ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 15:42:41 GMT
July 4, 1958
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, Australia
The heads of the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Australian Navy hold a day long meeting to discuss their differing requirements for new fighters and bombers to replace their existing inventory. Both services were in agreement that a long range fighter armed with either infrared or radar guided missiles was a must with a preference for the increased engagement ranges offered by a radar guided missile. Where they differed significantly however was on cost. The Fleet Air Arm, needing far fewer aircraft than the Air Force, preferred buying the best all around fighter on the market and damn the cost. The Air Force of course had to pay much more attention to the cost of the aircraft otherwise they would never get the needed amount of funding to buy enough of them.
By seven o'clock in the evening, Air Marshal Scherger and Vice Admiral Sir Roy Dowling had agreed on a set of broad requirements for a joint procurement program that would suit both services needs. Though neither man especially enjoyed being forced into becoming bedfellows with the other, they had agreed that this was quite possibly the only way to get not only the aircraft they needed, but enough of them as well.
While the two men had initially discussed combining both services fighter and bomber programs together, the decision had ultimately been made to only combine the fighter programs, as the requirements for each respective service's attack aircraft were far too different to make a combined program work to everyone's satisfaction. In the morning, a revised Fighter Specification would be issued along with enquires to the various manufacturers as to their aircraft's suitability to carrier operations.
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 15:45:20 GMT
July 5, 1958
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, Australia
The revised Fighter Specification is issued by the Australian Depart of Defence. The new requirements for the fighter demand a minimum speed of Mach 2 with a stated preference for a top speed of Mach 2.25 or greater. A minimum combat radius of three hundred and fifty nautical miles on internal fuel and a "useful" warload with a preference for a combat radius of at least four hundred nautical miles on internal fuel with the ability to extend that to a minimum of five hundred nautical miles on internal and external fuel. Mid-air refueling capability is added to the list of requirements with a stated preference for the probe and drogue refueling method. For external stores all proposed aircraft will be required to carry at least four air-to-air missiles and two drop tanks. The air-to-air missiles must be either infrared guided or radar guided, with a stated preference for a Semi-Active-Radar-Homing missile. All offered fighters must be all weather capable and equipped with a suitable radar. Finally, all offered fighters must be carrier capable or capable of being modified for carrier use.
In concert with the revised specification, feelers are sent out to Hawker, Lockheed and Dassault regarding the possibility of converting the P.1121, F-104C and Mirage III to naval use. The added naval requirement came as a shock to all three manufacturers, though they all offered to study the prospect of modifying their designs for carrier use.
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 15:56:12 GMT
July 10, 1958
Washington DC, USA
The Argentine Ambassador to the United States formally presents a Letter of Request to purchase an Essex class aircraft carrier, associated spare parts and training. The Letter of Request also specifies that the vessel is to be overhauled to SCB-27C/125A standard. The terms of the proposed deal had been negotiated since January and finalized shortly after Intrepid's visit to Buenos Aires. All that was required now was Congressional approval for the sale.
Though the United States traditionally did not transfer strategic assets to other countries, there was precedent for the sale. In 1910, the United States had built and sold the two Rivadavia class battleships to Argentina. It was hoped by Argentina that this precedent and previous close relationship with the United States would prevail on the Congress to approve the sale.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Nov 16, 2020 16:04:25 GMT
July 5, 1958
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, AustraliaIn concert with the revised specification, feelers are sent out to Hawker, Lockheed and Dassault regarding the possibility of converting the P.1121, F-104C and Mirage III to naval use. The added naval requirement came as a shock to all three manufacturers, though they all offered to study the prospect of modifying their designs for carrier use. No F-4 Phantom, shame it would be a good fighter for both the RAAF and Fleet Air Arm (RAN), but then again a P.1121 in RAAF colors is also good.  |
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 16:33:54 GMT
July 5, 1958
Canberra, Australia Capital Territory, AustraliaIn concert with the revised specification, feelers are sent out to Hawker, Lockheed and Dassault regarding the possibility of converting the P.1121, F-104C and Mirage III to naval use. The added naval requirement came as a shock to all three manufacturers, though they all offered to study the prospect of modifying their designs for carrier use. No F-4 Phantom, shame it would be a good fighter for both the RAAF and Fleet Air Arm (RAN), but then again a P.1121 in RAAF colors is also good. No, the Phantom is still very much in consideration. Those three manufacturers were only mentioned because their offerings were for land based aircraft and they would need to be modified for carrier use. |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Nov 16, 2020 16:35:25 GMT
Those three manufacturers were only mentioned because their offerings were for land based aircraft and they would need to be modified for carrier use. Is that possible. |
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 16:52:40 GMT
