Why do we not have a manufacturing industry, as we did, many yearss ago? Because we priced ourselves out of the world markets, by our increasing labour costs...
Consider then, how much it would cost to "refurbish" some of thes "old ships".. and replace the outdated machinery, and electronics, using our exising, expensive labour force.
Consider then, how much it would cost Brazil or India, to do the same thing, to a "relatively" new ship.compared to the cost of them having to, either build it, or buy it "brand new" including all the equipment. I bloth countries, the "labour market" is exactly that... labour.. compared to a few guys using expensive machinery... the "labour force" actually get down and hit the metal with hammers etc..and many of them at a much cheaper rate of pay than we could ever hope to go back to...
True, we will be removing a certain amount of tech equipment, such as the guns and missile control systems, and the radar and communications equipment... but... in Brazil, and India, the cost of installing them as "up to date" equipment, from their own much cheaper labour force and manufacturing industry, makes buying our "old ships" an economic prospect..
( except if you bought the F.S. Foch from the French, of course ! ! ! )..
When HMS Centaur was decomissioned, I did actually return to it, about 6 weeks later, and was disgusted at the state of the internals, compared to how it was when I was living on board for 2 years.. some parts of "the island" were so rusty that they were sectioned of with notices saying it was an unsafe area... so don`t go by the external appearance when you see these "old ships" being towed away for scrap, or for sale...
