darkhorse]

Nope I am not joking, its an optimistic prediction though. Like I said, heard it on the grapevine.

I think we'll see an increase in defence spending after 10/15 years of austerity. Some officers I speak too expect extra spending after just 5 years.

The best use of a UAV in A2A combat would be to operate at high altitudes and paint targets for manned aircraft/batteries/ships to lock on too IMO. That super endurance solar wing thing QineteQ built would be perfect for the role. 9 days endurance or something stupid.