ÂŁ Tavyxews MAY 1973
5p
NEW CRUISER 'BOOSTER' FOR FLEET
The formal announcement of the contract for the first of the Royal Navy's through-deck cruisers has been hailed by defence writers as a triumphal outcome of the Service fight to retain its own air support. Official Admiralty statements are much more restrained, pointing out that the through-deck concept is for the most effective operation of the cruiser's complement of large antisubmarine helicopters, but that if the jump-jet option is taken up, the design of the new vessel will offer "significant advantages." However, the Defence Secretary (Lord Carrington) told a London Service gathering: "The Government is convinced of the need for the Royal Navy's through-deck cruisers to carry VSTOL aircraft." Lord Carnngton added that whether the existing Harrier VSTOL aircraft could be effectively converted to maritime use would be decided in the next two or three months. The United States, as another current user of the Harrier, is also deeply interested in its development, and with the U.K. Government
has agreed to launch a joint study into the possibility of producing a new "super" version. The outcome of these investigations would be of special importance to the Royal Navy in its hopes for continuing air support for the Fleet when H.M.S. Ark Royal, last of the carriers, is phased out. The three main initial capabilities of the through-deck cruiser are (I) deployment of Sea King anti-submarine helicopters (2) command and control of naval and maritime forces (3) contribution with its Sea Dart system to area air defence. (Continued In Page 40)
ZULU VISIT
H.M.S. Antrim's call at Durban provided an opportunity for these sailors to take a 90-mile coach trip to visit the Zulus at Eshowe.
BRIGHT GREETING
Visiting aircrew landing their aircraft at the Royal Naval Air Station, Veovilton, are assured of a bright greeting. Wren Air Mechanics Roslvn Card and Jane Pleale are dressed in their new VIP outfits alongside a visiting piano, a "Paris" M.S380 from Brittany. Jane has the red hair.
Missile studies
The Royal Navy is an important step nearer to getting a misilc which can be launched from a submerged submarine and home its way on the surface to its target.
Hair rules already at the limit?
Hawker Siddeley Dynamics are to undertake for the Ministry of )efencc a detailed study of a new Submarine-launched air-flight missile or a guided weapons system intended to give sub-surface-to- surHice offensive capability to the Royal avy's submarine fleet.
If letters to Navy News mean anything, few topics in the Service are of greater interest among young sailors than the length of their hair. Whenever possible, sailors have been asked. young "What do you want,' and opinion appears to be almost unanimous on at least one point - "Nothing like the Dutch or Scandinavian navies, who look like the crews of channel ferries when they come in." One young sailor said that he and his mates "just wait to be picked up and told to get a haircut," and his suggestion was that they should be allowed to have with sideburns, which can be worn with caps their hair thick at the back down to the collar, but also style, uniform." thick at the sides so that it could be brushed down in andOne difficulty is that even now, the interpretation of more modern style for going ashore. He thought this would still look smart with the hair brushed along over the ears for the wearing of caps. SYMPAThY (Oplnloo:SeePagels) The idea may well be an interesting talking point and feed back from the Fleet is watched carefully at all times - but Navy News can find no evidence that further hair rules relaxation is contemplated at the present time. There is a surprising amount of sympathy among For the second successive year, Nay Nevis was seniors "top brass" for youth and their hair - many in the Management have sons of their own - but the awardeda Certificateof ~(in thenational house view with most general support at the moment is that journal competition organized by the British Asso"we feel we have gone as far as we can in allowing a ciation of Industrial Editors.
Hawker Siddeleys have also eceived a contract from the MOD or the project definition and predevelopment studies of a new medium range, air-to-air missile ased on the U.S. developed Sparrow which has been successfully integrated into both R.A.F. and RN. operational units. This weapons system promises .onsiderable advances over currently-operational medium range air-to-air missiles.
allowswouldquite create fullness,inestab-and `STORY 0 F YOUR guidelines widely-varying farther new anystep problems lishing consistent handling. LIFE' EXERCISE NAVY NEWS WINS 'MERIT' AWARD
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OTHER PAGES
16 Dangermen at work. 17 Ship-swop Palliser. 18 Minister's views.
19 CaprIce pays off. ) Cochrane adventure. 25 in command at 25.
"Cripes - they want the story of my life," could well be the reaction of a sailor on seeing the bulk of a questionnaire designed for completion by 3,000 personnel of the Navy. In a way, he is light. Detailed research among the customers is a fact If the Admiralty were lucky enough to have, of everyday commercial life - and well known Service all documented with history, everybody's also in some other navies - giving to the R.N. rewards, and frustrations, and then fed opinions, an importance in determining the posinto a computer, many areas of planning would be experiment sible scope of future investigations of the kind, as clarified, instead of being exercises leaning on well as gaining useful immediate information. theory and guesswork. The present effort is a trial, which will be The questionnaire can be a vital management watched with great interest in assessing the results. process, but it also gives the customer an opporviewed against the costs. It goes wider and deerr than anything previously attempted, embracing tunity to share in the decision making - always provided he is kept informed on progress towards personal and family topics as well as Service equating collective opinion with results. problems, in what is described as a "comprehensive occupational analysis." (Details, see Page 27)
Royal