The cruiser future in the RMN - another go

A far superior analogy would be WWII aircraft. Besides you have MANY more aircraft to choose from.

My best would be:
Ferret: F7F Tigercat
Night fighter for the ECM Ferret role, good accleration and climb, but not all that great of a turn. Good ground attack aircraft.

Katana: F8F Bearcat
Top notch maneuverability, climb rate, high end speed, dive speed. Ground attack minimal.

******* Others worth close consideration *******

Ferret: SBD divebomber
Katana: F6F Hellcat

Ferret: Mosquito or Tempest
Katana: Spitfire

Ferret: Ju-88
Katana: BF-190

Ferret: P38F Obviously not the J,K, or L version
Katana: P51D

plenty more...

SO: WHO is going to try their hand at WWI aircraft???

Weird Harold wrote:

Somtaaw wrote:The real way to look at it, are that Katana's are basically Ferret 2.0's, the new and improved model.

Nope. No Way, No How!

Ferrets and Katanas are designed for totally different missions. It's like you're saying that an F22 is just a new and improved model of the B1B Lancer.

I believe Somtaaw's statement come from a line where Grayson didn't field any Ferrets, but designed the Katana in their place.

The 2 are not supposed to be interchangeable, but are actually a display in the differences in LAC doctrine between the 2 allies. Manticore, seeing the limitations of the Shrike in the anti-shipping role, developed the Ferret, with ECM and heavier missile loads as an anti-ship escort to allow the Shrike to reach it's assault range. Grayson, saw the Shrike's deficiencies and designed the Katana for when someone else designed a Shrike analog, envisioning LAC shells "mixing it up" and the Shrike requiring a anti-LAC escort to reach it's assault range.

The RMN also had a similar project as the Katana, but it trashcanned by Janacheck.

Interesting topic and thank you. I do not remember if I have already addressed this. We also need to understand that personnel $cost$ probably is the top concern when downsizing crew totals.

A rough anology with today. In the American Fire Service, from which I am long retired, personnal costs are now the driving money issue. A new fire engine costs today over $500,000 bucks. Ouch!

But ... just one (1) firefighter today cost about $120,000 bucks per person per year. Year after year after year. That number may also be low. One firefighter cost is equal to 5 to 7 fire engines!

Flash forward to the Honorverse. Can we imagine how much and how long it takes to train, equip and pay even a very small crew? Many many times the cost of the starship, be what it may be.

The driving force of downsizing Honorverse Manti starships is money! That and time. Therefore any teck that allows for smaller crews MUST be addressed. There is no other way. Just me.

HB of CJ (old coot) POST CAPTAIN! I love this Forum!