HMS Ocean visits Dublin.

Archeron

You may have heard that the HMS Ocean, which i believe is the largest British warship is currently in DUblin on a courtesy call.

From listening to different sides arguing, it appears that many people are angered by this ship presence in our city. I personally dont see any major problem with its visit, and many people have enjoyed nosing around these types of vessels in Dublin for years.

I did read this morning that there is a humanitarian meeting on board this ship today, and Trócaire are refusing to take part.
Link here : http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/06/30/story265629.html
I do think a warship is an odd place for humanitarian talks though.

Do you have any strong opinions on this ships visit?

Hagar

Archeron wrote:

I do think a warship is an odd place for humanitarian talks though.

I would tend to agree however the Military seem to be the only people with the logistic skills and delivery systems in place to deploy aid in many of the far-flung places where it's needed.
The Military and their ability to help are only deployed at the behest of their Governments so there is the question of aid, or lack of aid, being used to bring political pressure. I think that is where many people have issue with military involvement. Playing the "humanitarian aid" card sometimes can look like an excuse to get your troops on the ground.

NMM

Dave!

http://www.afsouth.nato.int/images/Destined%20Glory00/dg8.jpg

Pretty fookin big boat

Naked Lepper

DaveMcG wrote:

http://www.afsouth.nato.int/images/Destined%20Glory00/dg8.jpg

Pretty fookin big boat

thats got a french flag on the top of it tho

pclancy

Where is it docked? That thing couldnt get through the east link could it?

Hagar

Yes but it's below the Royal Ensign. It's a courtesy to fly the flag of the country being visited as a second flag.

Dave!

Hagar wrote:

Yes but it's below the Royal Ensign. It's a courtesy to fly the flag of the country being visited as a second flag.

ehh... yeah!

*thanks christ he didn't just post the wrong boat*

robinph

Archeron wrote:

You may have heard that the HMS Ocean, which i believe is the largest British warship is currently in DUblin on a courtesy call.

I dont think thats the biggest one by quite a way. I think it's used for heilcopter assaults by the marines. They have two smallish aircraft carriers though, when compared to the Charles De Gaulle or the US Nimitz ones, which will be a lot bigger than HMS Ocean.

Edit: HMS Ark Royal is their current biggest one of three carriers, but I think its about to be scrapped.

BendiBus

Impressive looking ship. I think I'll go have a look now

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.1772

Morlar

robinph wrote:

I dont think thats the biggest one by quite a way. I think it's used for heilcopter assaults by the marines. They have two smallish aircraft carriers though, when compared to the Charles De Gaulle or the US Nimitz ones, which will be a lot bigger than HMS Ocean.

Edit: HMS Ark Royal is their current biggest one of three carriers, but I think its about to be scrapped.

The charles de gaulle is enormous - far as I remember waaay bigger than ark royal - saw them both at the international festival of the sea in portsmouth last year (along with tons of others). I have a feeling that the us may have a bigger one somewhere though.

BendiBus

I think the Nimitz Class carriers are the largest in the world.

USS John C. Stennis is one

the Shades

Yay! Sailor boys!

bennyx_o

This is docked just where I work. It's a huge thing but it fits in. The berth its on is used for Cruise ships when they come to Dublin.

zuma

Both the CdeG and Nimitz clss of warships are not allowed access to Irish ports due to our governments anti-nuclear stance....probable more to do with the fact that they might carry nuclear weapons more than having nuclear propulsion

Asok

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

John R

Asok wrote:

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

The Holyhead car ferry is bigger. Slightly less firepower though.

_Kaiser_

zuma wrote:

Both the CdeG and Nimitz clss of warships are not allowed access to Irish ports due to our governments anti-nuclear stance....probable more to do with the fact that they might carry nuclear weapons more than having nuclear propulsion

Wasn't the USS John F Kennedy here a few years back?

Stephen

Yeah but that's an old carrier, and is powered by gas turbines, not nuclear reactors.