Middle East troubles

[bulldog]

Not wanting to become political but seems a reasonable title. Is anyone else wondering how we ( the UK)have managed to spend £6 bn on 2 state of the art aircraft carriers, yet the RAF is bombing Yemen with Typhoons from Cyprus . Do either of the carriers work ? And are the F35s not capable of dropping bombs?
Just a thought…

[acklington]

I have wondered also - where are the F-35s? Navy, or RAF.

[ronturner]

This is a political question although not "party" political, since both major parties have competed with each other for the last 40 years or so, as to who can cut the most from the defence budget.


We have to face the facts that our forces are diminished, new political orders have emerged, future conflict is inevitable, be at it low level nuisance or potentially even much, much worse. The political changes have been taking place at the same time we have been burying our heads in the sands. I wonder too, exactly where are those two carriers? Are they perhaps being checked, to make sure the foreword and astern buttons have been wired up properly?

The situation here in France is not much different to what has happened in the UK. Our cuts have not been quite so deep, but nevertheless following the trend.


As for deploying Typhoons rather than Lightnings to the Middle East, the Typhoon force is tried and tested with much experience, expertise and proven weaponry. The Lightning force, with highly complex equipment is still relatively inexperienced when it comes to deployments and operating in unfriendly skies.

[viscount]

Google says:

HMS Prince of Wales will now undergo maintenance in her home base over the coming weeks before resuming trials, training and exercises gearing up for her maiden deployment leading a carrier strike group in 2025.

(as of December 2023)

The £3bn aircraft carrier returned to her home base on Sunday evening, having spent time deployed in northern European waters with her Nato and Joint Expeditionary Force allies. In an unusual sight, the F-35B Lightnings embarked on the carrier remained on her flight deck as she returned to Portsmouth Naval Base.

(dated 31 Oct 23)

So the answer, Ron, seems to be that both undergoing maintenance in port, one to major mechanical failure, the other following an exercise deployment. HMS Prince of Wales having bearings replaced (remember the fiasco of her limping back to port having just set out on a working-up exercise prior to an overseas deployment over a year ago), while HMS Queen Elizabeth has not long returned to port from a North Atlantic NATO training exercise.

[bulldog]

I think this is pitiful. How many trials etc does it need. When the Falkland war started we got Hermes ( I think) down there pretty quickly. Why does it take another year before P of W first deployment? In times of need they should pull fingers out.