PubFather

What would be your top three additions to your countries navy? Within reason (i.e no 120,000 tonne Plan Z battleships) what would you do to increase your chosen navies abilities?

For the RN:

1) All 12 Type 45's as originally planned (which means Merlin capability, more VLS tubes plus TLAMs/TACTOMs)
2) Three, rather than two CVFs (Duke of York anyone??) with a full airwing - and preferably either a Typhoon N or F35C not F35B... and E3D as AEW, not some hashed together V22.
3) A proper successor to Type 23 - imho 4 stretched versions of the Type 45 hulls - with more VLS, more helos, and a better sonar/ASW hull. Couple that with some LCS (type) ships on the LockMart model, but dedicated as ASW/AsuW (and a local AAW) ability. It should mean about 10-12 vessels, 3500-4000 tonnes.

In that way you have an RN worthy of the name - and able (with the other ships in the pipline) to carryout its role in 21st century.

Think about the USN and the rest of the world's fleets - what would improve them??

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-{SpoonmaN}-

More ANZAC class FFGs, 4 instead of 3 planned DDGs and a proper Sea Control Capability (with some fixed-wing support) for our LHDs, plus more LPAs to haul troops to the various trouble-spots we have to keep an eye on.
And no Sea-Sprites, they've proven to be a travesty. Should have stuck with Sea Hawks or gone for NH90s instead.

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Firral

It is more than money resources to contain that at us now is.
Well it is necessary pair-three aircraft carriers (it is desirable nuclear ).

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Defcon 6

USN:

Reinstate
x2 or 4 Iowa Class Battleship (1980's/2006 modern refit)

retire the SSN Los Angelos Class and replace with a fleet of-
x41 SSN (SSN-21) Improved SeaWolf's
x13 NSSN Virginia Class submarines
-over the next 25 years

Production of x12 DDG-1000 class destroyers

-{SpoonmaN}-

I thought 2 of the Iowas were well and truly out of service now. I know the Moussouri's primary turret is out of action after that fire, what about the others?

PubFather

The battleships would be good - nothing like a good battleship... but I wonder if the money might not be better spent on building more ASW vessels (either LCS or a new FFG). ASW against AIP subs in the littoral will be imo a much bigger threat to the USN/RN in foreseable future.

The USN really doesnt need the BB's as cruise missile platforms (especially with the SSGNs) , and enhancing the existing guns on the Burkes/Tico's with extended-range ammunition would give you good gun support. The rest of the support can come through Netfires/CAS/Attack helicopters.

I think Rusty Battleship knows the most about the current state of the BBs

Sea Toby

My wish list for the US Navy is to build two submarines a year instead of one. At the moment our surface navy is okay, we need to build enough surface ships to replace the surface ships being discarded.

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Parihaka

For the RNZN, acquire a third frigate and arm all three properly.

-{SpoonmaN}-

Yeah and buy some sort of air combat capability for the RNZAF, like the Hawk-2000 or something like that. At least be able to train pilots for the eventuality that a major war comes along and you start buying new Fighters.

Dreadnought

The turrent explosion you speak of happened to Iowa (BB61) Flagship of the Iowa class battleships. Turrent II center gun tube.
However the damage is not impossible to repair and could be accomplished during a refit period with the proper equipment.

New Jersey is a fully functioning museum and still in very good shape through out (I see her every tuesday night for three hours of training).

Wisconsin is at Nautica (VA) is also a floating museum however you can only walk on her deck you cannot go below as I believe she is one of the two still held by clauses in the homeport agreements.

Missouri resides at Pearl Harbor Hawaii as a tribute to WWII. Both her and Arizona represent the opening and closing of WWII. Also in good shape from what I understand however for the bottom line on their conditions I would consult "RUSTYBATTLESHIP" here on the WAB. He has direct insight upon their last inspections.

Prairie Canuck

CN,

2 LHDs, STOL fighter capable
4 AOR's
8 OPV's (larger & ice capable)

6 new destroyers later

Defcon 6

They could all be serviced. The diaster in turret 2 of the Iowa is all repairable damage.

The real problem is that they've been stricken from the naval register. The only way to get them back now would be for the President to issue an executive order reimbursing the current holders of the 4 Iowa's for monetrary value and handing control of them back to the Navy, which would then need to be reinstated on the naval register.

Defcon 6

The USN now has deficient NSFS in terms of NFS. I disagree, cruise missiles are fine and everything, but it's the naval guns we need. Without the DD(X) program the Navy now has no solution to even come close to mitigating the Navy Joint Fires Gap in terms of NSFS.

PubFather

When, in any recent conflict, has NFS been a decisive factor in winning a war/battle? When, in any future conflict, would it be a decisive advantage? (i.e, when will the USMC launch a truly opposed amphib assault that requires direct naval gunfire to succeed).

My use of the word decisive isnt accidental - when would naval gunfire make the final difference, rather than being a very useful addition? ERA rounds fired from existing platforms, coupled with the other means of attack I have mentioned, can fill the gap almost as effectively.

Defcon 6

It isn't about an opposed landing.

If the Navy didn't need NFS, they wouldn't have any NFS assets.

No they can't fill the gap almost as effectively. Where's your evidence for that? I haven't seen anything released from the GAO or DoD or even CBO that claims that the NFS gap could be mitigated with other existing platforms. Once again, need I mention the NEA scenario. Or even the SEA scenario?

A very useful addition indeed. I think you just venerated my original statement. Since when did I ever say that NFS was vitally important or the deciding factor in a war?