Re: british government moves war****ps into the region

On Sat, 17 May 2008 12:57:01 +0100, "William Black"
<william.black@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>
>The point about war****ps from a 'blue water' navy is that they can
operate 
>as coastal secure stable helicopter platforms and small warehouses.

[  http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=12000

A British Royal Navy frigate has been ordered to stand by off Burma
with emergency aid for the survivors of cyclone Nargis. The 4,900-ton
HMS Westminster will join US and French war****ps waiting in
international waters off the Burmese coast, ready to rush relief
supplies to the Irrawaddy delta if instructed by the UN or invited by
the Burmese regime...]

Myanmar's ****t facilities are wrecked.  What small warehouse?  The
only supplies aboard the frigate are her own stores for station duty
off Iraq.

HMS Westminster is a Type 23 frigate (see photo)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_23_frigate
At 4,200 tons, a small
hull fully packed with ****pboard weapons.  It cannot take on refugees
(security concerns) and limited very space to do so anyway.

Class and type: Frigate 
Displacement: Standard:3500tons

Full Load:4200tons 
Length: 133m (436ft 4in) 
Beam: 16.1m (52ft 10in) 
Draught: 7.3m (24ft) 
Speed: 28knots 
Range: 14,485km (9000miles) at 15knots 
Complement: 181 
Aircraft carried: one Lynx HMA.Mk3/8 or Merlin HM.Mk 1 helicopter 

The RN Lynx heliocopter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Lynx
is
capable only for limited local rescue work.  Maybe drop a few supplies
deliveries. Its crew of 2 or 3 and its weapons systems take up all the
space. It isn't equipped for S&R winch capability or for trans****ting
refugees to a safer zone.

French ****ps are likely the same class.  The Myanmar government
doesn't welcome USN ****ps of any size or color.