Rescue Carrier Idea

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, Tell me what You Think of this:What If someone took an Old Freighter or Tanker Vessel and turned it into a Rescue Carrier for Responding to Ships in Distress or an Aircraft down @ Sea Call? it was something i often wondered about. Btw, I got the Idea from looking @ ships like the Moskva class Carrier and wondered if Anyone thought of Rigging the Ship for Rescue use. Thanks for looking.Dan

[Weaver]

I had a similar idea myself: old container ships (better basis) converted to simple helo carriers plus hospital facilities for disaster relief. Get the helos from surplus stock at David Monthan or wherever: they don't have to be militarily competetive to be useful. That station these ships at home ports around the world from which they can get to likely disater areas quickly.

[PR19_Kit]

Think 'Atlantic Conveyor'...... 

[Gondor]

An apparent "Fact" about the Atlantic Conveyor was that it would have sunk regardless of any hostile action due to the amount of equipment that was supposed to have gone down with it during Operation Corporate.

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

Gondor,

An apparent "Fact" about the Atlantic Conveyor was that it would have sunk regardless of any hostile action due to the amount of equipment that was supposed to have gone down with it during Operation Corporate.

Can you run that past me again please, even though it's way off Cobra's topic? 

Why would she have sunk just because of the load she carried? She managed to get all the way from Ascension with her full cargo load with no signs of unseaworthiness.

[Silver Fox]

The point was 'supposed' to have gone down with... In other words, the weight of the listed lost cargo exceeds the maximum displacement of the vessel. Listed cargo doesn't mean it was actually onboard.

[Gondor]

Sorry about the confusion PR_19. When the Atlantic Conveyor sank it seamed as if everyone that had some broken or lost equipment during that conflict managed to get their losses written off by saying that what ever they had lost was on the Atlantic Conveyor. The apparent total load would have caused the ship to sink. It's all probably an Urban Myth anyway but sounds good.

Gondor

[Weaver]

There was a similar tale in Vietnam about a Huey that had gone down and never been found. All the bent storemen in the area used to move stuff around to cover whoever was being audited and write off stuff that they couldn't cover to the crash. When the Army got wise and audited them all at once, the paperwork showed that there'd been about 19 tons of gear on that Huey: no wonder it crashed huh? 

[Martin H]

one hell of a tread hijack

[PR19_Kit]

one hell of a trea ;Dd hijack

Of course, we do it because we can...........

And thanks for the clarification, I'd heard 'overload' business that a few times in the past.

[Fulcrum]

*Puts thread back on course, sorry guys*

It is a great idea, maybe use HMS Hermes &/or Invincible class Aviation "criusers" as a hospital ship, aid relief transport, disaster relief co-ordination HQ's, etc.

Maybe use Harriers as "fast(or quick) ambulances" by transporting injured people to the rescue carrier in those "people pods" (I think there is a picture sort of similar to this, thanks to the people of Avpro).

[Caveman]

Well why not use something like the Do 31 as a medivac?

I have always liked the idea of using the Pegasus on a larger aircraft than a harrier.

[Thorvic]

Why not use a landing ship like the RNs Bay class http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/royal-fleet-auxiliary/rfa-flotilla/bay-class-landing-ships/.

Use them as Rescue ships for Disaster relief pre-stored with medical supplies, emergenices accomodation & suppliers, rescue equipment and machinery etc. Pre=position them around the world with an attached crew and have the majority fly in when required.

The Bay class are handy as designed to support forces more than the initial assault, so they only have a small dock with an LCU, rather than more bulky LCAC which leaves space for more internal space, thers a huge capable flight deck which hase a crane and container farm fwd thus allowing for flexibility for more stores, larger deck cargo or temporart hanger for helicopter or a combination of the lot. Mexifloats can be carried attached to the side of the hull along the flightdeck so these can be used for ferrying the stores ashore.

The UK used one of these for the Haiti relief operation, but it had to first restore with suitable materials before it could be despatched. The Italians used their Cavour carrier in the same role which is a rather expensive use of their flagship. They could have used thier San Georgio class but needed the fast fleet speed of the carrier to get the aid there faster. Thus prestocked, pre-positioned Landing Ships sponsored by the UN would be a much wiser option.

G

[deathjester]

How about refitting an out of use Oil Rig to serve as an oilfield rescue base / hospital?
You could even station the mobile ones (Tension Leg Platforms)  near known, or likely disaster areas, such as Bangladesh, etc...

[Geoff]

Wasn't this the reasons given to equip the JMSDF with LSTs and a pair of assault ships? Or am I just being cynical?