Royal Navy - Two Aircraft Carrier Navy

[Cloud Cover]

With HMS Queen Elizabeth on Westlant 19 picking up some of her F35's, HMS Prince of Wales put to sea on a trial yesterday. She's not going to be operational for a few more years, but this is another big step for the RN. 
https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/the-royal-navy-becomes-a-two-carrier-navy-hms-prince-of-wales-sails-for-the-first-time/

Albion and Bulwark, will also need to be replaced within the next 10-15 years.  This is a navy that is definitely on the upturn as long as momentum is maintained and wallets are kept open.

 

[Dale Denton]

Perhaps this belongs in British Military Current Events thread?

Great capability that required much infighting and negotiating to make happen despite a MUCH stronger naval cultural presence than us. Using a program similar to NSP - a shipbuilding industry scheme that controversially built stuff outside the country(?).

Thought the other day that Bulwark or Albion would be a steal to buy if they were to mothball one, say if money ran short due to Brexit. I assume that the suggestion to sell or mothball them will arise if the discussion for RN cuts comes up in a political setting now that there are 2 carriers available.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Maybe a RN General Thread.

I recall that the current First Sea Lord and all of the recent defence ministers have committed to retaining both carriers, both assault ships, all of the logistics and other support to sustain a globally capable independent amphibious task force regardless of the Brexit outcome. Is that not correct?

 

[Dale Denton]

I read that somewhere, and the Minister in charge of MoD (Gavin) at the time decided against getting rid of the assault ships. Just thinking that these decisions can be fickle esspecially with the recent uncertainty coupled with the mere thought of redundancy, however ill-informed, might cause them to be in danger of cuts.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

POW is now Commissioned  https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/aircraft-carrier-hms-prince-of-wales-commissioned-into-royal-navy-fleet/

 

[Cloud Cover]

Squabble ongoing between STRN and Max Hastings re: efficacy of aircraft carriers. In fact, it’s a bit of a throat punch from STRN; https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/aircraft-carriers-dinosaurs-and-max-hastings/

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Squabble ongoing between STRN and Max Hastings re: efficacy of aircraft carriers. In fact, it’s a bit of a throat punch from STRN; https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/aircraft-carriers-dinosaurs-and-max-hastings/

"The British Army is merely a projectile that is to be fired by the Royal Navy"

Seapower trumps everything or at least it should.

 

[daftandbarmy]

"The British Army is merely a projectile that is to be fired by the Royal Navy"

Seapower trumps everything or at least it should.

Based on the frequency with which the British Army trains with the Royal Navy which, as I recall, was about 'never', they've got alot of time to make up to back up that statement.

Also, since WW1, the RAF have had just a teeny tiny role to play in 'projecting' the troops and, apart from the Royal Marines of course, have probably moved more gravel bellies around than Jack.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Ok, so the British Army is a load to be dropped. Got it.
It all seems so silly, each of the services has been busy slitting their own wrists for decades anyway, and much like our own they don’t seem to require much encouragement from politicians at least some of the time.

Also:
“ There are plenty of self-styled ‘visionaries’ on hand to advise that our forces need to be radically transformed to be agile, lightweight AI cyber warriors, equipped with drones and lasers. These visionaries the same people who were telling us a few years ago that state-on-state conflict was a thing of the past and we should reshape our forces for nothing but counter-insurgency operations. Incidentally, a large force of low-budget constabulary vessels that some might wish for would also be a liability in a real conflict and lack both the hard-power deterrent and political value of large and high-end warships.”

 

[daftandbarmy]

Ok, so the British Army is a load to be dropped. Got it.
It all seems so silly, each of the services has been busy slitting their own each others' wrists for decades anyway, and much like our own they don’t seem to require much encouragement from politicians at least some of the time.

There, FTFY

 

[Colin Parkinson]

This seems to be a much more important argument https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/should-hms-queen-elizabeth-be-fitted-with-her-own-missile-defences/

 

[MarkOttawa]

Plus by Sir Humphrey at Thin Pinstriped Line:

Giant Carriers are Symbols of Our National Power - Rebuttal of Sir Max Hastings Times Article
https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com/2019/12/giant-carriers-are-symbols-of-our.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Cloud Cover]

In a bit of a show today, HMS Queen Elizabeth launched an F35 Lightning II off the ramp while tied up alongside in Portsmouth. I wonder if they conducted a fly past over Parliament before returning for tea.

 

[daftandbarmy]

In a bit of a show today, HMS Queen Elizabeth launched an F35 Lightning II off the ramp while tied up alongside in Portsmouth. I wonder if they conducted a fly past over Parliament before returning for tea.

A Tornado pilot once told me that it only took him an hour to fly the circumference of the United Kingdom's airspace, so I assume it's entirely possible

 

[OldSolduer]

In a bit of a show today, HMS Queen Elizabeth launched an F35 Lightning II off the ramp while tied up alongside in Portsmouth. I wonder if they conducted a fly past over Parliament before returning for tea.

Any video of that?

 

[FJAG]

Any video of that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8QPL2Vklf0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D_C4NSNNuw

:cheers:

 

[Spencer100]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8QPL2Vklf0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D_C4NSNNuw

:cheers:

Ok the was cool to see. I had not watched a F35B take off on the ramp.  Interesting to see the top fan cover open and back nosal down

 

[Cloud Cover]

Well, it’s a 1 aircraft carrier navy for the next little while as the ship has flooded its drawers: https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/one-of-the-reasons-the-royal-navy-needs-two-aircraft-carriers-a-setback-for-hms-prince-of-wales/

 

[Spencer100]

So this how you abandon ship from a carrier

Facebook

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Similar to ferries and cruise ships, makes sense considering the numbers involved.