Which would be cheaper, a new build Corvette or outfitting the AOPS with appropriate radar, ESSM, and a bigger gun?
The CEO of Seaspan, Kyle Washington, is a Canadian. But I just wish the company itself wasn’t owned by his American dad who owns the parent organization (the Washington Companies). Still I haven’t seen any signs of conflicted loyalties. But you never know in this day and age of Trump, Hoekstra and Lutnick. Political and economic events turn on a dime any more.
Single shaftline no thank you.It sounds as if, for the CDC, he might be looking for something like the Rasmussen (205O tonnes fully loaded, PC6, 70 m, crew of 18 + 25, helo deck, mini CB90, 1x 76, 2x 12.7, ESSMs and torpedos) but perhaps with a bit longer legs.
Knud Rasmussen-class patrol vessel - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Too slow, Topshee is looking for mid twenty knots. He wants a Halifax in a smaller package. Listen to Topshee’s interview with Noah:It sounds as if, for the CDC, he might be looking for something like the Rasmussen (205O tonnes fully loaded, PC6, 70 m, crew of 18 + 25, helo deck, mini CB90, 1x 76, 2x 12.7, ESSMs and torpedos) but perhaps with a bit longer legs.
Knud Rasmussen-class patrol vessel - Wikipedia
noahscornerofrandomstuff.substack.com
I'm thinking something like this:Too slow, Topshee is looking for mid twenty knots. He wants a Halifax in a smaller package. Listen to Topshee’s interview with Noah:
Let's Talk with Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
Noah grapples with his internal struggle (and external anxiety) as he speaks with Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy about:
www.navalnews.com
The BC Ferries buys their new ferries off shore where our dollars go further (high dollar).
Isn't it also a case where there's not really any capacity left open for something that size on BCF's timelines?
It is certainly the case for the last number of years but later delivered ferries such as the Island-class and Salish-class, were built in Romania and Poland because of pricing.
I forgot to mention the big Coastal-class ferries that were built in Germany. Before the Coastals, BC Ferries had the Queens, which were built in either North Vancouver and Victoria and stayed in service until the end of their useful lives. Somewhere in the 1990s the provincial government had 3 PacifiCat class (catamarans) built in North Vancouver and they were a failure and retired in short order. The following elected provincial government choose to buy off shore for new ferries. All succeeding governments followed suit.
I think the problem there again would be speed. They make about 8 kts less than what Topshee says they’re looking for.
And the expertise we did not possess at the time.
AOPS is fundamentally built as a non-combatant vessel and no amount of retrofitting or redesigning of the ship can effectively change that. It is an exceptionally large design with big spaces, wide open corridors and a lot of empty space for non-combatant roles. It's slow and lumbering with no real room to retrofit any of the required radar, weaponry and other equipment to be a combatant. It's basically like trying to transform a pickup truck into a main battle tank, total lost cause.
Topshee has specifically stated that he wants something that is domestically designed, built and contains as much domestically sourced equipment as possible. That Danish design is getting closer, although its still too slow and too heavy on the ice class compared to what Topshee wants. He wants PC6, which is basically what the CCG's new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel has. Too high of an ice class makes the hull and design unsuited to war like traits, which is not what is being looked at here.I'm thinking something like this:
Denmark's OSK Design Unveils New Arctic Frigate - Naval News
OSK Design introduced its latest design, the Arctic frigate, during DSEI 2023. The Arctic frigate will be proposed to the Royal Danish Navy.
...starting at the CRCN then working down from him...
Thanks, if I don't ask then I don't know, now I know.
