Czech_pivo said:
How is that even possible?
The latest article on the 6 AOPS states that the fleet with all be operational by 2025 - 6 yrs out to get 6 ships built and turned over to the RCN. Add another 2 AOPS (minus some work related to weaponry and C&C) and those ships will come online when? 2028? How can there be a 18-24 'gap' before the first steel is cut on the CSC? Are they saying that the CSC programme won't cut steel until 2029 at the earliest - 10yrs out from now? If that's the case its going to be near impossible to build 15 CSC's with the 60$ billion all-in money already allocated.
Built, turned over and operational are different stages of getting a ship accepted. HDW is currently
built. After builders trials she will be
turned over to the RCN this summer (those two steps overlap a bit, as they can do engine trials while outfitting comms for example). She'll be
operational when all of her sea trials are done for all the things she's been designed for. Despite this fact she might actually be
on operations before then. There needs to a shoot of the gun, helo ops sorted out (which could take months itself with all the wind tests, land and take off, finding different sea states, weather...), turning circles recorded, full shakedown of the crew to figure out how the ship works, replenishment as sea (assuming this is a thing) done, use all the boats for various tasks, sail in different sea states, test the stabilizers, test the bow thrusters, use all the cranes for various tasks, etc... The builders may have turned her over but the RCN doesn't consider a ship operational until we figure out how she works first!
When the RCN got HMCS Halifax she was known as the Jetty Queen. It wasn't until the 4-5th CPF was in the water that her issues as first of class were sorted out and she was finally operational. First of class takes a long time because there is only one ship to do all of the things listed above. When the Margaret Brooke comes out her acceptance trials will be faster... I would also expect that the first two ships may be alongside to fix issues at some point. A fire main problem or a pump replacement, or new wiring for some such equipment, fixed plumbing for the heads in #3 mess etc... This extends their acceptance to "fully operational" status.
So don't be too distracted by the timeline. The ships will probably be doing operations before they are fully operational, as you can do SAR zone work without having all of your equipment trialed or tested, as long as you meet Safe At Sea requirements for example.
As an aside JT really needs to call his new BFF Jacinda down in NZ with a sales pitch. They have an ice capable OPV on their defence policy for a while. Sell one to them cheap to offset costs for keeping our shipyard running. I expect however they will just go to Korea and get an COTS OPV that costs nickels to our dollar.
