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What would you do with an aircraft carrier?
For sale: One aircraft carrier -- slightly used, DYI opportunity -- courtesy of the Royal Navy.
Have you ever wondered what a military-run eBay would have for sale? How about the HMS Ark Royal, the former flagship of the Royal Navy, which is now for sale on the military auction website Edisposals.com.
The Ark Royal was decommissioned earlier this month as part of defense spending cuts. In an effort to profit from the decommission, the Royal Navy has offered bidders until June 13th to submit a bid and a proposal for what to do with the aircraft carrier.
No minimum price was set.
The British government sold another carrier last week, the HMS Invincible, which was towed to a Turkish scrap yard.
While the Ark Royal could face a similar fate, many have proposed alternative ideas, including parking the carrier in the Thames as a commercial heliport, as well as a base for special forces to provide security at next year's Olympic Games.
Interested parties are invited to visit the vessel on May 3rd and 4th at her home port, Portsmouth Naval Base.
The website Edisposals.com is run by the Defense Equipment and Support arm of the Ministry of Defense, which is also selling three Type-42 destroyers, HMS Exeter, HMS Southampton and HMS Nottingham.
What would you do with your own aircraft carrier? Turn it into a night club? Commute to work with some added flair? Host the world's greatest rock concert? Tell us in the comments section, or submit your own bid and proposal.
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I'd make sure it was seaworthy, and then loan it to the Humane Society, and Greenpeace, if they have the intestinal fortitude to use it to blockade the Seal Hunting ships and the Japanese Whale Hunting fleet. Or I would just do it myself, with a load of volunteers. I'd love to see their faces when one of these big mamas looms up in front of them to block their way! I'd like to see them try and run one of these monsters over! Just a dream, but it is my dream.
When I first heard about this on the program I imagined that a decommissioned aircraft carrier could be transformed into the world's first floating casino and NASCAR racetrack. It would be a novel way to bring NASCAR racing to the world and add a new kind of thrill to the sport with each crash potentially launching racers off the deck and into the sea.
Then I saw the picture of the HMS Ark Royal and realized it is far too small for a NASCAR track. So maybe it cold be used for a go-cart track or skateboard park for rich, spoiled children who would not be missed.
When I first heard about this on the program I imagined that a decommissioned aircraft carrier could be transformed into the world's first floating casino and NASCAR racetrack. It would be a novel way to bring NASCAR racing to the world and add a new kind of thrill to the sport with each crash potentially launching racers off the deck and into the sea.
Then I saw the picture of the HMS Ark Royal and realized it is far too small for a NASCAR track. So maybe it cold be used for a go-cart track or skateboard park for rich, spoiled children who would not be missed.
This should be docked and converted into affordable housing for families and / or for a temporary homeless shelter. They could also dock it in Japan to give homeless families / victims of the earthquake and tsunami a better place for shelter.
This should be docked and converted into affordable housing for families and / or for a temporary homeless shelter. They could also dock it in Japan to give homeless families / victims of the earthquake and tsunami a better place for shelter.
Simple solution: In the early 60's the London Bridge was bought, dismantled, & rebuilt here in Arizona at Lake Havasu. It only seems logical that we do the same with the carrier. We could pay for it with stimulus funds.........shouldn't be more than a few hundred million.
This should be docked and converted into affordable housing for families and / or for a temporary homeless shelter. They could also dock it in Japan to give homeless families / victims of the earthquake and tsunami a better place for shelter.
This should be docked and converted into affordable housing for families and / or for a temporary homeless shelter. They could also dock it in Japan to give homeless families / victims of the earthquake and tsunami a better place for shelter.
How about a floating emergency disaster response vessel equipped and ready to respond whenever a natural or man-made disaster occurs? Envision a small hospital on board along with supplies of water, food, tents, tarps, blankets - and red clown noses to cheer up the little ones traumatized by the event.
This would require an international effort for funding, equipping, staffing and maintenance, but if this could be organized by one or several governmental or non-governmental entities, perhaps this coordinated and ready at a moment's notice vessel could take the lead in responding whenever the inevitable next disaster strikes.
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