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I remember the days when the UK had a navy (and an Air Force and army..)
French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle just crossed the Gibraltar strait Its Carrier Strike Group is composed of 2 x French frigates, 1 x Spanish, 1 x Dutch, 1 x Italian, as well as a French submarine and a supply ship. In the eastern Mediterranean, the french FREMM Languedoc is already positioned, while the PHA (helicopter carrier) Tonnerre left Toulon naval base for East-Med to help with the eventual evacuation of french citizens from Lebanon. The French PHA Dixmude is in the Red Sea with the frigate Aconit, while another French frigate, Forbin is in the Bab El Mandeb Area. Finally, the FREMM Provence is in the Arabian sea. We have then 11 French ships deployed to the Middle East, maybe 12 if we count a secret submarine that can be there... Literally half of the French navy ! Picture from Gibraltar from @jr_amon_ceuta: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....aef2cc08a5.png |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12047755)
.............
U.S. officials tell CBS News that a total of three MQ-9 “Reaper” Surveillance and Attack Drones with the U.S. Air Force have been downed so far during Operation Epic Fury. It's not clear where exactly the three drones crashed, but one of the Reapers attempted to crash off the coast of Iran, while another is believed to have been shot down during a “friendly fire” incident by Qatar. :) |
President Trump on Friday demanded “unconditional surrender” by Iran, saying there would be no negotiated end to the war.
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The UAE-flagged tug Mussafah 2 was struck by two missiles while attempting to assist the abandoned container ship Safeen Prestige in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack occurred about 18 nm off Khasab. The entire crew of the tug, believed to be around eight people, was killed. Safeen Prestige has been adrift since 4th of March after it was struck above the waterline. |
Something big going on. FR24 showing 3 KC135 tankers have been orbiting off the coast of Kuwait and another 4 or 5 heading up through Jordan.
😞 |
Something big going on. FR24 showing 3 KC135 tankers have been orbiting off the coast of Kuwait and another 4 or 5 heading up through Jordan. Large wave of tankers and undoubtedly fighters/strike aircraft with or near them. Passing north of Al-Jubail, KSA. KC-135R 62-3498 #AE07B4 KC-135R 62-3518 #AE04A3 KC-135R 57-1461 #AE04DC KC-135R 59-1495 #AE0500 KC-135R 58-0109 #AE04E0 Screenshot from 50 minutes ago. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dfdc305e01.png |
B-1Bs arriving at RAF Fairford shortly.
Weapons arriving by road today - presumably from RAF Welford. https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2026/03...2811604529.jpg |
there sees to have been a policy change to be more visible - perhaps because they don't see any Iranian air force threat. |
Originally Posted by Winemaker
(Post 12047961)
President Trump on Friday demanded “unconditional surrender” by Iran, saying there would be no negotiated end to the war.
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Is the UK to be thrown out of Cyprus next? Britain's pathetic response to the Iranian attacks on the island has caused great annoyance to its government. Cypriot foreign minister Constantinos Kombos says there needs to be a "conversation" about removing the UK's two RAF bases in Cyprus after a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri on Sunday. Mr Kombos told BBC Newsnight that the Cypriots’ “displeasure” was made clear both before and after the drone strike on Sunday, which hit a hangar usually occupied by US spy planes.
He said: “Right now we have the British bases on the island. There are questions. There are issues. There are concerns. Our displeasure was shared leading up to the incident and immediately afterwards. We are now focusing on the current situation and how we can manage the crisis. And there will be, of course, a reflection as to lessons learnt and issues that are of serious concern after the crisis.” |
Originally Posted by Lonewolf_50
(Post 12047900)
Which you swallowed. FWIW, when I was in the Navy, we did a great many port visits and multinational exercises. We never downloaded armaments before so doing, indeed, quite the opposite. We filled the magazines before deployments, long or short, began our operations, and only downloaded ammo{*} when we got back home after deployment was over and the ship/crew were to go into the refit/reman/restore cycle.
