Invicible & Ocean to the rescue

[Razor61]

TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor, The Sun

DEFENCE chiefs plan to send a massive Royal Navy task force to aid
Asia's tsunami victims, The Sun can reveal.

The fleet will comprise up to 12 ships including two aircraft
carriers.

And it will transport 4,000 personnel drawn from all three of the
armed forces.

The task force is expected to set sail from Portsmouth and Plymouth
a week today.

Deploying such a large number of ships on non-war duties is
unprecedented.

A senior navy source said: "It's a tough task but we'll be ready and
be proud to do it."

The fleet's destination has not been decided but is likely to be Sri
Lanka or Indonesia.

Ministers spent the weekend studying options. But a shortage of
helicopters has hampered aid efforts and the fleet could provide a
vast floating airfield for dozens of choppers.

The majority of the force will be made up of ships already due to
leave for manoeuvres in the northern Indian Ocean.

They include the carrier HMS Invincible, frigates, destroyers and
support vessels.

Other ships including the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean have been put
on standby.

Sixty British police are already in the disaster zone helping
identify the dead. The huge job could take up to TWO YEARS.

[Mikehegland]

Hurray for the Royal Navy. At last, some good news so spread the word far and wide. Well done Mr Blair, nice to see you back.

[Archimedes]

shortage of helicopters

Remind me why the SH budget was cut by £1 Billion in the rebalancing act again? Thought we had more than enough (despite what the NAO might think...)

[Jimlad]

Of course the fact that the RN was sending a large number of ships that way anyway for exercises is neither here nor there...

[Spanish Waltzer]

Can anyone tell me which RN helos are going to be taken on this mercy dash? If I am correct there isn't much space inside a Sea King ASAC 7 and a RN Merlin will just sink in the mud the first time it lands off a runway. Another post has already highlighted that the Sea King 4s are deployed/deploying elsewhere. Can't think the GR7s will be much use either so the air group is looking a bit thin.....

Any ideas?

[joe2812]

Again taking our cue from the yanks... better late than never I suppose.

Wont they operate RAF Chinooks off them? Or is that unheard of? Not too clued up on my RN equipment i'm afraid!

[Talking Radalt]

Wont they operate RAF Chinooks off them? Or is that unheard of? Not too clued up on my RN equipment i'm afraid!

In order: Yes, no...and neither are the Navy.

[Si Clik]

What deployment?

What task group - did this feature in the PMs address to Parliament.......NO.

Sun gets it all wrong!

[Navaleye]

Its good to see the Govt taking some action at last. We won't need all that many Chinhooks, Invincible and Ocean can only operate 6 each. They will be carried on deck. The remainder of the tailored airgroup, presumably some ASaC 7s and Junglies could be carried on the hangar but could only operate if two or more of the Chinhooks were flying.

CVF on the otherhand can operate 40 Chinhooks according to 1SL. Yet another good reason to order them, eh Jacko? :O

[Flypro]

I wonder how many white elephants, whoop's, I meant Merlin's, will be in the group:zzz:

Very versatile helicopter that Merlin!!

[November4]

From the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4161049.stm)

The Royal Navy is considering deploying three Portsmouth-based war ships to aid the tsunami relief effort in Asia.
HMS Invincible, HMS Nottingham and HMS Grafton are due to sail for Oman next week, but the Ministry of Defence is considering diverting them.

A Navy spokesperson said: "HMS Chatham is already helping victims of the earthquake in the Indian Ocean.

"Contingency planning is being conducted to decide if other assets are needed, but no decision has been made."


The Royal Navy has already deployed 20 engineers from the Forward Support Unit to help with the clear-up in Sri Lanka.

If the deployment does go ahead, it will be HMS Nottingham's first real operational test since it was repaired after crashing into rocks off Australia two years ago.



Couple of interesting words in this version.

Considering - Para 1
Contingency planning - Para 3
No decision - Para 3
If ....does go ahead - Last para

Could The Sun be slightly guilty of publishing a favourable story (was going to put complete bo££ocks but give them the benefit of the doubt) which gives the impression that the Glorious Leader is at last reacting to the disaster?

[airborne_artist]

Will HMG "allocate" the cost of this (already planned deployment) to the aid contribution?

[Vortex what...ouch!]

Favourable government spin.

Oh and since when has 12 ships constituted "a massive task force"?

B0llocks :yuk: :rolleyes:

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Massive considering we don't have many these days.........and will have even less in a few months time.........

[Mikehegland]

Cynics, the lot of you. I shall cover each point individually.

Of course the fact that the RN was sending a large number of ships that way anyway for exercises is neither here nor there...

True, but they are going to be diverted....whats wrong with that?
The Navy changes its plan daily....nothing new there.


What deployment? Watch the news please

Its good to see the Govt taking some action at last. We won't need all that many Chinhooks, Invincible and Ocean can only operate 6 each. They will be carried on deck. The remainder of the tailored airgroup, presumably some ASaC 7s and Junglies could be carried on the hangar but could only operate if two or more of the Chinhooks were flying. Good point batman. At last, someone who has pride in our Armed Forces. Someone who realises the sacrifice these young men and women will be giving.



Oh and since when has 12 ships constituted "a massive task force"?

