if the object is simply to retain skills, then the obvious solution is to reactivate Ark Royal, regenerate a squadron of Sea Harriers, loan them to the Indians with a joint manning agreement to act as a ship protection force off Somalia
With the Indians pro-active take on the piracy problem, and the coming need for air support in protecting aid supplies into Somalia I can see this as a cost-effective way of helping the UN aid effort
The Al-Quaeda affiliates threats re supplying aid suggest that this time around serious air support is going to be needed in getting food into the starving parts of Somalia
May I respectfully play devils advocate?
Why recommission the Ark Royal when we have the Illustrious at sea and having just completed a major refit?
Why opt for the SHAR when there might be better Harrier types to perform the role that is required?
I am against giving aid to Somalia.... By giving this aid are we taking away the responsibility of that government to fulfil its obligations? It is the Somali people that are dying and should it be the Somali government buying this food! If we give it for free then the incumbent government can spend this money on either themselves or for the buying of arms etc. As soon as this aid comes over the horizon, most will be seized by War Lords which in turn then sell it on the black market, which then allows these war lords to buy more arms, materials, boats etc to carry out acts of either terrorism or piracy.
Is there an easy option? I witnessed the incoming aid during that first Ethiopian famine and despite all the swearing of so called pop stars this aid very rarely got out into the areas where it was most needed.
With hindsight our politicians made a HUGE mistake by scrapping the carriers\harriers but we are where we are and spending a fortune using the Tornado. Hindsight is a talent that is no good to man or beast. It is a skill developed by arm chair critics but wise people can learn by their, or others mistakes. Wise, brave people can sometimes admit to getting a decision completely wrong and rectify that mistake, but this mistake might be too big and demand the heads of those that suggested this was a good option!
Just my thoughts that should be viewed as questions rather than statements of fact
