FB11
That is good to hear.
As Obi Wan Russell notes, if we can embark foreign Harriers aboard
Illustrious and
Queen Elizabeth from time to time then that will help with the whole ship aspects and keeping as many people as possible with at least a basic skill/experience level, as well as "the best of....".
Back to this decade: Will there be a "lessons learnt" type study post Libya?
Will aspects of the SDSR be looked at again? Will it look at the contribution made by French carrier aircraft? Will it conclude that having only a single carrier is a weakness? Will it admit that if the UK still had that capability, then the
Charles De Gaulle could rotate with our carrier? If so, should possible options like the one I
suggested here (leasing AV8Bs) be looked at at?
Will they examine the role of
Ocean operating Apache in a strike (for want of a better word) role? Proof of the value of shipborne aircraft that can get close to a hostile shoreline? Would having an aircraft with a greater range and weapon load (eg Harrier) have been useful? Would it relieve some of the pressure on the RAF?
Are enough Apaches marinised?
Given that we have shaped defence policy largely around ground conflicts in landlocked places, is the use of naval gunfire and submarine launched Tomahawks going to be noted? How about Gaddafi's use of sea mines (and NATO efforts of clear them)? What about the use of light aircraft for attacking rebel positions? Does the fact that NATO ships have frequently come under rocket attack hold any lessons?
What about ISTAR assets that have been binned or are getting phased out post SDSR? Sentinel? Sea King ASaCs? Nimrod (both types)?
Will this intervention be a one off (assuming that it does not go horribly wrong in the coming months), or will there be others? Can we predict that nothing else will happen? Is the defence budget sufficient for the aspirations and intentions of the Government?
So many questions.....