OAP/HH
As a (part time) Sailor, I am aware that the Royal Navy exists to fight wars, therefore a mobile platform for operating fixed wing and rotary ring aircraft seems very relevant. I am also aware that ships operating in a task group with a carrier both support and are supported by the carrier, and the whole force needs to be able to integrate. I am also aware that when not fighting wars, deterrence and defence diplomacy/engagement are major parts of the reason for having a navy. A carrier (with F-35B and Merlins (both ASW and AEW) sounds ideal for both.
What more relevant capabilities did you have in mind?
Apart from the power projection/strike thing, I think of a task group facing air, submarine, and surface threats - possibly projecting power, putting amphibious forces ashore, clearing mines, or protecting important seaborne logistics. What could be more useful than a carrier with nine (or more) ASW helicopters, fixed wing aircraft than can identify and engage air threats at range and provide targeting information to ships and their weapons, and aircraft to extend the task group's radar horizon?
I often deal with people who could be described as ASW Subject Matter Experts - and they know from experience that a task group needs multiple helicopters for effective ASW (as well as frigates/destroyers with hull mounted sonar, and frigates with towed arrays). Incidentally, they used to think nine was the number of Sea Kings needed for 24/7 dipping.
Similarly, it is very difficult for land based aircraft to defend a task group at any range from a friendly airfield, and carrier based fighters allow to intercept unknown aircraft and engage if necessary at ranges far beyond the missile range of even the most advanced anti air missile. Even ignoring the range, ships cannot visually ID aircraft, protect helicopters from hostile aircraft, or provide the same level of attrition to incoming raids.
My background (academic/work) is in Electronics/Communications Engineering - so I understand the importance of defence in depth, dealing with threats at as long a range as possible, and the limits on shipborne radars and weapons due to mast height and so on. Also in the old days aircraft were unable to cue ship based weapons, something F-35B has proved it can do.
So yes I am talking from both Engineering and Dark Blue perspectives. Additionally my RNR (Communications) role is related to something that requires integration within a task group and not just within a single ship, and is involved in aviation. With a large stable platform, the carrier will enable improved access to Satellite Communications, and with USMC elements embarked certain USN systems, which in time the UK might have access to, with a large increase in bandwidth. As a flagship, she will be able to act as a C4ISTAR (sometimes now called C5ISTAR) for a task group. She was also provide a Role 2 medical facility and a few other things.
My previous RNR role involved maritime force protection - you might have noticed how terrorists have found it very difficult to operate in the maritime environment? The moon howling on here amuses but also exasperates me - 'Somalians' in motor boats firing anti ship missiles, nuclear weapons being carried by canoe, unarmed ships near hostile coastlines being hit by missiles - really? You do know a carrier will not go near a hostile coastline - yes? You also know they task groups can transit long distances without stopping at ports? You also know they are escorted by fully armed frigates/destroyers, and have their own defences against things like the small boat threat?
As a child of the 80s/90s, I was aware of the role played by carriers in the Falklands, during the Cold War, in the Gulf War in 1991, then in both the Adriatic and the Gulf throughout the 90s and past the year 2000. After a land centric 10-15 years I think it is a fair bet the next crisis will not be some landlocked or nearly landlocked, in any case carriers supplied a great number of sorties in support of coalition forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and Syria too.
As a supporter of manufacturing industry and exporting, I am aware that some carrier related technologies such as aircraft lifts and landing aids have been exported, and both of these things are not entirely unrelated to civil products. To give you another example, the QEC is powered by Rolls Royce engines that are derived from civil aerospace engines, and similar to a version used for power applications. They also have all sorts of other things that are related to both naval and commercial marine sectors, and things similar to industrial systems - I am thinking of things like the automated weapon handling system. What better showcase for UK industry?
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 21st Nov 2017 at 13:48.