[saturn_656]

No surprise. Wasn't long ago the UK mothballed its last carrier.

The RN now has ZERO fixed wing naval air capability.

[MaineUSAGuy]

They should let the people of the Falklands decide who they want to be a part of.

[saturn_656]

MaineUSAGuy MaineUSAGuy:

They should let the people of the Falklands decide who they want to be a part of.

Argentina won't accept that. They believe that since the Kelpers are not indigenous, they don't have a right to self determination and are little more than squatters.

That is one of the main reasons why I support the UK over Argentina.

[bootlegga]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

No surprise. Wasn't long ago the UK mothballed its last carrier.

The RN now has ZERO fixed wing naval air capability.

That's just temporary - when the QE class carriers come online, they'll have way more power projection capability than the old Invincible-class ships ever did.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Eliz ... ft_carrier

Sure it'll be a decade before they are ready, but once they are, watch out. Until then, the UK sub fleet is more than capable of stopping anything the Argies can throw at the Falklands.

[saturn_656]

Subs are great for sinking ships and other subs, but are lousy at intercepting air threats, which is where a carrier would come in.

The UK is taking a huge risk. Typhoons are great planes no argument, but there are only four of them on station.

[EyeBrock]

Four is enough to give the Argies a bloody nose and food for thought. Mount Pleasant is also only a 14 hr flight for reforce squadrons and the RAF base there can support 6-8 squadrons of combat aircraft. The whole concept of Mount Pleasant is to reforce in 14 hours for combat aircraft, 12-18 hours for combat troops.

[raydan]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Four is enough to give the Argies a bloody nose and food for thought. Mount Pleasant is also only a 14 hr flight for reforce squadrons and the RAF base there can support 6-8 squadrons of combat aircraft. The whole concept of Mount Pleasant is to reforce in 14 hours for combat aircraft, 12-18 hours for combat troops.

So if you do attack the Falklands, the best thing to do first is take out or control Mount Pleasant... got it.

[EyeBrock]

It's pretty obvious Ray! Then knock out the Garrison and the AA missiles that are dotted all over the islands. Then take out the on station nuke sub and frigate. Sounds easy. Last time the Argies did it they only had to face 60 Royal Marines.

[raydan]

Please excuse my obvious inexperience in warfare.

[uwish]

I just posted an article about the UK Navy, surface fleet is being cut to 19 combat vessels. So in theory our surface fleet is larger than the UK's. Of course, there is that pesky question of their SSN force..but..

In all the UK's military forces are facing a minimum of 25% cut across the board with another 15% likely. It appears they would have a hard time defending their Island and western Europe never mind waging a war with another nation.

[EyeBrock]

uwish uwish:

I just posted an article about the UK Navy, surface fleet is being cut to 19 combat vessels. So in theory our surface fleet is larger than the UK's. Of course, there is that pesky question of their SSN force..but..

In all the UK's military forces are facing a minimum of 25% cut across the board with another 15% likely. It appears they would have a hard time defending their Island and western Europe never mind waging a war with another nation.

I wouldn't write the Brits off quite yet.