It just gets better and better!
kwaigonegin
Colonel
The AIR BOSS is the BOSS of ALL air operations in or around the carrier PERIOD! and he is usually a pretty high ranking guy himself usually an O-5 very likely an O-6 on some CVNs. He works closely with the CAG but CAG goes with the Air Wing and not the ship.
The Air Boss typically spends his time in the primary flight control. In the QE class I am 100% sure someone like him will be located on the aft island since that's the nerve center of air operations.
The commander of the entire task force is a rear admiral but he is in charge of the entire battle group not just the ship, not to be confused with the CO or captain of the ship who is an O-6.
Most people confuse rank with duties. Most captains of ships are NOT rank Captain. In smaller ships a captain of a ship can be a LCDR
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Jura The idiot
General
thanks ... I'm new to acronyms so I hope you won't mind me putting here what I looked up:
O-5: the Pay Grade of the US Navy Commander
O-6: the Pay Grade of the US Navy Captain
CAG: Carrier Air Wing
CVN: "aircraft carrier, fixed wing, nuclear powered"
LCDR: the US Navy Lieutenant Commander
and I knew what's "QE" and "CO"
UK F-35B
Go soon to Beaufort from Eglin as VMFAT-501 where will be recreated in 2016 the 617th squadron which go in 2018 to Marham include 14 which must be ordered this year.
The 617th is the first F-35B Front line unit do sea trial on the QE end 2018, normaly CV and F-35 operationnal for 2020/21, then 809 NAS will be ready.
And some F-35B go to Edwards for form a OCU/training unit, the 17(R) Sqn normaly create end of this year.
Go soon to Beaufort from Eglin as VMFAT-501 where will be recreated in 2016 the 617th squadron which go in 2018 to Marham include 14 which must be ordered this year.
The 617th is the first F-35B Front line unit do sea trial on the QE end 2018, normaly CV and F-35 operationnal for 2020/21, then 809 NAS will be ready.
And some F-35B go to Edwards for form a OCU/training unit, the 17(R) Sqn normaly create end of this year.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Yeah UK transport capabilitys are good plenty of aircraft for extended operations and the capability to lift heavy cargo at range
Also to note is that UK is considering on buying a 9th C17 Globemaster with the possible acquisition of a 10th unit this comes as Boeing closes down the production line there is still plenty of buyers who will buy the rest of the "white" units built for export and Boeing is confident all of the white units will be sold
UK did actually set out a requirement for 10 x C17 units and on this very rare occasion may well go to fulfil a requirement 100% if the extra units are sold to the UK many middleast buyers are pushing for those last C17 that have been built
Boeing can build another 9 x C17 if orders comes through that out of the 13 they already built with their own money confident they can sell all of them
kwaigonegin
Colonel
thanks ... I'm new to acronyms so I hope you won't mind me putting here what I looked up:
O-5: the Pay Grade of the US Navy Commander
O-6: the Pay Grade of the US Navy Captain
CAG: Carrier Air Wing
CVN: "aircraft carrier, fixed wing, nuclear powered"
LCDR: the US Navy Lieutenant Commander
and I knew what's "QE" and "CO"
It's great you looked these up Jura. Makes memory retention better.
Only 1 slight correction. CAG - Commander Air Group. Basically the boss of a carrier air wing (CVW).
Jura The idiot
General
well, I was surprised you referred to Officers by their Pay Grade
Only 1 slight correction. CAG - Commander Air Group. Basically the boss of a carrier air wing (CVW).
I wasn't careful :-( now I see ... you said "He works closely with the CAG but CAG goes with the Air Wing and not the ship." where "Carrier Air Wing" doesn't make sense as you referred to a person
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Yeah good and accurate reporting there Forbin
Question really is this, F35B is a good fighter how many will we buy? This leads on to well how many do we actually need?
We will know after the defence review next year but I would say that this way of operating 12 x F35B in peacetime and then 36 if needed is a none starter why? Simply because whole point in having a carrier operational and deployed is so you have do anything anywhere at anytime
If a QE class is deployed on routine mission with 12 x F35B and a something kicks up how do they plan on getting the extra 24 aircraft what send the carrier all the way back to the UK load the aircraft and go back out again?? That defeats the purpose of the carrier
How about flying the F35B from home back thousands of miles and get to where the carrier is?? That will require time and money plus redirecting the carrier again defeats the purpose of a carrier
So you either operate a full blown carrier strike group with all the bangs and whistle of a Las Vegas jack pot American style or you just forget about it this costs saving 12 fighter programme is a none starter
Overall looking at from a strategic prospective UK has maintained for over 20 years one SSN east of Suez and this is likely to be the case with the carrier, one will operate east of Suez as USN switching to Pacific theatres
And I have always maintained that in the near future atleast one of these carriers will be sent up North to patrol the Arctic seas and just recently the first Sea Lord hinted at that very prospect
Why do Royal Marines still do winter training in Norway? They have done it for decades so they can hold off the Russian bear when things get hot and that's why we need to pull HMS Albion out of "extended readiness" and into active service alongside HMS Bulwark and HMS Ocean for a full strength amphibious assault force in addition to the two full strength active carrier strike groups
This is my feeling on RN future