BV has hit the nail squarely upon its head.
I will suggest a return to the topic of a possible military operation in the Guayana/Venezuela/Brazil region (with hopefully some focus on the air assets of those in the region).
That would align with this thread remaining of interest to "the broad church".

Warmest regards to all (yes, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere :})
T28B

There are two ways to move through the jungle - by boat or in a helicopter.
On foot is Jost not possible by more than a mile or two per day.
So the Vs would only really likely be able to attack along any Highways or along the coast.
A surprise attack is highly unlikely as crossing the boarder in force would be quickly swallowed up and give time for neighbouring nations (USA) the opportunity to apply a great deal of external pressure, even our own warship would be able to greatly hinder a costal hoping incursion.

In my past career, I was a Jungle Warfare Instructor and have served in this region, including training aircrew survival techniques. Much of the area along the coast is secondary jungle and almost impenetrable. A small defending force could hold up a larger army or poorly equipped troops indefinitely.

This is a political distraction technique.

I really like "Weatherboy!" The last time I was called that was when I was appointed P Met O 1 Group and Supervisor of Met. Training for aircrew [except rotary]. The nickname stems from the post having hitherto been filled by 55 year-olds, and I was a mere 43, younger than most of my team.
Weatherboy indeed.

Google Maps have put a line through the middle of Guyana representing the 60% of the country that Venezuela claims in its upcoming 'referendum'...

Just checked, still there.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fbdd6e8f8b.png

The Russian military was supposed to be world class and a peer competitor. The reality was very different. The Venezuelan military is just like Russia with senior leadership chosen for fealty to the President, not military competence. That combined with institutional kleptocracy will ensure they are combat ineffective at every level.

-2C, @15:00... Oxford. The UK..land of warm beer, cold women and freezing fog as the Germans would say, which makes their interest in moving borders westwards back in the bad days all the more perplexing.

:}

Hope my Brexit irritation isn't showing...


.

BBC Woking @2100 gives -2C now, 0C at 2300 and +4C by 0500.

The cupboard is NOT bare, we have plenty to contribute to this situation, and we would because we have a Commonwealth liability...

Well,we could send a few Gazelles,maybe a couple of `Chinnys`,even the Arrows ,(for `winter training),and call it 1310 Flight again,as was in`65/`66...oh,,and a couple of C-130s from Cambridge.....to help the GDF....HHA could supply a few Hunters as well...add an A400 ,for `noise`accompaniment`..JOB DONE...

Considering the Order of Battle of the UK forces today and current overseas commitments.....just what is there to send....and how do you propose to get it there in a timely fashion and be Ops Ready upon arrival?

Not trying to start a bun fight....just asking a legitimate question.

What force mix does this situation require and how long would the UK be able to fund the forces to be deployed?

If you inject Operational Security you are only avoiding the question as this is all hypothetical.

Anything in storage in Arizona the RAF could bring back on line or was the contingency planning limited to just sending the Aircraft and associated stores to the scrap yard?

I think you are indeed trying to start a bunfight by going out of your way to sneer at the UK. Does it make you feel big and tough?

Questioning the political commitment of your government, the capabilities along with timeliness of a response by the UK is hardly seeking out a bun fight. I ask those same questions of my government/military, that hardly makes it controversial.

To pose such questions is entirely legitimate. To sneer and denigrate unfairly is not.

extinct in U.K. sadly. Luckily we still have the Marsh, Hen and Montegues…………😉

It is not just a question of what but also where. Without a carrier, the only option is to base your force in someone else's backyard. That requires quite a few please and thankyous these days.

Its worth noting to the usual "we're useless now and if only it was the past" brigade, who, as usual, are out in force here, that the UK has never had any strategic interest in defending against this sort of scenario. I've crawled through a lot of papers on defence planning from 50s -70s and this scenario never once featured in planners assumptions for contingency planning. People seem to be moaning that we don't have the ability to intervene in a situation we've spent roughly 70 years assuming we wouldn't get involved in anyway...

Care to explain why you think neither carrier could deploy if necessary?

Is either yet in a position to deploy with sufficient and appropriate forces and with no support from other nations?

As in cannot be in two places at the same time and presumably where they are currently was deemed not trivial?
Not to mention that "a carrier" on its own is as much a liability as an asset.