Abstract:
The means by which the Royal Navy will continue to
operate fixed-wing aircraft at sea is by employing VTOL or·
given an aid to-take-off, STOVL aircraft. The aid being '
brought into service is -the Skijump, which permits a
large increase in payload over unassisted VTOL. The
effectiveness of skijump increases with its exit angle up
to about 40°, but other considerations of size and
ungainliness set a practical lim~tation nearer to 20°.
The endspeeds required for ballistic launch off a
skijump could be achieved or-enhanced by the use of assistance
by catapult or rocket motor. Both of these would call
for the initiation of programmes of full research and
development, while the skijump, capable of conferring.
equivalent performance if it is long enough, already exists.
The· smallest number of aircraft in an airgroup able
to keep up a useable flying task is three. A vessel big
enough to mount three aircraft together with the gear
necessary to support and arm them would be big enough to
mount a skijump as well. Its size is dictated too by the
sea conditions in which it is expected to keep operational.
The vessel in question should be a displacement ship,
either conventional (e.g. large frigate) or unconventional
(e.g. Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull). There is no role
here for either hovercraft or hydrofoil.
Commitment to the skijump.in the ship means commitment
to vectored-thrust as a means of propulsion in the
next aircraft~ When specified it must be compatible with
existing skijump decks, and it should be single-engined.
Its targets for Reliability and Maintainability mµst be
wholly related to the Availability called for, and must
be given equal prominence with performance.
