kzt wrote:WeirdlyWired wrote:It took 60 years+ of R&D todevelop the tech, Even Haven with the pressure of combat can't duplicate that tech. Sure, even the Manties acknowlege that given time the SL can duplicate the tech. But even with working models, I'm not sure you're significantly closing the gap.
The Chinese and Russians engaged in espionage enage to steal designs from the west. The f-35 clone the Chinese just unveiled didn't require 20 years of R&D at the cost of hundreds of billions. The Russians developed their first nukes without the collection of Nobel prize winners and the enormous R&D investments or the huge investments in manpower because their spies gave all the designs for the weapons and infrastructure to Moscow Center.
It works really, really well. They are always going to be trailing somewhat, but since they don't have to pay for R&D they can instead build a lot more copies than the West.
Though the Chinese jet engine metallurgy and design reportedly lags significantly behind even the Russians, much less the West. And it's unclear how much of the low ovservable and sensor fusion tech that makes the F-35 so expensive (and capable) was cloned by the Chinese. Making a plane fly, for awhile, that looks like an F-35 is the smallest part of really replicating one...
Though the Russians definitely replicated the nuclear bomb, though lagged behind on shrinking it - with ironically benificial side effects on their early space program. (Their nukes were big/heavy enough that their stock ICBMs were able to put a man in orbit, while the US ICBMs with their lighter more compact nukes weren't)
robert132 wrote:
Okay, granted, one piece hulls would be that much stronger.
But if you can't open the bloody things up then how does Chief Engineer Snotty get new and damned LARGE pieces of equipment into that hull to replace the older pieces that Captain Qwerk has somehow managed to break?
Before First Hancock battlecruiser HMS Nike needed internal work to correct a major defect that required Paul Tankersley and his shipyard to open the hull to gain access. This is in line with my comment about being able to open the hull of a deep diving nuclear submarine in order to fix or replace equipment that won't fit through the torpedo loading or personnel hatches in the hull. After they are done with the work the shipyard WILL close the hull openings back up, as strong as new or so close it makes no difference. A sub capable of 1500 or 2000 foot dives before the refit will be capable of that same performance AFTER the work is done.
Armored warships HAVE to be designed to not only stand up to incredible punishment but also to be repaired afterward. Many of those repairs are going to REQUIRE being able to gain access to the hull interior through openings larger than the designed in hatches.
If the SD HMS Hercules requires heavy repair or extensive refit to her powerplants I suspect a Manty shipyard (once they get rebuilt) is going to have the ability to open her hull, make the repairs or install the replacements and close her back up as good as new just as we do today with those submarines I mentioned.
A SD capable yard can cut access paths to replace major components- just not quickly. The repairs to HMS Nike that you mentioned to months to open up access to the reactor. An SD would (having more armor) take longer.
It would be a major operation - probably similar to a USN Refueling and Overhaul (ROH) on an SSN,SSBN, or CVN; a process that currently take 2 or 3 years in the yard! Very possible, and even routinely done in a ship's lifespan. But not quick, nor cheap, and only done when the benefits outweigh the substantial costs (in dollars, time, and opportunity).
