The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious sails from Portsmouth Jan. 21 to lead a 13-ship multi-national Task Group to the Indian Ocean. (UK MoD photo)
Posted on 01/23/2008 7:14:39 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Faulty Fridge Causes Aircraft Carrier To Turn Back
Jan 23 2008 Press Association
A FAULTY meat fridge is forcing a Royal Navy aircraft carrier to return to base today just two days after setting off for the Indian Ocean.
HMS Illustrious departed from Portsmouth Naval Base on Monday to head the multi-national Task Group Orion 08 which will be carrying out exercises and diplomatic visits during the next four months in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean.
Navy spokesman Anton Hanney said a refrigeration unit used to store meat on the warship had been found to be in danger of breaking down.
He explained: "She has a minor problem with her refrigeration unit. It hasn't broken down but because she is off the south coast, the sensible thing is for her to come in and get that fixed before she goes off again.
"It wouldn't be prudent for her to go off with the chance of the unit breaking down while she was in warmer climates and then engineers would have to be flown out to her to fix it.
"It will not delay her programme in any significant way, she will be able to make up 24 hours without a problem."
Mr Hanney said Illustrious was likely to undergo the repairs at Portsmouth this afternoon before heading off again tomorrow.
Orion 08, which incorporates more than 2,500 personnel, 13 ships, a nuclear-powered submarine and fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft is aimed at boosting peace and stability in the area by exercising with a number of navies in the region.
During its deployment, the Task Group will be visiting 20 ports in the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle East, South Asia and the Far East.
A navy spokesman said: "The deployment is part of the Royal Navy's regular operating pattern, repeating a similar deployment to the Indian Ocean in 2006.
"It will exercise deploying a maritime strike force for a prolonged period away from the home base and working with allies."
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious sails from Portsmouth Jan. 21 to lead a 13-ship multi-national Task Group to the Indian Ocean. (UK MoD photo)
There's a joke in there somewhere.
HMS Illustrious departed now returning due to a refer plant?
You have got to be friggen kidding me are their any machinist mates on board? Its got aircraft to bring in spare parts if not on board.
Once again, the crown embarrasses the west.
The Sun Always Sets on the British Empire.
I wonder if Britian is still planning on building its supercarrier...
I wonder why they couldnt fix the issue at sea, which would seem like good training...
It’s a cover story.
They’re picking up James to drop him off at Dr Zodiac’s Arctic base, and the meat fridge is the same size as an Aston Martin.
Reminds me of the bumper sticker I saw once along time ago when the British still built many brands of autos for export to the US:
Why do the British drink warm beer? Because they have Lucas refrigerators!
She’d have been the HMS Odorous, if they hadn’t fixed the ‘fridge.
In Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a space ship’s departure is delayed centuries waiting for a delivery of lemon scented towelettes.
Howmany of these fridges does an aircraft carrier have?
I can understand how a faulty fridge could be a serious problem but I agree, the know how to fix it should be on board.
Good grief, they can fix a million other things on board the ship, why not the fridge unit too? Didn’t they bring any spare parts?
It is an aircraft carrier, they don’t have HVAC/refrigeration techs aboard?
It reminds me that the Canadian army can't even field one battalion to help us overseas. That's just what their military has devolved to.
What’s a few maggots in the meat? The British Navy ain’t what it used to be. ;-)
Hmmmm...couldn’t the Brits have simply airlifted a new unit or parts to fix the current one, rather than wasting all the money on fuel to return to port? This doesn’t make sense...
Thank God they didn’t have to retreat during a battle.
Refrigerated meat aboard ship?
Guess they don’t eat powdered eggs (to order) or
drink powdered milk or drink bug juice are these guys sailors or cruise ship passengers?
They need to be at home port to avoid Greenpeace protesting the ship if they were to bring onboard that banned substance, freon.
Why don’t the British make personal computers?
Because they can’t figure out how to make them leak oil.
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