Might HMS Ark Royal's final farewell (British carrier)

Sunday Sun ^ | Nov 21 2010 | Rob Pattinson

[sukhoi-30mki]

Farewell voyage: The Royal Navy's flagship the Ark Royal arrives on the River Tyne before making the short journey down the coast to Newcastle where she was built by Swan Hunters at Wallsend

(from the Daily Mail)

[Paladin2]

GB should sell it to Venezuela.

[reeb88]

Will they keep it in reserve, sell it off, or scrap it?

[rottndog]

If they don’t mothball this perfectly good ship and keep her in reserve, then we will know the Brits have completely lost their minds.

With only 25 years of service, she’s probably not even reached half her useful life.

[raybbr]

That’s a carrier? Must be strictly helo’s and VTOL’s.

[BigBobber]

Will they keep it in reserve, sell it off, or scrap it?

China will buy it.

[seton89]

Will they keep it in reserve, sell it off, or scrap it?

She is to be the tender for the George Soros.

[Red Dog #1]

The likelihood of this happening to our fleet is far, far to real.

[Jay W]

In following a kinds of news stories about Britain over the past 10 years, it seems pretty clear that they have completely lost their minds, and their soul.

Britain is finished.

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[brivette]

That would be a sad day. I served on board the USS Ranger and th JFK, both are gone,I believe.

[Chode]

Ungland... they were England when they were an Empire,

but then they became meek and became england.

Now they are appeasers and have become undone,

they are now UNgland...

[GATOR NAVY]

I remember seeing seeing one of these in the Gulf the last time I was there but I don’t remember which one it was. For some reason I think it was HMS Invincible.

[Vanders9]

She will probably be scrapped. The story I have is that she is not in particularly good condition - a function of a very active service life.

[Vanders9]

It is strictly helos and VTOL’s - but for its size (20,000 tons?) its a very useful ship.

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[ken5050]

Well, one place it won’t go to is Argentina, f’sure..But I’m surprised they don’t sell it to India...which is looking to upgrade its Navy..as a bulwark to China..so it would be in GB interest..

[ken5050]

Well, one place it won’t go to is Argentina, f’sure..But I’m surprised they don’t sell it to India...which is looking to upgrade its Navy..as a bulwark to China..so it would be in GB interest..

[tanknetter]

I’m surprised they don’t sell it to India...which is looking to upgrade its Navy..as a bulwark to China..so it would be in GB interest..

India is going the short take-off/arrested landing route with the former Soviet Navy's Gorshkov having been sold to them and in process of conversion to a mini-Kuznetsov that can handle carrier-capable MiG-29s. They plan to develop and build their own carriers after that.

ex-Gorshkov will give them MUCH more bang for buck than the Ark could. Even if the Brits were willing to sell the Indians the old Sea Harrier FA.2s with the radar (a deal to sell them fell through because the Brits wouldn't give Blue Vixen sets to the Indians), it would be better to operate the Shars off of Gorshkov.

And even though they need the capability as well, there's no way that the Aussies are going to take on a former RN carrier that's this close to the end of its service life.

[ken5050]

Thanks..one follow-up..a few comments on the thread suggest that 25 years is NOT a long life..our CVNs last 50+ years..with one refueling at 25-30 years..