The Bilge Pumps

Episode 53, so it's the regular crew, Alex, Drach & Jamie... not! For the first time in Bilgepumps history, Dr Clarke was away - so Drach & Jamie were joined by Trent Telenko and promptly continued with the tradition of dismantling a lot of the sacred foundations of the projected naval power. Namely that anyone is organising their task groups right or investing correctly in cheap, plentiful, sensor platforms.

#Bilgepumps has reached year of podcasts and the series is still going... and we definitely smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi than the sea... But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 53, so it's the regular crew, Alex, Drach & Jamie... no fluffy research assistants, but it's time for another entry into the Long War theme - although this is about infrastructure, about priortising spending and the very real limits the facilities we have can place on the fleets we build. It's also about China and about the decision facing the USN at the moment about what to fund when the finances are tight.

#Bilgepumps has reached year of podcasts and the series is still going... and we definitely smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi than the sea... But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 52, so theoretically that is a year of the crew... but it's not really as today we couldn't be joined by Drach, but we were by Trent Telenko - so him, Jamie & Alex had a long discussion about 3D printing, the future of expendable warfare and whether the USS Ford should really be a USS Unicorn.

#Bilgepumps is the not quite a year of podcasts series, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this week's episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 51, so it's the regular crew, Alex, Drach & Jamie... no fluffy research assistants, but a very tired Alex and a tire focused Drach... and a Jamie who once again is facing the twister that is Australian Submarine procurement; which starts of a wide ranging discussion of SSKs and nuclear policy.

#Bilgepumps is the not quite a year of podcasts series, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this week's episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 50, so it's the regular crew, Alex, Drach & Jamie... but this week the starting point is some photos of HMS Queen Elizabeth's hangar and then we work on through all the naval news of the last week, under the watchful eyes of our Fluffy Research Assistants.

#Bilgepumps is the not quite a year of podcasts series, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this week's episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 49, so it's the regular crew, Alex, Drach & Jamie... but this week we use events in Jersey, including HMS Tamar's very cool paint job, to open up the discussion on Exclusive Economic Zones, on why they matter and why you should do your best to make sure other people know that they do to. Hope you enjoy.

#Bilgepumps is the not quite a year of podcasts series, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this week's episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 48... and this is a very carrier orientated discussion... We talk USS Mustin, we talk air group composition, we talk propaganda; pretty much the Bilgepumps crew of Alex, Drach/Davros and Jamie - who is still mourning his EAS Churchill, a model of which was unfortunately damaged in an accident a long time ago. However, he overcame the pain and was able to spend a good seventy minutes chatting through recent carrier related news and some of Alex's more zany ideas - Alex having received his second covid vaccine dose on the day of recording. #Bilgepumps is still a newish series and new avenue, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this week's episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Episode 47... Jamie's back! so today's discussions are about the New Drone Fleet, a further elaboration on the Bilgepumps Classifications System... and a discussion of the loss of the Indonesian Submarine Nanggala.

#Bilgepumps is still a newish series and new avenue, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this weeks episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

Geeks Alone Again - yes, Jamie had father duties, so it was just Alex & Drach... these episodes come with a warning...

So this week is Episode 46... We start off with Professor Eric Grove, who sadly passed away last week, move on to Prince Philip's legacy and then get into the thorny discussion of long term thinking. This week could honestly be summed up as we've lost two of leading advocates for thinking about more than your immediate needs, or your imminent needs, but those of generations to follow. Belt up securely because, we travel some rocky roads...

#Bilgepumps is still a newish series and new avenue, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this weeks episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).

So this week is Episode 45... it China, again... and it was that and the Type 83 which were going to be the main topics; but unfortunately we learned during the recording that a man who was quite literally worshiped as a living god in parts of the world, one of the last links to the Battle of Mattapan and the ending of WWII in Tokoyo Bay, had passed. Rest in Peace Prince Philip, if anyone has earned the right to, then surely he did (link to the book of condolence is at the bottom of this page). Which then of course fused with the Type 83 discussion, to start a whole another discussion on naming which will quite certainly continue.

#Bilgepumps is still a newish series and new avenue, which may no longer boast the new car smell, in fact we probably smell more like our pets, poodles, gerbils and a corgi... the latter especially of course appropriate for this weeks episode. But we're getting the impression it's liked, so we’d very much like any comments, topic suggestions or ideas for artwork to be tweeted to us, the #Bilgepump crew (with #Bilgepumps), at Alex (@AC_NavalHistory), Drach (@Drachinifel), and Jamie (@Armouredcarrier). Or you can comment on our Youtube channels (listed down below).