Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Okay. Stupid question time...

According to wiki the Dauntless has a 48 missile array. Does that mean they have loads more below deck, or do they only carry 48? If the latter, how do they shoot down every military warplane in Latin America with just 48 missiles?

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Even if they are half built?

---------- Post added at 10:07 ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 ----------

I'm sure Kymmy will be able to explain this better, and correct me if I'm wrong. But the way I understand it is that it can in theory launch up to 48 missiles at the same time. And that it has plenty more in the stores.

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Yep

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Yep, just look at the 2nd one, already slated to be partially built and mothballed which means it might never be used and could be sold in 20+ years time without being fully outfitted

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

i think that refers to the amount of missiles it can launch in one salvo ,there should be many more below decks waiting to be used .

I say should because this article suggests that the navy is a bit stingy when allocating missile quantities ,at least for the subs so the chances are that Dauntless is only carrying enough for one salvo :rolleyes:

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

The 48 is the cells loaded at any one time.. this could be a combination of Aster 15 or 30 missiles.

8 of these can be launched every 10 seconds so probably as fast as they can designate targets they can launch.

You also have to remember that the only way of attacking the ship is either via old subs or via exocet. There's only a couple of dozen (if all are flyable which reports suggest they're not) of planes capable of launching the exocet (phlanx(if fitted) or aster15 should deal with them if launched) and although they launch below the horizon they have to pop-up to aquire, it's not the missile system which they will be susceptible to but more than likely the Dauntless in that instance will be used as a targetting system for the typhoons to take out. Especially as the subsonic aircraft won't be able to make it back to base before a typhoon shoves a AMRAAM up it's backside..

Daunless is just part of the system and not the only part with teeth

---------- Post added at 10:25 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------

Lets for example say that Argentine has just lost a quarter of it's aircraft without getting close.. Dauntless has now exhuasted the cell launcher.. Argies wouldn't know and probably wouldn't let any more aircraft near the ship long before the cell is exhausted ;)

Even then as I said above daultless makes a good command centre for the typhoons from the falklands to provide cover..

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

That would be a complete waste of money :mad:

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

The problem is that departments like the MOD work on long term budgets .The carriers in question where commisioned under the labour government ,now we have a new government with a different set of financial obligations .If the project has cost £1billion up to now(example) with £2billion left to spend for completion it rapidly becomes clear that scrapping the whole project will save a lot of money especially when operating costs are taken into account.Yes they have wasted £1billion but saved 2+ billion over a number of years which is all they are interested in .

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

As has been seen many times in the past.

---------- Post added at 13:04 ---------- Previous post was at 13:02 ----------

Correct and the same problems would apply to any massively expensive long term project whether military or otherwise. It can just boil down to the lesser of two evils.

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Agreed...unless the next goverment decides that we need carriers again.

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

As I understand it the current plan is that the first of the new carriers is due to enter service in 2016 with only a helicopter capability. This is because, despite being new, it isn't suitable for the aircraft the UK wants to buy for the role. It was cheaper to build the ship than cancel it. The second ship will enter service in 2020 at which point the first will be mothballed and/or sold unless there's a change of mind within HMG.

http://seawavesmagazine.blogspot.co....ay-not-be.html

The whole thing is a shambles made worse by the harsh economic realities HMG inherited. God only knows how it'll turn out.

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

To reload the cells the boat would have to dock into the harbour and with cranes lift in the new cells that is if the navy has got any near the falklands otherwise nearest reload would be in Plymouth

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

So Dauntless being able to take out every military war plane in South America is a bit of an exaggeration?

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

It could but only with a very good supply of the weapons needed, Considering this could turn out to be all about oil i can see those weapons being supplied. Strange that the yanks have not got an aircraft carrier or three off the coast of the Falklands yet.

Re: Falkland Islands: Tensions Rising
 

Why would they? They aren't supporting us on this unfortunately.