Quote:
Originally Posted by Seaver
Well we could leave you to your own devices and possibly end up like the French.
They decided they wanted a Nuclear Carrier. So they put a reactor from a Sub into the carrier. However subs aren't meant to go fast, carriers are. If there is no headwind the carrier has to speed up to 30+ knots to create enough headwind for the planes to take off. However the reactor isn't meant for those speeds. So they have to speed up enough for that, which is long enough to launch one plane then the reactor auto-kills itself to prevent overheating. So for the next 30min the carrier is dead in the water with only backup batteries for life support systems.
In addition to that their BRAND NEW plane built for the carrier is too big (dont know who overlooked that). It can't land or take off from the very carrier it was built around, so their Navy is still using the 1955 fighters.
All that and their carrier costs almost as much as ours... and is 1/2 the size.
Go France!
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there you go. economies of scale in action.