Lord West miffed as RAF to control carriers

[Finningley Boy]

Yes indeed chaps, Air Marshal Sir Steven Hillier, has been chosen to head the new Queen Elizabeth Carrier Force.

Lord West turns Navy Blue around the Gills as a result claiming the idea to be 'Barking Mad'

I respectifully have to agree. With all due defernce to the RAF

FB

[Courtney Mil]

Well, it makes sense really. If it involves aircraft it should be RAF, if it involves tanks it's clearly Army, if it's just a boat its Navy, right?

[O-P]

CM,

Boats, albeit in a controlled fashion, sink.

[DunWinching]

The Wheel TurnsTurns...

Looks like the RAF Marine Branch, scrapped about 1984, is back plus 31 years interest. Those carriers will make great Range Target Towing Launches. IsIs it too late to rename them Halifax etc?

[Courtney Mil]

Good reason not to go on them, O-P.

[Al-bert]

The carriers clearly should belong to the army - they are merely portable airfields and as such are RCT assets. Besides, the army do more sailing than the RAF or Navy

[Courtney Mil]

Apparently, this is going to make the UK a laughing stock. Can't wait for Sharkey to hear about this.

[Finningley Boy]

Never mind Sharkey, wait til Lewis Page gets to hear about. I imagine his comments will be quite vivid as well.

FB

[alfred_the_great]

An interesting bite, well done the OP.

[Courtney Mil]

Originally Posted by FB

Never mind Sharkey, wait til Lewis Page gets to hear about. I imagine his comments will be quite vivid as well.

Naa! Lewis Page actually makes some sense, albeit hugely tribal, and he continually misses the opportunity to blame the RAF conspiracy to neuter the RN for everything wrong in the world. I much prefer Sharkey's rabid and factually incorrect ratings.

Both entertaining in their own way, but Sharkey wins on "Fringe" value.

[Union Jack]

Please don't tell me that the Royal Navy did not see something like this coming....

Jack

[Al-bert]

factually incorrect ratings.

are ratings allowed to voice an opinion in todays RN?

[Herod]

Can't they be contracted out to Cunard?

[Haraka]

Please don't tell me that the Royal Navy did not see something like this coming...

ISTR "Jointery" being the big buzz word in the mid 90's, with CAS booming the term out at one function I attended, accompanied by row of top table nodding donkeys frantically trying to out do each other in demonstrating enthusiastic approval.
I felt physically ill, since I feared the Junior Service was going to be heading toward the end of the 100 year experiment.

Not just yet it would appear.

[gpugh]

or perhaps the Chinese could run them for us

[Wrathmonk]

He'll be 'tourex' long before the 'force' in Queen Elizabeth Carrier Force comes to fruition. The Navy have played a blinder - let the RAF take the growing pain and then sweep in and take the glory. Unless it's an army appointment next of course!

[MSOCS]

Before the outrage bus hits 5th gear en-route to gullibletown, it's probably worth pointing out that there is little-to-no contextual accuracy to these news articles.

AM Hillier is appointed SRO for the Carrier ENABLED Power Projection Programme. The ships are just part of that Programme; along with F-35B when embarked, the CROWSNEST Merlin and a bunch of other helicopters such as AH-64 and Chinook. He heads the Programme. He isn't in charge of the ships. He has plenty of Maritime SQEP individuals working in the Programme to advise him.

This whole story is like someone getting upset at Sir Richard Branson for not being a Virgin Atlantic pilot.

[Lima Juliet]

I reckon he'll be CAS or CDS next...

[skippedonce]

Sir Richard Branson? Well, there are worse options.

[BARKINGMAD]

......"claiming the idea to be "Barking Mad".......

Please leave me out of this discussion, though l did serve at Finningley for my last tour, before escaping to 'civil airline'flying!!!