Thursday's Newsnight debate
Jermy again made the point that since the end of WW2 every enemy aircraft shot down in air to air combat by UK forces (Korea, Suez, Falklands) has been shot down by a Royal Navy aircraft (though not necessarily flown by an RN pilot) launched from a carrier. A point Loader (nor anyone else I’ve yet heard) has had an answer to other than waffle! To me this indicates that 1) wars can creep up on us from the most unexpected places and 2) we cannot rely on nice folks near the combat zone lending us an airfield. Thus if we are to remain effective on the world stage we need to stay in the business of fixed wing carrier aviation. Who owns and flies the hardware is a secondary issue. However, hand on heart is the RAF now 100% behind the concept? For I think we must all agree their track record has usually been rather negative in this area and at times positively destructive. Of course we could always retreat to Fortress UK, but somehow I don’t think we will, after all who wants to be the PM of an island version of Belgium, not Cameron for sure!