Originally Posted by
WE Branch Fanatic
The Suez closure is a major international issue - with costs and delays caused to merchant shipping shipping having to route around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope, which will also not be without security issues. Naval Forces and things like military logistics can also do this to, but it adds delays.
The CSG21 deployment, however, was supposed to include the Mediterranean After an Exercise called Strike Warrior, which will involve interaction with NATO partners and the task/strike group doing its stuff for NATO, F-35Bs/Lightnings doing air defence and being controlled by Type 45s and other warships, and the ASW Merlins providing constant ASW in conjunction with frigates. They may also been some sorties dropping bombs on ground targets, or exercises putting Royal Marines ashore. The group will then go South to the Mediterranean, for exercises as part of NATO as well as diplomatic visits, before proceeding East of Suez. Somewhere she will probably like up with the US and other forces involved in Exercise Steadfast Defender 21, an important NATO reinforcement exercise. This might be West of Scotland, or it might be in the Mediterranean as the exercise is not just across the Atlantic but right to Southern/Eastern Europe.
NATO is finished if it cannot reinforce by sea, So I think it very unlikely that the Mediterranean would be bypassed. The STDE exercise was postponed from last year due to COVID-19, but life (and deterrence) has to go on.
Appreciate the info. I agree that Mediterranean operations are vital for many reasons and must go ahead, but the fact remains that if the canal is blocked (either accidentally or deliberately) getting East of Suez means a journey south is unavoidable. I expect contingency plans are being dusted off now, since it would be unacceptable for important operations/exercises to be at the mercy of a known choke-point in an unstable part of the world. Fortunately it would be far from the first time that the Royal Navy has traveled that route!