Read on Twitter
The WESTMINSTER dilemma. Fate of HMS Westminster remains unclear without a final answer about whether her refit is going ahead or not. Her material state was found very poor once taken into basin for refit preparations and in July initial estimate for her refit was 100 million.
WESTMINSTER is one of the 8 ASW, so one of the precious ones meant to work well into the 2030s. Navy certainly not thrilled about losing her early, but 10-year budget allocation for Type 23s upkeeps is 679,7 million (6 sept 2023 written answer) and she'd eat up much of that.
HMS IRON DUKE (GP), refitted earlier, was also in poor state and her refit not only cost at least 103 million, but took an endless 49 months (May 19-Jun 23). Time here is a variable that's getting just as important as money. If Westminster returns not before 2027, is it worth it?
The Type 23 refits for LIFEX have been getting longer and longer as tired hulls have to be worked back up to spec. MONTROSE's refit in 2014, which included ripping off SeaWolf for the first CAMM installation, lasted 17 months, but the last 5 refits have NEVER lasted less than 30.
LANCASTER (GP) took 36 months; RICHMOND (ASW) 30 (but at least included changing diesels to new MTU sets); SOMERSET (ASW) was a 43 months nightmare followed by defects to fix; PORTLAND (ASW; new electric motors, first 2150 hull sonar fit) 37; IRON DUKE (GP) 49; St Albans (ASW)
It is simply taking TOO long. At this rate, the switch to MTU engines is NEVER going to get to the once planned 11 ships because they'll literally be out of service before the refits can happen. After RICHMOND and ST ALBANS, next ship to return with MTU should be SUTHERLAND.
You can see why a decision on WESTMINSTER is complex. When could she actually be back for ops is a key factor in determining how much money she is "truly" worth at this point. Can her "tail" (the 2087 towed sonar) perhaps be re-homed instead?
Type 31 hull is not a super specialised, quietened ASW hull, but it descends from the ship the Danes use for ASW. Is it time to accept that middle ground solutions aren't actually anathema, and look at "re-homing" WESTMINSTER's tail (2087 towed sonar) onto VENTURER instead...?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
