Aircraft Carriers III

Air Force Brat said:

what in fact happened, though, is the USN was shrinking (I clipped this:

out of

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)

and 'game changers' clogging the shipyards, as in At Bath, a destroyer’s keel is laid more than a year behind schedule
May 16

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just my thoughts from the middle of Europe
I'll keep watching

What happened was 8 years of Brother Obama doing his damnedest to punish the military and reward his liberal friends! its truth, its NOT political, its reality, and NOW, MR. TRUMP has it "Throttled UP< and AHEAD FULL!!!!

Mr. Trump agrees with you Jura, the Ford class will come up to steam! LOL

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now I see you intended to quote me, but [QUOTE wasn't used

anyway, please note Saturday at 3:58 PM
I concentrated on let's call it USN procurement strategy, avoided upsetting stuff like fags


this is to say I also read articles about scandals, tragedies, criminal activity etc. inside the USN, just don't post these articles

Just in case anyone wanted to know. CVN-78 is at sea this very moment...



ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 3, 2018) The church pennant and national ensign are flown above the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) while religious services are conducted aboard the ship. Gerald R. Ford is currently underway conducting test and evaluation operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joshua Murray/Released)

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(May 31, 2018) Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) signal to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Fleet Angels of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 2 (HSC-2) that their chocks and chains have been removed before take off. Gerald R. Ford is underway conducting test and evaluation operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ruben Reed/Released)

Big Liz sailing Tomorrow (Tuesday 5th June) to continue Sea Trials. Not long 'til she crosses the Pond for Lightning Trials:

Jedi Master Obi Wan..I need some wisdom. Please answer the following query..

1) What day is Big Liz deploying for the US?
2) Will the make a port visit to Norfolk or anywhere else in the US or elsewhere(Caribbean port perhaps)?
3) Who will be piloting the F-35Bs? USMC or RAF pilots?

Thank you!

bd popeye said:

Jedi Master Obi Wan..I need some wisdom. Please answer the following query..

1) What day is Big Liz deploying for the US?
2) Will the make a port visit to Norfolk or anywhere else in the US or elsewhere(Caribbean port perhaps)?
3) Who will be piloting the F-35Bs? USMC or RAF pilots?

Thank you!

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1) soon, she was supposed to sail for more trials today but this has been postponed until Thursday due to problems with one of the MT30s and some of the diesels are underperforming. Not ideal when full power trials are on the schedule.
2) Not confirmed but I'd be very surprised if she didn't call in at Norfolk. Most chatter doing the rounds concerns her visiting New York!
3) The pilots for the F-35B trials will be Royal Navy and RAF, with the honour of first deck landing expected to go to Lt Cmdr Nathan Grey RN. At the moment the trials are expected to involve two instrumented aircraft and at least four pilots. All pilots concerned will be drawn from 17(R)sqn, which is currently based in the US as part of the US Marine test and evaluation sqn. Indeed because the UK's birds are based in California, the aircraft allocated for these trials will be USMC machines from Pax River, flown by UK pilots and crews. It's ok, we're borrowing yours but lending you ours at the same time! The first F-35Bs in UK service in the UK, four fibreglass Ground Training Aids on the Dummy Deck at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, 'HMS Siskin': These replicas have built in water tanks to simulate the weight of a fully loaded aircraft for the benefit of trainee deck crew. To simulate the noise and wind blast of a flight deck, the unit operates 8 Sea Harrier FA2s which are only now capable of taxiing on the ground:

Thank you Jedi Master. You are indeed wise as Yoda has foretold!

I remember a few months ago maybe last year I read that QE was slated to patrol the Western Pacific in 2020 or 2021. Is this still planned? And what type of aircraft will she embark?

Thank you.

bd popeye said:

Thank you Jedi Master. You are indeed wise as Yoda has foretold!

I remember a few months ago maybe last year I read that QE was slated to patrol the Western Pacific in 2020 or 2021. Is this still planned? And what type of aircraft will she embark?

Thank you.

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As far as I know it's still part of the plan, and she'll deploy with at least 24 F-35Bs, 12 from 617sqn and the rest from the USMC. Additionally there will be about 14 Merlins aboard, 9 ASW (820NAS) and 5 ASaC (849NAS). To round off her capabilities as an all rounder, we may even see a Commando contingent embarked, supported by a few Chinooks, a sqn of Merlin HC4s and even some Apaches. Best way to show the world "WE'RE BAAACK!"

And here to kick things off, 617 SQN LINED UP TO FLY: HERE THEY COME!
The first picture of the 1st 617 Sqn F35B Lightning wave lined up at Beaufort USMCS South Carolina this morning 6 June at dawn ready to start and fly home to the UK today.
They are now en-route with their Voyager tankers which launched from Gander to meet them en route, and an Atlas transport routeing separately - 617 Sqn expected any time at Marham after 1900ish - 6 June

Obi Wan Russell said:

And here to kick things off, 617 SQN LINED UP TO FLY: HERE THEY COME!
The first picture of the 1st 617 Sqn F35B Lightning wave lined up at Beaufort USMCS South Carolina this morning 6 June at dawn ready to start and fly home to the UK today.
They are now en-route with their Voyager tankers which launched from Gander to meet them en route, and an Atlas transport routeing separately - 617 Sqn expected any time at Marham after 1900ish - 6 JuneView attachment 47185

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so how long will the flight take?
as far as I recall, from the West Coast to Western Europe it used to be around seven hours (depending on what exactly were the airports LOL plus I'm aware of the time difference)

Jura said:

so how long will the flight take?
as far as I recall, from the West Coast to Western Europe it used to be around seven hours (depending on what exactly were the airports LOL plus I'm aware of the time difference)

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South Caroline on the West Coast? And a tanker from Gander? That makes no sence.