With a Navy the size of the RN, 12 ships is indeed massive, NO, its more than massive, gawd damn it, its nearly all of them

Will HMG "allocate" the cost of this (already planned deployment) to the aid contribution
Probably not but the British Public has donated a vast amount and the money for this massive deployment will no doubt come from that

[ORAC]

Probably not but the British Public has donated a vast amount and the money for this massive deployment will no doubt come from that

One, they will divert the money planned for the exercise, to the detriment of training, and expect the MOD to absorb the rest. I would not expect the treasury to ante up a single penny...

We won't need all that many Chinhooks, Invincible and Ocean can only operate 6 each.

Just find and send 12 chinooks. Not many, that´s sarcasm, right?

[Mikehegland]

I wont expect the treasury to stump up a penny for this. The British public have donated the money for the releif effort. the cost of deploying the ships should come from Public donations, thats what its for.

[Mikehegland]

Here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4161049.stm)

[Lee Jung]

Given the current leadership crisis within the Baathist, sorry, Labour party, I wouldn't be at all suprised if something like Sierra Leone kicked off. A nice little operation to divert the press as happened in Jun 2000.

Certain big ships in Guz very busy preparing to go somewhere, but where will the useful helos come from? Anything green is pretty much fully commited(sorry grey merlin, no offence meant).

Perhaps this highlights the folly of purchasing a Lynx as a Lynx replacement, not enough 'swing' capability to be of use outside recce or ASUW. Surely a larger aircraft would give both JHC, Fleet and untimately the government the flexibility to resond to events like these, when a gucci all DASed up rotary merchant of death is not required?

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Wasn't there recently discussions about sending British (and other) forces going to Darfur?

[Mikehegland]

well, when the NH90 comes into service everything will be ok.

[Lee Jung]

Yes our European allies will be able to do it with their NH90s. No chance for JHC, all lift capability axed from helo budget. ISTAR and Maritime only......

My bet is helos will be 2 CH47 and 4 or 6 SK4, still TBC.

[Mikehegland]

True but when the NH90 enters RN/ Air Force service ....they will both be in a better position to assist this sort op Operation

[Navaleye]

Simple. We'll just ask the people in the Indian Ocean to hang on then.

[fagin's goat]

Blair and Hoon should be shot! Why was the so called Task Force not sent a week or more ago???? Hire in the helicopters, change priorities, get the uk ARSE IN GEAR OR ELSE IT WILL BE TOO LATE. No delay when it is planned to kill Iraqi civilians but it appears the tsunami victims can wait for the 'Westminster village' to wake up. SHAME on the lot of them.:\

[Mikehegland]

You have to remember that this Task force is the second wave. The First wave are already there and have been there doing the business for over a week. In fact I think you may find that the good ship Chatham was the first western war canoe on scene.

Nope, I think Mr B and Buff are doing a fine job here.

However, I think that Buff's decision to announce a further deployment of Pongo's to Iraq through the back door was inexcusable. If he is prepared to send young men to their death then he should be prepared to stand up in parliment and tell them so and not announce it via a select committee.

sorry about the spelling... DF alcohol induced Im afraid.

[Lee Jung]

Mike,

Hear, hear. Buff should be forced out for the manner of his cowardly and insincere announcement.

I'm sure the 400 will be more than happy with their circa 2.4% pay rise that will be announced when they are in theatre.

[ralphmalph]

Seen as everyone is so busy...... Junglies in Iraq......847 Lynx in Bosnia......Pumas in Iraq.......

Lets close down JHF(NI) and get rid of all the useless tasklines and go to Indonesia to do some relly worthwhile work???

Pulled the pin....now standing back!

Ralph

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Perhaps this link will be of interest: SABR (http://navy-matters.beedall.com/sabr.htm)

[Mikehegland]

Ralph........

Good idea. What does JHF (NI) bring to the party anyhow. Shut it down and utilise their assets for something worthwhile.

[fagin's goat]

Agree completely with ralphmalph.

Mikehegland says that CVS group is simply second wave and states "The First wave are already there and have been there doing the business for over a week. In fact I think you may find that the good ship Chatham was the first western war canoe on scene." .......but a Type 22 with 2 Lynx is just a token.... can't even make a dent in the task - not my definition of 'doing the business'.

How can anyone justify the delay in sailing a SERIOUS helicopter-heavy task force to the Indian Ocean. When you see how ordinary UK tax-payers have responded to the tsunami appeals you can assume that they would rather their defence forces were deployed ASAP to assist this unprecedented disaster rather than have them sent to reinforce the failure of our so called Iraq policy (end of rant for now!).
:{

[Mikehegland]

So what would you want to happen?

The DFC reacted immediately by diverting 2 ships from their normal task and they were on scene V quickly. They were tasked to assess the situation and report back to MOD and to advise what other assistance could be provided. That advice was received and acted upon by forming a task force of 12 ships and a lot more helicopters.

Thats the way it happens. I apologise if the wheels of government grind slowly but actually you may find that its the wheels of the Admiralty that are a little slow. Even so. These things take time to prepare. I'm sure that you would agree that it would be fooish to travel all that way only to realise you'd forgot the tents. Please remember that the Royal navy practice Humanitarian relief and Disaster relief. Yep, we are very good at this .... For Instance. Ships undergoing training conduct Humanitarian Relief by conducting an exercise in Plymouth. The Ship anchors in a river and the aircraft launches the 200 yards to the shore. The rest of the day is helped supporting the disatser site which is represented by a village with a population of 300 and with upto 30 Injured people.

So, in defence of our boys in Navy Blue, they are doing a difficult job in circumstances thay have hardly had training for and they are doing it with a smile and a cheery face.