As usual we send a carrier because its the best unit for the job, despite there being an RAF base only a few hundred miles away. Yet more evidence as to why carriers are essential in the modern world.

Ain't it great- we can sit offshore and support, while the RAF is unable to land at the airport with its much vaunted 24/7 capability due to it being bombed. Red faces in Strike perchance?

What is this as usual. I am trying to think about the last time we used a carrier for a NEO (not in the last 20 years anyway). Last one was Ivory Coast (no carrier), Sierra Leone (no carrier for the NEO - albeit one turned up later), Eritrea (no carrier), Democratic Republic of Congo (3 deployents, no actual evacuation - no carrier (albeit that Kinshasa is c400km from the sea).

I think i read on here that 3 RAF Chinooks were seen at nice airport refueling maybe there heading out to cyprus or meeting the Bulwark on the way.

Bulwarks got 500 marines embarked at the moment.

Maybe the holes in the runway might have something to do with it and the fact that the aircraft are busy elsewhere...................

RN to Lebanon
 

Here

Hopefully it won't be needed.

RN to Eastern Med
 

In terms what we have serviceable and available to send , have we sent A carrier or THE carrier?

Illustriuos & Albion = 1.5 carriers :E

Or did I mean Illustrious & Bulwark:O

Giving my age away now, lets think about what we once had...

Ark Royal Eagle Hermes Albion Bulwark Fearless Intrepid

Phantom Buccaneer Gannet Wessex

SLR (proper rifle)

Ok, Ok, I will stop there as I'm probably making some of you feel even older :p

"Maybe the holes in the runway might have something to do with it and the fact that the aircraft are busy elsewhere..................."

Exactly my point, we keep hearing on this board about how vulnerable CVF is and why its a waste of time. We never hear any mention of just how vulnerable fixed land airbases are, and as seen here, if we didnt have a carrier right now we'd be struggling to do anything. Once more the case for CVF is strengthened.

What no one mentions is that it will be almost a week before the ships could get there..... slllooooowww these boats.

Saw some bird on news 24 saying - hopefully the navy will evacuate us in a couple of days I'm sure they are just waiting for clearance.... and perhaps a set of hydrofoils - carrier size.

Illustrious is in Gib, Bulwark in Barcelona thats about 1800 miles sailing?

The CVF is flag waving. If we wanted AD or CAS a far far better job could be done from Akrotiri, along with E3D, AAR and all other required support. The CVF is not needed against the Lebanese/Hizbollah and would have no chance against the Israelis.

HMS Bulwark provides the required amphibious landing capability and C2, the Chinooks providing the needed helo lift, the evacuees can then be ferried to Akrotiri. All the CVF will provide is extra deck space for more helos.

Pragmatically, I'd fly off the fixed wing assets to Akro and offer the deck space to the French, Italian or any other nation who need somewhere to stage their helos through. It would free up more space on board and they can operate from a proper airfield.... :E

1800nm at 25 kts is 72 hours, or they could do it at 12.5 kts and take six days...I guess that they have some RFA support with them?

I think theres a tanker in the med already with NATO.

Ah RFAs.. Just because the CVS can do 25 Kts can the RFA? To that point can Bulwark do anywhere near that speed in the Med in mid summer too?:rolleyes:

As for the no host nation support required line... Where is the RFA going to find all the Avter and Diesel (for Bulwark) Not the WSBA by any chance?;)

I seem to remember that in 83 the Chinooks could reach Beirut from Akrotiri without too much trouble.

Yes the Chinooks did the supply run from Akrotiri and also cas-evac I believe when we did the peacekeeping stuff out there.

The likely scenario is probably to use Chinooks and other choppers to shuttle people to a nice big deck sitting off shore at a safe distance.

The whole operation would take a lot longer if each flight had to go all the way to Akrotiri.

Shame we haven't got a few Buccs on QRA at Akrotiri for top cover this time. Harriers likely, but not quite the same :cool:

Shame theres no buccs to show the flag like in 83. Rumour has it the buccs departed between the bulidings.

Lepus flares, anyone?

Left Koinelli on friday and there were at least two types of pointy wooshy fast things there on excercise so there's your top cover:ok:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

Exactly.... I think that the spooks at the FCO have done a good job on this occasion...Well done you lot.

Makes you wonder what all these UK citizens were doing out in the Lebanon...they can't all be on holiday can they?