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Commodore eyes future with ring of confidence
COMMODORE Rob Thompson looks out of the window from his new office at Portsmouth naval base.
'When you look from this office window you have a great view to HMS Victory on the left and then right in front are some of the oldest working docks in the world,' says the commodore, who is the new Naval Base Commander.
'But the main icon of this base 10 years from now will surely be these huge ships.'
The commodore is talking about the arrival of Portsmouth's new 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers, which will be his biggest project over the coming years.
The 50-year-old Irish rugby fan, who has 30 years of experience in the navy, took over from David Steel on November 25 and is still finding his feet.
Earlier Cdre Thompson had said he was confident the aircraft carriers programme, delayed by at least two years, as first revealed in The News, would be completed.
'The start time for construction is going to remain the same and I'm looking at how we're going to accommodate the 1,000 men and women who will call this base home.
'The government's statement was not entirely unexpected.
'I would look at the positives that the Type 45 destroyers are coming, and that marks the beginning of a new generation of ships in Portsmouth.
'When you consider all the work that was done to save the base, that's a real source for optimism.'
Cdre Thompson says: 'The reputation the Royal Navy enjoys has to be based on constant work to renew it, which is why I'm trying to shift the emphasis to the future.
'I want to reinforce that progressive value into our working lives here.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
