New RN Carrier Time Schedule

[Kyler]

According Minister Quentin Davis the first of the RN new carriers is to now enter service in 2015, and the second in 2018. Though the current schedule for the decommissioning of the RN's current carrier force is set at HMS Invincible in 2010, Ark Royal in 2014, and Illustrious in 2016. In addition Gr9's are to fly from the new carrier until the RN takes delivery of the F-35's if that either being B or C models.

It looks to me the RN is going to have a serious capability gap in the coming decade. The current time schedule for the new carriers is not doubt going to be pushed back further, or there is still a possibility the carriers could be canceled. I have no clue how the RN will deal with the gap, but these seem to be popping up everywhere in the current & future military planning of British forces.

Is it possible they will extend the service life’s of some of the RN's carrier to bridge the gap, or are they going to follow their current map and just mothball the ships on schedule. I can't see why they won't extended these ship service lives especially since it still within the realm of possibilities that the new carriers could still get canceled.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

[José M. Rico]

This sounds familiar.
It happened before in the late 70's when Ark Royal and Eagle were decommissioned. Invincible was not commissioned until 1980 just in time for the Falklands.

[RF]

Kyler, you are quite right in your observation, and as Jose says, this is nothing new. This sort of thing often has fatal consequences, Jose mentioned the Falklands war. Prior to the start of that conflict HMS Endurance, the ice patrol vessel off the Falklands was also scheduled to be scrapped, which it is believed encouraged Galtieri into thinking Britain wasn't serious about defending the Falklands.

Alot of this is to do with saving money, and as usual is a false economy. Rather like the issue in the 1930's of saving money by constantly cancelling the strengthening of Hood's deck armour......

[Kyler]

Kyler, you are quite right in your observation, and as Jose says, this is nothing new. This sort of thing often has fatal consequences, Jose mentioned the Falklands war. Prior to the start of that conflict HMS Endurance, the ice patrol vessel off the Falklands was also scheduled to be scrapped, which it is believed encouraged Galtieri into thinking Britain wasn't serious about defending the Falklands.

Alot of this is to do with saving money, and as usual is a false economy. Rather like the issue in the 1930's of saving money by constantly cancelling the strengthening of Hood's deck armour......

RF, in complete agreeance with you as well. Especially since Russia wants to become a superpower again, China is building its first Carrier & carrier group to go with it, India will gets it carrier hopefully sometime next decade. I would think Parliament would pull funding from other area's but the carriers and Type 45's, but history has proven that the British government normally picks the stupid policy

[RF]

Kyler, the biggest fear I have, now that the Lisbon Treaty is fully ratified, is that the RN will be replaced with an EU navy. That really would be a waste of money, as it would never be used in the defence of Britain or even the other nations of Europe, but as a symbol of the EU's lordship over all of us. Then we really would be dependent on the USA for our freedom......