While I don't know for a fact that the Iranians have the same approach to deployments away from home station, I suspect that it is similar. Why? If you get a signal from Fleet HQ for emergent tasking, you need to have the tools on hand to get your various missions done. {*} The special case of Sixth Fleet deployments from Second Fleet, to the Med, was an exception. We'd have a partial load in transit, get topped off as we InChopped into the Med (from the ship that we were relieving), and then we'd in turn pass along the 'top up' to whomever relieved us as we OutChopped from Sixth Fleet. My helicopter experiences included carrying pallet-loads of ammo from one ship to another during such cross-decking...we managed to do it without mishap . Wonder no longer. 1. The enemy shoots back. Sometimes they hit what they are aiming at. 2. Coalition warfare has its own unique challenges with command and control, and airspace coordination. The risks of blue-on-blue are increased as more parties are added to the mix. In this case it should surprise nobody that a few cases have cropped up. Disappointing, to be sure, but not wholly unexpected. Fog of War: that phrase was coined for a good and sufficient reason. |
Fairly certain the Turkish airforce would love to have those bases . Provided they were able to collect jizra taxes from the locals .
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Originally Posted by Geriaviator
(Post 12047985)
Is the UK to be thrown out of Cyprus next? Britain's pathetic response to the Iranian attacks on the island has caused great annoyance to its government. Cypriot foreign minister Constantinos Kombos says there needs to be a "conversation" about removing the UK's two RAF bases in Cyprus after a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri on Sunday. Mr Kombos told BBC Newsnight that the Cypriots’ “displeasure” was made clear both before and after the drone strike on Sunday, which hit a hangar usually occupied by US spy planes.
He said: “Right now we have the British bases on the island. There are questions. There are issues. There are concerns. Our displeasure was shared leading up to the incident and immediately afterwards. We are now focusing on the current situation and how we can manage the crisis. And there will be, of course, a reflection as to lessons learnt and issues that are of serious concern after the crisis.” |
Originally Posted by langleybaston
(Post 12047992)
The BBC refer to two SBAs, Akrotiri and Dhekalia [my son born in the latter]. However, are there not three?
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Originally Posted by langleybaston
(Post 12047992)
The BBC refer to two SBAs, Akrotiri and Dhekalia [my son born in the latter]. However, are there not three?
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Originally Posted by Ninthace
(Post 12047989)
Why do you think I swallowed it? I was asked for an example of what was being said and I provided it. If you read what I posted dispassionately, you will see I referred to reports and allegations. At no point did I even suggest they were true. For your information, I also did sea time and we did not always go to sea with a full war load or anything like, especially on exercise. You know as well as I do that forces exercise with blank or dummy munitions. I was reporting what was being claimed.
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Originally Posted by West Coast
(Post 12047999)
I value your input here but the big kahuna mod has made it clear this tangent won’t fly. Let’s move on, take that advice as you see fit.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/India...an/ar-AA1XDDRP |
Originally Posted by 212man
(Post 12047995)
Do you mean Episkopi? It’s in the Akrotiri one.
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Collateral damage
Iranian schools, hospital and landmarks among civilian sites hit during US-Israeli strikes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpw004xqxnjo
It would really help the US/Israel cause if they were to be a little more careful what they destroyed. BV |
Originally Posted by West Coast
(Post 12047999)
I value your input here but the big kahuna mod has made it clear this tangent won’t fly. Let’s move on, take that advice as you see fit.
I'll let it go.
Originally Posted by Winemaker
(Post 12047961)
President Trump on Friday demanded “unconditional surrender” by Iran, saying there would be no negotiated end to the war.
Araghchi told NBC News on Thursday that Tehran is ready for a potential U.S. ground invasion, though there is no sign that the United States is currently planning such an operation. According to Araghchi, Iran has not asked for a cease-fire deal and refuses to negotiate with Washington. “The fact is that we don’t have any positive experience of negotiating with the United States, you know, especially with this administration,” Araghchi said. “We negotiated twice last year and this year, and then in the middle of negotiations, they attacked us.” |
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