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Navy N( ws JUNE 1993
HMS Ocean is the allocated name for the Navy's new helicopter carrier ordered last month—and she will be floated on an ocean of tears from Tyneside, after Swan Hunter unexpectedly lost the contract to VSEL at Barrow-in-Furness. Swan Hunter at once called in the receivers, saying the company's financial situation offered no alternative, and construction was temporarily halted on the Type 23 frigates HMS Westminster, Northumberland and Richmond. Wild accusations of mafia-type deals followed the Government's decision, with local MPs accusing them of plotting the yard's downfall. It was suggested that the specifications had been d e l i b e r a t e l y changed in order to increase Swan Hunter's costs. Defence Procurement M i n i s t e r Jonathan Aitken dismissed this as absurd. The clincher was the fact that VSEL's bid was over £50m less than Swan Hunter's while fully meeting the requirement. "We were surprised, just as others have subsequently been surprised, by the size of the difference between the two bids" he said. "However, we were not surprised that VSEL's bed was so low, but that Swan Hunter's bid was so high." Mr Aitken made it clear that both
yards tendered a ship to meet exactly the same specification — and although they based their bids on different designs of their own choosing, "the similarity between the two proposals was remarkable." He congratulated VSEL for putting in "a first class, highly competitive bid" and paid tribute to Swan Hunter — "a proud name and a great yard which has built warships for the Royal Navy to the highest standards for many years." "For that company to go into receivership with a potentially large loss of jobs is a human and commercial tragedy which we all deeply regret." The 20,000 tonne vessel will be built using the latest laser technology and will have a crew of 600. She will also be able to embark 700 commandos and 12 helicopters to bring them ashore. HMS Ocean is seen as a vital component of the Navy's future capacity to take part in world-wide missions, including humanitarian aid, now that the its submarine-hunting role has diminished with the end of the Cold war. • The last HMS Ocean was a light Fleet carrier that saw the first deck landing of a jet aircraft off the Isle of Wight on December 3, 1945. In 1950 she was part of the Commonwealth force at the outbreak of the Korean War (she is seen here two years later patrolling in the Yellow Sea) and during the Suez crisis in 1956 she helped launch the first major airborne helicopter assault from ships. She was broken up in 1962.
Atlantic swells HMY Britannia ploughs through rough seas off Anglesey past the Russian Sovremenny Class destroyer Gremyashchy. They said it was the first Royal Review to be held in a Force 8 gale — weather the wartime convoys once wished for to keep the U-boats at bay and so it was entirely appropriate to the occasion. See also pages 8 and 36 — and next month's issue for a full report and pictures. Wire picture — PO(Phol) Fez Parker
Heavenly Amanda Johnson (19) has fallen for the Royal Marines in a big way — this month she is joining their top-rated Free Fall Team for a tandem sky dive. The new Miss Globe and Laurel, a shop assistant from Nottingham, will bale out at 12,000 ft over the Joint Service Parachute Training Centre at Nertherhaven. During her year as the Corps' official pin-up girl she will also take part in climbing, abseiling and unarmed combat sessions — just as well-she lists keeping fit among her hobbies. -
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