959 replies to this topic

[AllseeingEye]

Since I have no qualms about slagging the CAF when I think warranted by the same token I have to hand out kudos when deserved, so good on Irving (on behalf of the GOC/CAF) for selecting the Type 26 as the replacement for the aging, rapidly sliding into obsolescence Halifax or City-class RCN frigates.

 

A worthy choice and one that plugs a huge gap in our naval capabilities that has been a glaring weakness since the retirement of the Iroquois-class destroyers, namely the ability to provide a first rate, lethal area air defence:

 

https://newatlas.com...-frigate/58402/

 

The Type 26 ships are considerably larger and far, far more heavily armed than our current frigates too:

 

https://en.wikipedia...Type_26_frigate

[Mattjvd]

Since I have no qualms about slagging the CAF when I think warranted by the same token I have to hand out kudos when deserved, so good on Irving (on behalf of the GOC/CAF) for selecting the Type 26 as the replacement for the aging, rapidly sliding into obsolescence Halifax or City-class RCN frigates.

 

A worthy choice and one that plugs a huge gap in our naval capabilities that has been a glaring weakness since the retirement of the Iroquois-class destroyers, namely the ability to provide a first rate, lethal area air defence:

 

https://newatlas.com...-frigate/58402/

 

The Type 26 ships are considerably larger and far, far more heavily armed than our current frigates too:

 

https://en.wikipedia...Type_26_frigate

The type 26 is a fantastic ship. Not only are they larger than the current Halifax Class, they are larger than any destroyer ever operated by the RCN. Despite their larger size, they will have a smaller crew requirement than the current frigates, due to improved technology and automation. They are incredibly well armed and well rounded; excellent wide-area air defense ships, and capable surface and subsurface combatants too.

[Mike K.]

One of the most advanced US Navy guided missile destroyers will make a visit to CFB Esquimalt in the near future.

 

The 183-metre long USS Zumwalt was commissioned in 2016 and is homeported in San Diego, California.

 

Details pertaining to the vessel's arrival date and the its length of stay in Victoria have not been released.

[lanforod]

Captain Kirk too?

[AllseeingEye]

Security will be tight for this puppy; I had hoped they might dock her at Ogden Point but no dice, understandably. She's a big sucker too even for a missile destroyer regardless of her one of a kind stealth design. And well over 3x the size of our frigates by displacement.

[Mattjvd]

Captain Kirk too?

I'm not sure if Kirk is still the CO. Apparenlty William Shatner wrote the Captain and crew a letter when they were assigned to the ship, pretty cool story.

[Mike K.]

Security will be tight for this puppy; I had hoped they might dock her at Ogden Point but no dice, understandably. She's a big sucker too even for a missile destroyer regardless of her one of a kind stealth design. And well over 3x the size of our frigates by displacement.

She’ll dock on the Colwood side of the base.

[AllseeingEye]

She’ll dock on the Colwood side of the base.

Makes sense, quieter less conspicuous over there; guessing they'll maybe berth her at "F" jetty....

[Mike K.]

It’s also the jetty that can handle a ship of that size, I think.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Anyone go down to the Esquimalt waterfront to see USS ZUMWALT in Royal Roads?

[Victoria Watcher]

The U.S. Navy’s largest destroyer, the USS Zumwalt, arrived in Esquimalt Monday afternoon.

Just after 3 p.m., the U.S. Navy’s largest destroyer, arrived at CFB Esquimalt. The US Navy sailors who arrived plan to explore the city and showcase the destroyer.

The USS Zumwalt missile destroyer (DDG-1000) left San Diego on March 8 for its first operation. The 610-foot (186 metres) has an electric propulsion system, a wave-piercing tumblehome hull and stealth capabilities meant to reduce the ship’s radar cross-section. It is 100 feet longer and 13 feet wider than the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

 

 

https://www.cheknews...-monday-542238/

 

[Victoria Watcher]

was ben issitt there to welcome it?

[AllseeingEye]

Big ship, almost as big as a WWII battleship but packing a hell of a lot more punch obviously. Apparently her sister Lyndon B Johnson is supposedly being considered as a platform to mount one of the uber-high tech USN rail-guns in place of the 155mm AGS weapons currently on Zumwalt and the third ship in the class, Michael Monsoor.

[Victoria Watcher]

it carries 3 drone helicopters.

https://en.m.wikiped...MQ-8_Fire_Scout

[Mattjvd]

Big ship, almost as big as a WWII battleship but packing a hell of a lot more punch obviously. Apparently her sister Lyndon B Johnson is supposedly being considered as a platform to mount one of the uber-high tech USN rail-guns in place of the 155mm AGS weapons currently on Zumwalt and the third ship in the class, Michael Monsoor.

They were designed with that in mind, they produce 80Mw of power, more then enough to power the ship's systems and charge the capacitor banks for the railguns.

[Victoria Watcher]

the railgun concept is quite fascinating. It can hurl a projectile 50% faster than a conventional chemical/explosive propellant.

[Victoria Watcher]

‪$4 billion warship visits Victoria:

https://nationalpost...ign-port-visit‬

[AllseeingEye]

Not CFB related exactly, more NSP: the new CCG programme is off to a rough start first with suspected faulty welds in the first new ship then yesterday the crew of the second apparently thought it would be a good idea to run into the breakwater.

 

Not sure what the penalty is in the CG for the OOD in charge of the ship at the time of an 'incident', but in the navy quite often that is the end of your (bridge) command career.

 

It'll be interesting to see the ruling on this, whether the error was human or mechanical. Between the issues with the new West Coast ships and the stabilizer problems with the Hero-class boats on the East Coast, these are not great omens either way-

 

https://www.timescol...oint-1.23769090

[spanky123]

^ but they were built in Canada so all is not lost! Also hearing lots of issues on the West coast with the Protecteur replacements.

[AllseeingEye]

Yup we really must appear to be the Keystone Kops of the 7 Seas to outsiders; a summary of the things occurring over the last decade + - that we know about - reads like a who's who of how not to run maritime operations:

• Continual delays at Seaspan re: the NSP to the point there are rumors now the RCN fleet replenishment ships will be possibly years behind schedule;
• Faulty welds on the very first ship for the CG out of the same shipyard;
• Slamming another brand new ship into the Victoria breakwater on its very first sea trial; 
• A ridiculous design issue (lack of stabilizers/being removed from the original design specs) on the East Coast resulting in some of those Hero-class ships being tied up in Halifax for over 300 days/year;
• A few years further back after the Upholder submarine purchase, an RCN Victoria-class submarine commander who apparently thought it was a good idea to surface in the middle of an Atlantic storm and pop the hatch (resulting in a fire and ultimately the death of a crewman);
• Another Victoria sub hitting the bottom of Nootka Sound when it finally did manage to limp to the west coast;
• And last but certainly not least, key European naval design consultants quitting the NSP in disgust a couple of years ago when the then-new RCN build/maintenance facility in Halifax was found to be 'insufficient' to adequately house ships when in port for maintenance - IOW the building was too_short! This is why you measure TWICE so you only have to cut ONCE. Dunderheads.....

No wonder BC Ferries builds its new ships in Europe....