Malta Class Carriers

[royabulgaf]

There are the obvious candidates for a stand-in TSR-3 (well, it aint the -2!):

CF-105 Arrow, modified for the strike role - excellent performance etc...

This crops up again and again here and in other similar sites.  The problem is the Arrow was designed for high speed-high altitude missions.  Sort of a super-F106.  The work involved in making it a strike aircraft would be best spent elsewhere.  Remember the F-111B?

[Tornado]

My take on the Malta Class as completed from 1958/59 with modern systems and all-missile armament of five SeaCat launchers.

Airgroup is the usual Scimitar, Sea Vixen and Gannet.
Forward of the ship is my what-if airgroup of supersonic Scimitars Type 576 and 567 for interception and strike roles respectively and the AW.168 bomber. I think Malta would be suited to these types and her existance might of driven policy to buy better supersonic aircraft and larger strike aircraft.
My TSR.3 would be an improved Bucc or 168 with the systems from TSR.2 added to it. I don't think supersonic bombers are really needed but Malta could have easily accomodated Vickers ER.206 Scheme C or the Vickers 581. The 583 series (no need for the VTOL 583V) might of made an excellent multi-role fighter too to replace the supersonic Scimitar.

[DarrenP]

Jumping into the 1980's

[dy031101]

Jumping into the 1980's

With the installation of the Phalanx guns, maybe the Seacats would give way to the Sea Wolf systems...... probably in reduced numbers as well.

[DarrenP]

MMMM posibility or GoalKeeper

[rickshaw]

Jumping into the 1980's

With the installation of the Phalanx guns, maybe the Seacats would give way to the Sea Wolf systems...... probably in reduced numbers as well.

Seacat was still a good point-defence weapon as the Falklands showed, into the 1980s (although I suspect its useby date had been reached by about second half of the decade).   Sea Wolf would have required serious updating of the firecontrol systems and radars.

[DarrenP]

Possibly SeaJavelin or Seastreak multi launchers?

[uk 75]

I love the Shipbucket drawings.

My take on the Malta class is very much a fantasy one, but I like it.

At the end of the War the Admiralty recognises that its future in the
new world is going to rest on its close relationship with the USN.

A review of all the new tonnage building and ordered is carried out at
an Atlantic level.  The result is that the undersized Illustrious class
fleet carriers are to be progressively withdrawn from service while
the main RN carrier force focuses on the effective and modern
light fleet carriers.  New carrier orders are thus limited to the three
projected Malta class ships and light fleets (both for own and export
use). The Ark Royal and Eagle are scrapped on the slips as being too
small and too late for joint US/RN use.

The successful deployment of the RN's light fleet carriers in the Korean
War encourages the USN to help the construction of the Malta class along,
to provide a part of the new NATO Striking Fleet in the Atlantic.  The first
ship is re-named Ark Royal (the Queen Mother's idea), the second takes
the name Malta GC and the third Eagle.

By 1956 the first two ships are in service operating US supplied aircraft under
MDAP.  In the longer term the UK plans to use the SR177 fighter and the Buccaneer
bomber on its fleet carriers.  The US encourages this programme to spur on development of its own naval aircraft.  The SR 177 encounters development and
in service problems and is only bought in small numbers by the RN. The Buccaneer, however, is developed with US assistance and beats the home-grown Grumman Intruder for use on smaller US carriers of the Midway class.

The McDonnell Douglas Phantom proves to be the star aircraft of the USN and the RN.
By 1968 it is in service on all three RN fleet carriers.  In development, after the F111B fiasco, is a swing wing Phoenix carrying Phantom S, which joins the USN and RN in the early 70s.

The RN purchases small quantities of Hawkeye AEW and Greyhound COD for its three
fleet carriers.  No rotary aircraft are carried except for a plane guard helo (initially
a Whirlwind, later a Wessex).

The growing Soviet submarine threat sees some of the Bucaneer being traded in the 70s for S3 Viking ASW planes.

The light fleets gradually leave RN service, except for 4 ASW/Commando ships which
come into service in the early 1960s operating Wessexes and later Sea Kings.

The carriers are very lightly armed, initially with 40mm Bofors twin mounts and later
with Seacat missiles.

By the end of the 1960s the Post War relationship is under some strain,,,

[Hobbes]

Possibly SeaJavelin or Seastreak multi launchers?

I'd go with a navalised Rapier for short-range defence.

[sequoiaranger]

I'm not up on much post-war development, but here is a doctored photo and description of a possible Malta-class ship I used for my wargame.

http://www.combinedfleet.com/furashita/malta_f.htm

[DarrenP]

Jumping into the 1980's

With the installation of the Phalanx guns, maybe the Seacats would give way to the Sea Wolf systems...... probably in reduced numbers as well.

Seacat was still a good point-defence weapon as the Falklands showed, into the 1980s (although I suspect its useby date had been reached by about second half of the decade).   Sea Wolf would have required serious updating of the firecontrol systems and radars.

Or maybe I fitted the Phalanx as a UOR for op corporate to counter the threat of sea akimmers such as exocet. Now phalanx is useful as it can be bolted to the deck and doesn't need to affect another compartment unlike Goal keeper.