Work starts on new nuclear subs

[Osem]

Construction of the UK's four new nuclear submarines is to begin, after the government announced £1.3bn of new investment with defence firm BAE Systems.
The "Successor" is the proposed new generation of submarines to carry the UK's nuclear deterrent.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the deal would secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the UK.
"This shows the government will never gamble with our national security*."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37528951

How very unlike comrade Corbyn whose idea of protecting the UK is telling our potential enemies that he'd never use the nuclear deterrent...

I wonder how hard the SNP will object to all the jobs which will be created or secured in Scotland...


* notwithstanding those state of the art aircraft carriers with no aircraft...

The new subs are needed sooner rather then later but I'd like to have seen a confirmation that the type 26 frigate would also start construction as well as they are integral to the new battlegroup doctrine the navy will be adopting. Despite what was reported by the time the carriers enter service they will have their full complement of F35's and other aircraft but when has the media let a fact get in the way of a headline.

[TheDaddy]

Why couldn't this deal have secured some steel workers jobs to Mr fallon?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.tel...android-h3g-gb

[rhyds]

It comes down to the type of steel we produce versus the type of steel this job requires.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by rhyds

It comes down to the type of steel we produce versus the type of steel this job requires.

Yes Michael Fallon claimed, yesterday, that no British bid had been received for the steel work on this first stage. If that's the case there's not much he could have done about it is there?

Originally Posted by Osem

* notwithstanding those state of the art aircraft carriers with no aircraft...

They did take a great big gamble with our maritime power but the timetable for the QE-class carriers and F35Bs isn't it. Despite ill-informed commentary, mostly by Fleet Street hacks with little real understanding of the issues, the truth is that the aircraft will be available to the carriers according to a schedule which steps up the ships' capability in manageable stages. The Royal Navy hasn't operated a full-size fleet carrier since 1979 and has never operated one this large. Even if the F35B was available in numbers come HMS QE's expected operational date in 2020, the Navy would still lack the competence to operate them effectively.

The gamble, taken purely for money saving purposes, was to sell off all our harriers and relegate HMS Illustrious to the status of an amphibious helipad. It wouldn't have taken much more of a deterioration in our relationship with Kirchner's Argentina, for example, for them to speculate that it might be worth another crack at the Falkland Islands. Retiring the tools of power projection also looks like retirement from the business of power projection in certain world capitals.

---------- Post added at 12:52 ---------- Previous post was at 12:46 ----------

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37528951

How very unlike comrade Corbyn whose idea of protecting the UK is telling our potential enemies that he'd never use the nuclear deterrent...

I wonder how hard the SNP will object to all the jobs which will be created or secured in Scotland...

Haven't you heard? In the independent nirvana of Scotland, Faslane will be the base for the entire Scottish navy. There will be plenty of room for our population share of approximately half a destroyer, one out of date frigate and the captain's yacht off one of the new aircraft carriers.

Just don't ask awkward questions, like why you'd base your navy on the west coast when all your strategic maritime interests are off the east cost, drilling away in the North Sea ...

This might be a stupid question but.....why don't we spend the money on building a massive death laser operated from the moon which will obliterate all our enemies? Good luck with your 'nukes' when we have the death ray.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Damien

This might be a stupid question but.....why don't we spend the money on building a massive death laser operated from the moon which will obliterate all our enemies? Good luck with your 'nukes' when we have the death ray.

Because the yanks 'own' the moon...

Originally Posted by Osem

Because the yanks 'own' the moon...

We'll take the Sun then! Much bigger.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Damien

This might be a stupid question but.....why don't we spend the money on building a massive death laser operated from the moon which will obliterate all our enemies? Good luck with your 'nukes' when we have the death ray.

Been done: Requiem

State of the art boom boom.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Damien

We'll take the Sun then! Much bigger.

By Jove you've got it! All we need is a giant, remotely controlled magnifying glass located between the sun and Earth and we can fry anyone. It'd be environmentally friendly too...

Yanks don't own all the moon I've got four acres and am open to offers .

[Osem]

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

Yanks don't own all the moon I've got four acres and am open to offers .

You've met that guy in the pub too then...

I won some competition not sure I'd be confident enough to try and back it up but i got a picture of three craters that are mine lol.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by Damien

This might be a stupid question but.....why don't we spend the money on building a massive death laser operated from the moon which will obliterate all our enemies? Good luck with your 'nukes' when we have the death ray.

You've not thought that through Damien. What if our enemies kept hiding on the opposite side the earth to the moon..... Guess we could build a reflective mirror in space, but what if we zapped the Space Station or Sky's satellites ? Its just not on old chap.

Best to spend over £200 billion on weapons we'd never use, more than double the annual cost of the NHS. Britain must have the best kit after all, how else are we going to showcase our shiny weapons to dodgy foreign regimes, who might just use them against us....