Originally Posted by
WE Branch Fanatic
I want to post two things:
1. The mighty Sea Harrier is still contributing to the Navy's capabilities:
https://twitter.com/RNASCuldrose/sta...26556037271552
Doing it at sea is another kettle of fish though. The RN has boxed clever to be able to be safe with F-35B, an altogether noisier and more powerful aircraft.
2. A recent
report on the flanks of NATO and how to protect them, suggests carriers, including ours, are going to be important in NATO roles:
- The UK’s Royal Navy should take the lead in any early effort to counter offensive Russian submarine operations via a multi-national task group centred upon one of the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
- NATO requires a pro-active strategy to degrade and defend against Moscow’s ship, submarine, air and ground-launched cruise and ballistic missile capability based in and staging out of the Arctic region – a campaign that would require a wartime multi-carrier deployment by the US Navy and the basing of substantial forces in Iceland, the UK and Norway.
Multinational task group, they say? Just as well its not one of ours alone, given the paucity of Astutes, ASW Capability both on ship and LRMPA and assets to defend such a capital vessel. Sounds like a surefire suicide mission against a resurgent Russian Norfleet sub force.