Both carriers are currently available for ops. That one is not in the Red Sea or vicinity is because :
1. There is already a (US) carrier on station, which is more than enough to undertake the sort of ops currently envisaged.
2. The UK air strikes on Yemen are of largely political rather than military value.
3. The F35 force is still building up. You could deploy a CSG now, but you'd disrupt the painfully slow move to FOC. Given 1 and 2 above, is that disruption worth it at this time?
Going forward it may be that a UK CSG replaces the US one in due course. It entirely depends on what effect is required and for how long.
I wouldn't equate that Sky article with analysis. It's an opinion garnished with some - debatable - "facts". Not least the falsehood that the UK carriers have not yet engaged in combat operations. Pretty sure Fortis included a contribution to Shader.
ETA : I had not realised Sean Bell was ex-RAF. Given the number of factual inaccuracies in his "analysis" perhaps he ought to change his twatter handle to Bellend......
Light blue version of Sharkey?
Last edited by Not_a_boffin; 27th Jan 2024 at 16:58.