Why is it that any thread discussing the RN attracts posters desperate to write off the navy as irrelevent?
These "Group deployments" are an interesting exercise in naval diplomacy that have been running every two or three years since the withdrawal EoS in the early 70's.
They have a number of functions (in no particular order)
- Exercising independent command of a TF away from home waters
- Exercising the ships and men in scenarios away from the NATO area (quanitly called "out of area" in the old days) and away from the RN's big brother the USN.
- Exercising with friendly foriegn navies in the FPDA and elsewhere
- A visible display of the UK's continuing interest and commitment outside the NATO area.. esp now in Asia- the planets fastest growing economies.
- Opportunities for diplomacy and port visits (yes, even a few cocktail parties) gaining (hopefully) favourable publicity for the RN and by extension, the UK. Navies are afterall one of the most visible and enduring ways of impressing friends, allies and potential enemies.
- Opportunities for trade fairs (like it or not arms exports are a major factor)
The army tends to be rather more permenent in its presence, not always welcome and air forces by their nature, rather more transient. Its a task any navy is well suited to- just look at the coverage generated by the Kuznetsovs current trip.
"Group deployments" are the RN's response to the need to be seen by the UK as a global power. They are an interesting contrast to the French approach which is to maintain small squadrons of ships permenently on station. The RN decided thirty years ago that periodic deployments at TF strength offered far greater opportunities for training and command experience.
Seen it its historical context "Orion 08" is well overdue. Yes, there have been various shorter deployments into the Indian Ocean in recent years, but this one will be the first to goto the Far East in a decade- the last being Lusty's last trip out east for the handover of HK in 97.
The RAF conduct similar exercises with foriegn air forces- Red Flag and Magic Carpet, which don't attract the same (if any) comment. The RAF also often participate in the annual FPDA exercise "Bersama Lima". I presume all involved both work hard and play hard as appropriate?