Warship on Channel 5

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SVX

Original Poster:

2,188 posts

226 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Anybody else been watching this?

I saw the final episode last night on Channel 5, I don't normally watch these kind of reality TV shows, but found this quite interesting. There was some great footage of Harriers for the PH plane aficionados. 92 days at sea is quite a sobering thought...

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

213 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
It was good to see that the sub designed in the 70s could still remain stealthy from current state of the art dipping sonar. MoD need to buy some more anechoic tiles though - Traf looked a mess.

ETA Yes I've been enjoying it to. Good program.

Edited by rhinochopig on Tuesday 24th June 10:36

Lurking Lawyer

4,535 posts

240 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
ETA Yes I've been enjoying it to. Good program.
+1

Eric Mc

123,872 posts

280 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Shows that C5 can do good TV when they want to. What a contrast to the Lotus 25 rubbish on Friday.

I enjoyed the Warship series. I wonder did the Royal Navy agree to do this to try and garner some positive publicity after their major embarrassment in the Gulf last year?

CooperS

4,565 posts

234 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Lurking Lawyer said:
rhinochopig said:
ETA Yes I've been enjoying it to. Good program.
+1
It would be if my Sky box would allow me to watch it after I've recorded the damn thing... I've missed three weeks worth now frown

anonymous-user

69 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
CooperS said:
It would be if my Sky box would allow me to watch it after I've recorded the damn thing... I've missed three weeks worth now frown
Interesting, my PVR went into cardiac arrest when I tried to play back the recording, despite every other recorded programme playing without any problemsscratchchin

SVX

Original Poster:

2,188 posts

226 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
It was good to see that the sub designed in the 70s could still remain stealthy from current state of the art dipping sonar. MoD need to buy some more anechoic tiles though - Traf looked a mess.
Yeah I wasn't too sure about the seat upholstery in the sub's sonar room... I was also a bit surprised about how limited Lusty's compliment of aircraft was, thought they'd pack more of a punch than three or four Harriers... Or was that just the aircraft we saw in the show??

F i F

46,802 posts

266 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Lurking Lawyer said:
rhinochopig said:
ETA Yes I've been enjoying it to. Good program.
+1
+2 not watched the last two episodes still sitting on Sky+ box.

Did the female steward and the artificer do the dirty deed yet? Looked to be getting a bit closer than regs allow. fnar fnar?

SVX

Original Poster:

2,188 posts

226 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Shows that C5 can do good TV when they want to. What a contrast to the Lotus 25 rubbish on Friday.

I enjoyed the Warship series. I wonder did the Royal Navy agree to do this to try and garner some positive publicity after their major embarrassment in the Gulf last year?
What was the embarrassment in the Gulf? Didn't see the programme on the Lotus 25, don't really watch C5 much but the place I am staying in doesn't have Sky, so I'm limited to five channels frown

Shar2

2,238 posts

228 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
It was an interesting series as I spent some time on the Illustrious when in the mob. The ship has changed quite a lot since I was on board though. Was a bit annoyed at the fecker who couldn't pass his fitness test as we weren't even allowed to pass out of training if we hadn't met the required fitness level.

Eric Mc

123,872 posts

280 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
The "embarrassment" I was referring to was the capture of the navy personnel by the Iranian National Guard patrol boat.

The Lotus 25 documentary was a dire programme supposedly telling us the story of how the Lotus 25 changed motor racing forever. Even though the 25 was a landmark car, it was not as revolotionary as the programme suggested and other even more revolutionary vehicles were ignored completely. It was also very poorly put together as a programme.

SVX

Original Poster:

2,188 posts

226 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
The "embarrassment" I was referring to was the capture of the navy personnel by the Iranian National Guard patrol boat.

The Lotus 25 documentary was a dire programme supposedly telling us the story of how the Lotus 25 changed motor racing forever. Even though the 25 was a landmark car, it was not as revolutionary as the programme suggested and other even more revolutionary vehicles were ignored completely. It was also very poorly put together as a programme.
Ah of course, those guys in "Iranian" waters... I remember now. The embarrassment I was thinking of was the shocking lack of matériel for Marines and ground troops alike...

