The Shrunken Royal Navy

[woodenhead]

6 hours ago, Reorte said:

Once on though about the only people more locked down are on the ISS.

Which always reminds me of that poor Nigerian astronaut stuck up there Salyut 7 and his family trying to get his salary released so they can pay for him to come home.

 

Had the email, such a sorry tale.

 

At least however, a submarine can surface - I did a quick check, they have a Soyuz vehicle per three astronauts and at the moment the ISS can hold 6 with two escape Soyuz.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crew_Return_Vehicle

Edited March 17, 2020 by woodenhead

[Barry O]

7 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

At  least however, a submarinw can surface

Well most have little difficulty in doing that as they are built to be positively buoyant..until Navantia built some for Spain.

Baz

[Barry O]

With the single berth per crew member female crew members were "allowed" for in the RN submarine fleet.

Baz

[jjb1970]

When I worked at Sellafield almost all my colleagues were ex-submariners, mad as hatters some of them but they knew their stuff. My former secretary general of my employer was a submarine commander including one of the missile boats and he was an interesting chap.

[dvdlcs]

11 hours ago, Reorte said:

Once on though about the only people more locked down are on the ISS.

 

As international arrivals, would they have to self-isolate for two weeks on return? Mind you, the ISS might be the best place to be right now...

 

:-)

[Fat Controller]

4 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

When I worked at Sellafield almost all my colleagues were ex-submariners, mad as hatters some of them but they knew their stuff. My former secretary general of my employer was a submarine commander including one of the missile boats and he was an interesting chap.

Were they obsessively neat? The ones I've worked with have been.

 

[jjb1970]

2 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Were they obsessively neat? The ones I've worked with have been.

 

 

I think that comes with a combination of military training/discipline leaving its stamp and also the need to coexist with others for a long period in a very confined environment.

[Barry O]

3 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

Were they obsessively neat? The ones I've worked with have been.

 

Not a lot os space to be untidy on a submarine 

Baz

[Bon Accord]

On 16/03/2020 at 16:55, jjb1970 said:

There isn't much sympathy for sick people at sea.

 

As the old saying goes: "you'll find sympathy in the dictionary between s**t and syphillis".

[peanuts]

looks like the navy have been tasked to help with the corona clampdown here they are doing there bit in birmingham 

[Legend]

12 hours ago, peanuts said:

looks like the navy have been tasked to help with the corona clampdown here they are doing there bit in birmingham 

 

Why am I immediately thinking of Lesley Phillips and "left hand down a bit"

[pete_mcfarlane]

You joke, but Royal Navy warships do occasionally visit Manchester. 

[Reorte]

Just now, pete_mcfarlane said:

You joke, but Royal Navy warships do occasionally visit Manchester. 

I've seen pictures of a submarine in the ship canal, although all the current ones are too big.

 

Not sure what the largest thing they've got that could get there now, the minehunters perhaps?

[MPR]

HMS QE was off Brixham yesterday 

[pete_mcfarlane]

17 minutes ago, Reorte said:

I've seen pictures of a submarine in the ship canal, although all the current ones are too big.

 

Not sure what the largest thing they've got that could get there now, the minehunters perhaps?

Minehunters can definitely use it: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/warship-returnsby-canal-954090

[burgundy]

5 hours ago, pete_mcfarlane said:

You joke, but Royal Navy warships do occasionally visit Manchester. 

There have been RN ship visits to Basel in Switzerland. Given the level of hospitality at some of the Rhine side towns on the way, some of those involved have a rather hazy recollection of the trips.

Best wishes 

Eric 

  

[peach james]

So here a rather younger Peach was, so young that he couldn't drink ashore in the US...and we went upriver (to...spawn, that's what salmon do...) to Portland, OR.  Night before, we're in Astoria, the old man comes on the Main Broadcast- you chump's- no drinking before noon tomorrow- we're being sued still from last year, so you chumps have to keep the mess's both dry until noon at the earliest...  

 

Turns out some greasy no good civvy we'd connived to transport the year before had gotten...impaired...by 11 am.  Then they'd fell down a ladder and broken their leg.  This being "in" the US, of course, lawsuits follow, because someone else MUST be at fault.  (it's mostly the healthcare system...)

 

PS- 4449 looked wonderful crossing the Steel Bridge about 30 ft from me on the bow...

A much wiser than I was as an OS,

James

[peterfgf]

 

On 17/03/2020 at 07:32, jjb1970 said:

When I worked at Sellafield almost all my colleagues were ex-submariners, mad as hatters some of them but they knew their stuff. My former secretary general of my employer was a submarine commander including one of the missile boats and he was an interesting chap.

Submariners were generally reckoned to be a little odd mentally.  The ones I knew certainly had some idiosyncrasies.

Peterfgf

[Ohmisterporter]

Save the Royal Navy has this item about ships being "fitted for but not with" anti-ship missiles. Hope this is of interest.

 

https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/royal-navy-combatants-fitted-for-but-not-with-anti-ship-missiles/

[Ohmisterporter]

From HI Sutton at Covert Shores this guide to the world's heavyweight torpedoes may be of interest.

 

http://www.hisutton.com/Guide-to-heavyweight-533mm-torpedoes.html

[Hroth]

On 19/03/2020 at 22:35, peanuts said:

looks like the navy have been tasked to help with the corona clampdown here they are doing there bit in birmingham 

 

The Navy used to have a couple of narrowboats they took to rallies around the canal system.

One had a "submarine" upperworks, the other had a "frigate" upperworks.  Never saw an aircraft carrier....

 

Image source:  https://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2008/06/senior-and-juni.html

 

Definitely a flying the flag exercise!

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Hroth
Supporting evidence!

[figworthy]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

The Navy used to have a couple of narrowboats they took to rallies around the canal system.

One had a "submarine" upperworks, the other had a "frigate" upperworks.  Never saw an aircraft carrier....

 

Image source:  https://www.grannybuttons.com/granny_buttons/2008/06/senior-and-juni.html

 

Definitely a flying the flag exercise!

 

 

This was back in the mid 70s.

I have a feeling that there were four vessels in all, but I can't remember what the other two were.

 

Adrian

[Legend]

3 hours ago, Ohmisterporter said:

Save the Royal Navy has this item about ships being "fitted for but not with" anti-ship missiles. Hope this is of interest.

 

https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/royal-navy-combatants-fitted-for-but-not-with-anti-ship-missiles/

lunatics in charge of the asylum.  What is the point of these ships . No offensive armament . Why not just give up now, say we are not going to defend the country and save a fortune on building ships with no capability . A 4.5 inch gun as offensive armament laughable . 
 

it’s like the carriers . No defensive armament other than CIWS.  Lots of potential but no actual capability . All we are doing is putting the people than man them at risk . This country really had lost the plot . It just doesn’t take defence seriously . 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Legend

[Kingzance]

I see a piece in today’s Times suggests that the US Marine Corps is to lose its Abraham’s M1A1 battle tanks and cut the strength from 170,000. They will boost drone and amphibious capabilities instead. Can our Royal Navy and Marines get anywhere near a match for those numbers? No, clearly not and not with the RAF added in too so once more, I ask why we need three and a half separate command and headquarters structures,other than to preserve the old boys networks?

[Barry O]

The Marine Corrps wont be happy losing their tanks. In GW1 they where with 7th armoured..they all worked well together. They asked for challenger 2 instead of M1A1..nuff said

Baz