Douglas Barrie/LONDON
THE UK IS considering a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, dubbed the CV(R), as a possible option to replace its three Invincible-class carriers by around the year 2010.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) released details of the work in a document seeking bidders for concept studies for the CV(R), pointing out that the work will need to include related studies into nuclear propulsion.
The logistics division of Rolls-Royce & Associates, the UK's sole builder of nuclear-propulsion plant for Royal Navy submarines, is among the companies invited to tender by the MoD for the concept studies. Other bidders include the shipbuilders Vickers and Yarrow.
The USA is the world's only operator of nuclear-powered carriers, although France is building the first of two nuclear-powered ships, with a launch date of 1999.
The RN is pushing for the replacement carrier to be substantially larger than the invincible class, with the ability to carry a larger complement of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
The carrier concept study, which will look at a wide range of equipment and design options - including conventional and nuclear power plant - is going on in parallel with the development of a replacement for the RN's British Aerospace Sea Harrier F/A2.
The RN is looking to the US Department of Defense's (DoD) joint advanced strike technology (JAST)/advanced short take-off and vertical-landing aircraft to provide a next-generation multi-role carrier-borne aircraft around 2010. UK industry is expected to be involved in any JAST development with the USA.
The Invincible class has a displacement of 20,000t, while the CV(R) could have a displacement of around 35,000t - although funding pressures may result in a ship much closer in size to the Invincible.
A CV(R) of around 35,000t could carry more than 20 fixed-wing aircraft, along with a up to a dozen EH Industries EH101s in anti-submarine warfare and airborne-early-warning configurations.
Source: Flight International
