Originally Posted by
Asturias56
Not necessary if they're just going round the IoW or up to Scotland for a refit but anywhere else?
I've never seen any thing that says a UK carrier group wouldn't have an SSN in attendance. Fine if you can manage with an SSK but that's a big change in capability. Can an SSK even keep up with a carrier for any length of time if it's submerged?
As to NATO - I don't think the French have much spare SSN capaciity and the US? Who knows these days - depends who we have to go and ask for a favour.
Sort of depends on you knowing what the SSN is there to do. Which also depends on what the CSG is doing at the time and the relevant threat.
And no, SSK are not the answer - at least not in terms of a permanent attachment to the group. Which takes us back to point 2 - where you're assuming a lot about stuff you don't really understand.