(Fwd) Re: PAU fleet

Ryan:

Being able to produce them correctly is probably the major issue. 
Russia, could build an aircraft carrier, they just lacked the 
knowledge base on how to put it together in a reliable form and 
operate it. A ship is a complex machine. Its not like a car. Its 
really lots and lots of independent systems operating together. 
Getting them all to work correctly is hard.

Tomb: 

Yes and no. I think for _anyone_ to field a space navy, there will 
have to be a higher general level of ship design/maintenance ability. 
Just operating in space has minimal competency/design constraints.
And if you don't have the expertise, you can probably contract it in 
the world of 2183. I'm not saying that the PAU would build 
(independently) as good of a BB as the NAC, but then again it is just 
possible if they contracted it out to the right people, they might 
get one built with lesser political influence peddling and cronyism 
than the NAC procurement regime I imagine to exist has. 

>For that matter, you'd think that capship slips would be a fair size
>(even orbital) and if you didn't need to use them regularly (let's
>imagine that ESU and NAC and maybe FSE and NSL would), they'd be an
>expense to maintain. OTOH, some private firms could probably handle
>fleet maintenance contracts from several nations (or even
>construction contracts).

Typically, such assets are considered strategic and there are 
typically strong controls on who can sell what to whom.

[Tomb]

1. I think anyone can build ships in the core system in sealed slips. 
Why? The UNSC keeps the core quiet. So I think an independent 
contractor could well do this, also the slips used for large merchies 
may be well suited (and more economically viable). 

2. For all the control established, fighters and nukes and other such 
stuff seems to be filtering out to the world as a whole. Selling a 
carrier is a big step, but it probably comes with big commitments in 
return (such as alliance in future Solar Wars?). This is not just an 
economic or engineering problem, it is diplomatic and political at 
the same time.Plus in the ESU, the mob may be involved and there may 
be huge illicit profit taking also. 

>I suspect the PAU fleet has some hand-me downs, some bought-news,
>some bought-and-modifieds, and maybe even some smaller home-brew
>designs (DDs, FFs, etc). I would guess NAC, ESU, FSE. NAC, because 
of
>what OO mentioned, ESU because we know they have some, and FSE
>because they were nominal allies at one point and the French have
>always tended to encourage arms sales to a variety of sides (even
>those fighting the French national forces....).

One thing to look at as an example is the number of EX US and USN 
ships that were handed over following WWII. More than a few nations 
were given or sold Ships of up to BB and CA size. Most didn't operate 

terribly long or for significant amounts. Having BBs doesn't mean you 

can attack another nation across the ocean.

[Tomb] True, but OTOH, we're already assuming nations with a 
significant colonial ocean going capability and star navies. Let me 
give you an example: Canada doesn't build anything larger than a DD 
now, but if you gave us a cruiser, we could man it. The skillset 
isn't _all_ that different, and we have some idea how the job is 
done. Given a bit of time, we'd have it down pat. An aircraft carrier 
would be more of a challenge, but given the basic education/military 
history and a proper investment, it would be possible. So your case 
study applies when giving bang-sticks to the aboriginies, but giving 
a starship to an already star-capable people who have some 
institutional experience (or know how to learn from others 
experiences) will eventually result in increased capabilities for 
them.