Oh so that's what a carrier with fast jets looks like!

[DarrenL]

There's not much in it but then most of the R&D is likely to be a carry over from the Nimitz carriers in terms of basic operations and requirements design.

I have the figures of HMS Queen Elizabeth + cost of conversion to CATOBAR - £6.2bn, multiply by 2 of the class = £12.4 billion
USS Gerald R. Ford - $9Billion (£5.51 billion, £8.58billion if you included R&D) then multiply by 3 of the class = £16.53 billion

[DaveB]

Then.. add the cost of the aircraft I guess when you're talking billions.. the odd few million here and there doesn't matter much

ATB
DaveB

[jonesey2k]

And also the training and salaries of the 5000 matelots. CVF will have a crew of what, 600?

[Paul K]

Makes you wonder why we didn't just ask the Americans to build a couple of Nimitz-class ships for us ( Yes I know, British jobs and maintenance of the skill base etc )

[jonesey2k]

Anyway the US have had an aircraft carrier stationed just off the coast of Europe for a while now... its called Great Britain!

[DarrenL]

We could put some engines on the Isle of Wight

[DarrenL]

Makes you wonder why we didn't just ask the Americans to build a couple of Nimitz-class ships for us ( Yes I know, British jobs and maintenance of the skill base etc )

As opposed to getting the French to build them?

We are just putting the jigsaw together.

[Chris Trott]

Well I was going to say we should just give you the USS Enterprise, since she's due for decommissioning in 2014 when replaced by the GR Ford, and save the whole build cost thing. That way all you pay for is updating her systems with the new electromagnetic catapult and arresting gear systems, surely a lot cheaper.

Would be nice to keep the name for posterity (and legend) but the RN would have to do something about the HMS Enterprise (H88)

[jonesey2k]

Sounds like a plan, but getting rid of 8 nuclear reactors might be quite costly though.

[DaveB]

We don't get rid of em mate.. just leave em up in Rosyth to decay

ATB
DaveB