WELL DONE FRANCE!
 

Looks like the French have made a bold move that they should be proud of by withholding delivery of the warships to Russia:D.
How much difference would they make to the Russian capability though?

OAP

Minimal difference.

My guess is that they will sell them to someone else, who will sell them to the Russkis while the Gauls tournent l'oeil aveugle and deny all knowledge of subterfuge.

Capetonian - Indeed. How long before Nauru puts out a UOR for a helicopter carrier?

;)

Perhaps they could also consider witholding delivery of illegal immigrants to the UK :ok:

BBC News - Calais mayor warns of blockade over illegal migration

If we weren't skint...
 

.. we could use ships like these.

Mistral-class amphibious assault ship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However, and before everyone points out that we are broke, I know we are broke. But to dream, they would be better amphibs than the QE class and outlast Ocean.

Regards
Batco

Yeah but think of the extra cost in order to make them suitable for those with Hearts of Oak.

Would it be cheaper to change all the plug sockets or buy a job lot of compatible iPod chargers?

Nice decision, and good to see someone saying something positive about the Snail-munchers.

Do we need them? Can we afford them? Would we buy French, instead of giving BAe or whoever twice as much ££££ for less?

As to how UK blocks Calais, would Jacques approve of a couple of Bns of squaddies on their soil protecting our 'outer border'?

Probably only a temporary situation.

1: Halt delivery of Vladivostok
2: Assist in negotiation of a ceasefire
3: Deliver Vladivostok
4: Feign shock when ceasefire is broken shortly after delivery

(Repeat for Sevastopol.)

Not that France is unique: the UK's cross-party Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls reported in July that 251 arms export licences to Russia were still active, with a value of £132 million. Items covered by the permits include sniper rifles, night sights and various munitions components.

I/C

Short term zilch.

Long term it might encourage them to build their own.

That said, its a bit unwise supplying your a country that is determined to be a potential enemy with capital equipment.

If you don't, someone else will.

And as you say, they can always build there own.

Better hope the French have a much better energy policy than the UK and goods gas stocks; might be chilly this winter!

To be honest the last thing the RN needs is extra amphib capability - we've got tonnes of it and don't use most of it in role. There is only 1 LPD active at any one time and the LSD(A) seems to be spending a lot of time doing non amphib stuff.

I'm all for getting new kit, but don't think we need to buy more amphib stuff when what we've got is perfectly good at the moment for what we need to do - the sort of funds we're talking about would go a long way to sorting the MPA replacement out.

More pertinently, have you seen the interior of a Russian warship - I suspect any RN crew assigned to these ships would mutiny very quickly. Check out photos on the state of the Kuznetzov.

If this brewhaha ends with Vlad and company heading home, they'll get the ships.

I would suggest that, if they could build their own, they would have! The fact that they bought the Mistrals from France suggests they can't.

The French produce on average 120% of there electricity requirements from non fossil fuel methods 100% of the time, as such they export on average 20% of it. They have roughly 100% Nuclear and 20% Hydro. Those figures obviously go up and down depending on the base load.

The Frogs don't need gas and can tell Putin where to go. That doesn't mean they don't use gas, for heating, but they don't have to.

France should deliver the ships, after a little additional feature is added. A nice, well hidden, remote controlled self destruct system.:ok:


Mr. Putin, really, your new ship was getting ready to land some troops and it suddenly sank? No idea how that could have happened, did you read all the user manuals we sent along?:E

Unless there's a "kill" switch.

"How would Jacques approve of couple of bn's of squaddies protecting our outer border..." Or alternatively we could modify our benefit system such that we're not viewed as"Eldorado" by migrants who hop over numerous borders to get here.

Its outrageous of the French to do this. I hope Russia get the ships eventually. Russia should know better than to try and deal with the west though.