Final Type 45 destroyer begins trials

HAVE YOUR SAY

06 September 2012

Six Type 45s are not anywhere near sufficient. The UK government really does need to get a grip, in relation to UK and foreign defence policy.
Andy C Bishop - UK

07 September 2012

I can't imagine what Admiral Duncan would have made of today's fleet and the government's relative disinterest in naval matters.

We need to get away from spin and start concentrating on substance. We can start by closing down the current navy website and replacing it with one which deals with facts rather than crass comparisons, search dead-ends, vacuous copywriting and lack of substantive detail.
Michael - Hertfordshire

07 September 2012

I am currently reading "The Challenge" Andrew Lambert's superb book on the war of 1812; the similarities between Madison's administration and Cameron's are startling and do not bode well for the future of the UK
Ian Skinner - Enfield

07 September 2012

Agreed six more Type 45's are needed, however it wasn't this government that slashed the order and still paid the same price for six as we would have for twelve, credit where credits due.

Though the current government should do more to put right the mistakes made by the last government and should not have cut the four Batch 3 Type 22's along with Ark Royal.
Rob - Telford

07 September 2012

Osborne could do worse in terms of stimulating the economy than ordering a few more T45's and negotiating a cut down price with BAE seeing as we paid for the 1st 6 as if we were buying 12. I am sure BAE would jump at the chance not to close one of their yards in the UK and also provide the RN with a much needed boost.

It beats building houses all over the South of England for the current unprecedented wave of immigration (with no mandate, but Dave is not bothered about that - he stood on the deck of HMS Ark Royal before the election promising to protect the RN, and look what happened).
Martin Bayliss - Stroud

07 September 2012

I did wonder what the actual cost would be to order more 45's. Especially with an empty hull aspect for export perhaps?
Laskovar - UK

08 September 2012

I believe there is a military, economic and political argument for ordering a seventh T45.

An agreement with BAE made by the last government means that £200mn of work per year was promised to keep two yards open. Now that is not going to materialise BAE is threatening to close Portsmouth which would be catastrophic for the government as we need an English based yard ahead of the Scottish independence referendum. A seventh T45 would keep Portsmouth open and the RN need more than six T45 in order to maintain enough operational. A seventh T45 could therefore be set against the cost of closing Portsmouth. Beyond that the referendum result will be known and the T26 will be winding up to production.

On another note I also believe the QE carriers should be fitted with PAAMS as the only guarantee that they can be defended against the latest generation of supersonic anti ship missiles is that they have Sea Viper. We cannot be sure even with T45 they will give sufficient coverage and the last resort should be with the carriers themselves. Even if added in refit it is worth adding, perhaps if this is done after a seventh T45 it would keep both yards open up to the start of T26 production which is the ideal scenario that is affordable and thus realistic.
Graham - High Wycombe

10 September 2012

Unfortunately my friends, what you're trying to do, is apply logic to an organisation that doesn't recognise it.
Stephen Miles - London

18 September 2012

With their outrageously low-capabilities' sonar & virtually non-existent Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities, Type-45 Destroyers sent to the current Persian Gulf "International Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2012" would be at extreme risk if faced with sub-surface threats:

"(US and) International naval power massing in the Gulf as Israel prepares an Iran strike", September 16-2012:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/9545597/Armada-of-international-naval-power-massing-in-the-Gulf-as-Israel-prepares-an-Iran-strike.html

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/DefenceSecretaryVisitsTheRoyalNavyInTheGulf.htm ...
Roderick V. Louis - Vancouver, BC, Canada

02 October 2012

Graham,
There is possibly a argument for ordering a 7th and even an 8th type 45.
But if they do, I would like to see them as a different variant taking some of the roles of the late Type 22 batch 3.
As anti surface warfare and command specialists. Fitted with a Sylver 70 launcher for Scalp naval, Sea viper and a 155mm gun system.
The trouble is, as Stephen mentions the MOD don't do logic.
Tim Dainton - Romsey