It is indeed ironic that in the 200th Anniversary of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy is no longer the largest Navy in Europe. Nelson's victory not only set the stage for
Pax Brittanica, it also laid the foundations for ictory in both World Wars, the Falklands etc.
Also ironic that both France and Spain have carrier based air defence, with fighters with BVR capability, as we are losing ours. Therefore the RN will be less capable of operating by itself than its French and Spanish counterparts. What if the French and Spanish fleets had been more capable than ours in 1805?
How ironic too that our sovereignty is being passed to Brussels by self serving politicians.
I wonder what Lord Nelson would say about thing today? If he were to read the
Sea Jet thread (which discusses several things as well as organic air defence) what would he say?