Those three manufacturers were only mentioned because their offerings were for land based aircraft and they would need to be modified for carrier use. Is that possible. That's why they're asking. They need to find out if it is. Of the three, it would probably be easiest to adapt the P.1121 to carrier use as is still in development |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Nov 16, 2020 17:09:00 GMT
That's why they're asking. They need to find out if it is. Of the three, it would probably be easiest to adapt the P.1121 to carrier use as is still in development That would mean a delay in the design i guess, ore am i wrong. |
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 17:54:43 GMT
That's why they're asking. They need to find out if it is. Of the three, it would probably be easiest to adapt the P.1121 to carrier use as is still in development That would mean a delay in the design i guess, ore am i wrong. Maybe? But not much of one. It never even reached the point of being fully assembled in OTL, so I doubt it would be a lengthy delay |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Nov 16, 2020 18:02:21 GMT
That would mean a delay in the design i guess, ore am i wrong. Maybe? But not much of one. It never even reached the point of being fully assembled in OTL, so I doubt it would be a lengthy delay Not something the Australians are waiting for, especially with Indonesia next door. |
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 16, 2020 19:04:41 GMT
Maybe? But not much of one. It never even reached the point of being fully assembled in OTL, so I doubt it would be a lengthy delay Not something the Australians are waiting for, especially with Indonesia next door. The land based version could probably be in service within two to three years once it's ordered. So not that long to wait. The naval variant could probably be in service in 4-7 years depending on how much modification is needed to navalize it. |
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 19, 2020 18:22:41 GMT
July 26, 1958
Washington DC, USA
Neil McElroy, the United States Secretary of Defense, had both the Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations in his office. On his desk was a Letter of Request from Argentina to buy an Essex class carrier. Over the last two weeks, his staff, along with the staffs of Secretary Gates and Admiral Burke had debated the pros and cons of selling a carrier to South America. In a vacuum, the United States would not want any country in South America buying carriers. But considering both Brazil and Argentina were going to buy carriers regardless, it would be in the best interests of the United States to draw at least one of those countries into a closer relationship with the United States by supplying the carrier themselves. At least then they could have some control over the vessel by controlling access to spare parts.
And given the United States history with Argentina, having previously built two battleships for them, and sold multiple cruisers and destroyers to them, Argentina was the logical choice. After finalizing the details with his subordinates, Secretary McElroy agreed to the proposal and would endorse it to Congress.
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 19, 2020 18:25:51 GMT
July 27, 1958
Washington, DC, USA
Argentina agrees to buy ex-Leyte for scrap value and have her refitted at the New York Naval Shipyard and brought up to the same SCB-27C/125A standard as Oriskany and Lake Champlain. To facilitate the transfer, the US Navy officially evaluates the scrap value of Leyte to be one dollar. Following her overhaul, Leyte is to be commissioned into the Argentine Navy as ARA Independencia.
In order for the deal to become official, it still requires the formal approval of Congress. In order to secure that approval, Argentina agrees to abide by certain conditions regarding the operation of the carrier. In particular, they were required to agree not use the carrier in any operations against American allies without the express permission of the United States. Failure to abide by that restriction will result in the supply of spare parts for the carrier and her aircraft being cut off.
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ssgtc
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Post by ssgtc on Nov 19, 2020 18:27:49 GMT
August 2, 1958
Jakarta, Java, Indonesia
The first flight of four TU-16s land at Iswahyudi Airbase. The bombers are flown by Soviet training officers who will remain in Indonesia for the next year training the Indonesian flight crews. The Badger strategic bombers provide a marked increase in capability over Indonesia's current fleet of Beagle light bombers. Indonesia has 28 Badgers on order, twelve land attack bombers, twelve anti-ship bombers equipped to launch anti-ship missiles and four unarmed trainers. The four aircraft that just landed are the trainers. The remaining bombers will arrive over the next six months.
The flight of bombers also serve as navigators for the first MiG-19s sold to Indonesia with each bomber "escorting" four fighters. Indonesia plans to have one squadron of MiG-19s and one squadron of TU-16s operational by May, 1959.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Nov 19, 2020 18:30:55 GMT
August 2, 1958
Jakarta, Java, IndonesiaThe first flight of four TU-16s land at Iswahyudi Airbase. The bombers are flown by Soviet training officers who will remain in Indonesia for the next year training the Indonesian flight crews. The Badger strategic bombers provide a marked increase in capability over Indonesia's current fleet of Beagle light bombers. Indonesia has 28 Badgers on order, twelve land attack bombers, twelve anti-ship bombers equipped to launch anti-ship missiles and four unarmed trainers. The four aircraft that just landed are the trainers. The remaining bombers will arrive over the next six months. The flight of bombers also serve as navigators for the first MiG-19s sold to Indonesia with each bomber "escorting" four fighters. Indonesia plans to have one squadron of MiG-19s and one squadron of TU-16s operational by May, 1959. these big boys will cause a lot of problems for the Netherlands and Australians if they are ever unleashed.  |
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