Originally Posted by
Roland Pulfrew
Why does it have to be military?
You are fishing aren't you? That's not a serious question, is it?
Simply because no civvie companies do long range deep water ASW, even if they
might do
some medium range above surface surveillance.
But most importantly, the UK isn't in the game of using mercenaries to do the Finish part of Find, Fix AND Finish! (Is that the latest doctrine term or am I out of date again?).
Is that the only reason the UK needs an MPA? For long range ASW?
Then there is the reason we don't have any.
The UK currently employs civilian aviation companies to patrol the waters off our islands. Border patrol, customs, fishery protection and oil spill response are all tasks undertaken by civilians... And they do a great job of it... And cheaply.