Eric Mc

123,872 posts

280 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
That's a general malaise that has afflicted the British fighting man since the Battle of Crecy.

Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 24th June 11:00

nail_it

968 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
F i F said:
Lurking Lawyer said:
rhinochopig said:
ETA Yes I've been enjoying it to. Good program.
+1
+2 not watched the last two episodes still sitting on Sky+ box.

Did the female steward and the artificer do the dirty deed yet? Looked to be getting a bit closer than regs allow. fnar fnar?
+ 3
Better watch your Sky+ box for the the answer hehe

disco1

1,963 posts

233 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
After watching a few of these I couldn't but help think they are pretty average types (no disrespect) and hardly hardened seamen, their 'boarding parties' are nothing more than bored volunteers from the engine rooms and below deck, no wonder the Iranian guard had one over them last year.

This program hasn't really done anything good for the image of our self styled 'best in the world' armed forces. The ship is a mess, it doesn't have a permanant squadron of harriers and coudln't fight put up a fight against what our Euro friends have let alone the world.

Role on delivery of the 2 new aircraft carriers

Retreats to bunker...

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

213 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
SVX said:
Eric Mc said:
The "embarrassment" I was referring to was the capture of the navy personnel by the Iranian National Guard patrol boat.

The Lotus 25 documentary was a dire programme supposedly telling us the story of how the Lotus 25 changed motor racing forever. Even though the 25 was a landmark car, it was not as revolutionary as the programme suggested and other even more revolutionary vehicles were ignored completely. It was also very poorly put together as a programme.
Ah of course, those guys in "Iranian" waters... I remember now. The embarrassment I was thinking of was the shocking lack of matériel for Marines and ground troops alike...
TBH I think the lack of kit stories are exaggerated by the press. The big problem the MoD has is, in defence procurement terms, the type of operational role faced by UK forces is very different to that which most of the kit was designed for. Stuff coming on line now - think Astute Class, Typhoon II - have their design briefs dating back to the late 80s and changes in role have resulted in massive cost increases. These costs increases have impacts elsewhere, as it would be political suicide to just stop the development and procurement of something like Astute or Typhoon II. The military have a very tough job at the moment trying to maintain a modern military and yet fight a medievel war.

Eric Mc

123,872 posts

280 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
I don't think the crew can be blamed for poor government policy on the withdrawl from service of the Sea Harrier.
It certainly seemed to me that, by and large, the RN carrier fleet are now no more than glorified fast jet transporter ships. They offloaded the Harrier GR9s when they got to their destination where the aircraft then became land based.
They might as well have shipped them out in crates - or maybe even flown directly to where they needed to be.

Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 24th June 11:14

Shar2

2,238 posts

228 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
disco1 said:
After watching a few of these I couldn't but help think they are pretty average types (no disrespect) and hardly hardened seamen, their 'boarding parties' are nothing more than bored volunteers from the engine rooms and below deck, no wonder the Iranian guard had one over them last year.

This program hasn't really done anything good for the image of our self styled 'best in the world' armed forces. The ship is a mess, it doesn't have a permanant squadron of harriers and coudln't fight put up a fight against what our Euro friends have let alone the world.

Role on delivery of the 2 new aircraft carriers

Retreats to bunker...
Have to agree with that, even though is saddens me to say that. Even with the Harriers on board, we have lost most of the air-to-air capabilty since they retired the Sea Harriers. Even the Italians have Harrier II Plus, which is a bomber Harrier with a radar so can carry AMRAAM etc. Bloody MOD can't sort out a piss-up in a brewery.mad

SVX

Original Poster:

2,188 posts

226 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
Does anyone know when the new carriers are due to enter service? With the Sea Harrier being retired what will they be flying?

Eric Mc

123,872 posts

280 months

Tuesday 24th June 2008
quotequote all
The Sea Harrier has been retired two years already.

The plan is to fly the Lockheed Martin JSF (if the Yanks let us have them as they don't trust us with their technology any more - if they ever did).