Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

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RF
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by RF »

It is a gamble and a question of when isn't it? And of the strategic priorities and loyalties of this apology of a coalition government.
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Ludovico
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by Ludovico »

Quite simply, no, the Royal Navy is not capable of another Falklands. At-least it wont be for another 8 years until the introduction of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers and the F-35C. In reality the Royal Navy hasn't been capable of another Falklands style campaign since the retirement of the Sea Harrier. All this recent rhetorical caveat about the decommissioning of HMS Ark Royal and the Harriers is just the media attempting to make headlines.

This does not mean the UK cannot defend the Falklands and the Royal Navy would still play a pivotal role in its defence: The Type 45 is a formidable air-defence destroyer, just 1 T-45 on station would be a complete game changer and give the Argentine Air Force more than just pause for thought. Nuclear fleet submarines and type 23 anti submarine frigates with sonar 2087 and Merlin helicopters would provide arguably the most potent anti submarine screen in the world. Additionally the nuclear fleet submarines are armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles - a serious threat to any strategic military bases and command posts in Argentina.

Argentina however isn't capable of invading the Islands in the first place, nor is any South American nation. This situation wont change for a long-time so I wouldn't be worrying about having to deploy a naval task force to the area any-time soon. The 4x Eurofighter Typhoons stationed at RAF Mount pleasant represent more than enough to obliterate any Argentine aggression by air.
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argymarine
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by argymarine »

course yes. due to irak and afghanistan wars/engagements,the UK has a superb table of veterans.besides,the equipment they have,is very superior compared with the one, average argy soldier has.our only chance would be,our marines(and they really played a nice part in the 82´s conflict,halting the landing at will in its area).but even they current equipment is somewhat obsolete. there is a good porcentage of UK soldiers equiped with optical sights among many other things,that will give a remarkable advantage.
many people in my country say "they dont have carriers so arent able to reach the islands". in my point,that is completely wrong.you have 4 nice assault ships,and thats more than enough to take care about the few soldiers argies can put into ground and retaining fighting capability.(if they succeed in defeating the current garrison,wich is highly unlikely due to the lack of transports).those AS´s with apaches, can make a great mess during the night. you dont need to send a carrier,the 4 typhoons you have on the islands are capable of smash any argy plane even when they are taking off.if on flight,the same.we have nothing compared with "ammram`s".same disadvantage(and huge in modern combat) we have with the chilean air force adn their f16´s. argy pilots are the best southamerican.but like in the 82,will prove useless with the poor equipment and administrative/burocratic deficiencies. and as reader say in WWI,the only thing they can do is " to prove they can die with honour".
now count all the AA equipment,the blank point gatling types AA systems on every ship. impossible with the tools argentina (and the current,highly corrupt government) has.

yes,your still capable,and,you dont wonna loose the southamerican british influence zone :D
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RF
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by RF »

argymarine wrote: .....and,you dont wonna loose the southamerican british influence zone :D
I'm not sure what this is intended to mean.

I don't see that British possession of the Falklands gives Britain any influence over South America, indeed from my standpoint I would doubt whether they actually form part of South America, any more than St Helena or Tristan da Cunha.
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tameraire01
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by tameraire01 »

AngloSaxonVangaurd wrote:
Bgile wrote:
Question is what sized fleet is needed to be deployed to the Falklands? I would say this would be a good task force;

Carrier task Force; - Forward fleet
1 x Invincible carrier
2 x tanker/supply
2 x t-42 Destroyer
2 x t 23 Frigate
1 x t-22 Frigate
1 x Trafalgar SSN

Amphibious Task Force; - rear fleet
1 x Albion LPD
1 x HMS Ocean Helictoper carrier
1 x Bay class LPD
2 x tanker supply
2 x t-23 frigates
1 x t-22 frigates
1 x Trafalgar SSN

RFA/Merchant navy fleet;
1 x RFA argus - hospital ship
10 x other RFA ships holding supplys and weponry (helicopters, fighters, extra missiles etc etc)

Aby task force like above could also meet up with Royal navy T-42 destroyers patroling the north atlantic too boost the task forces AAW.
HMS Daring could also be deployed if her aster missiles worked.
Personally i would send:
1x HMS Queen Elizabeth CV
2x type 45 Destroyers
2 type 23 Frigates
1x phib
2x astute class Ssn
1x vanguard SSBN
2x tankers
10x RFAs
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Steve Crandell
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by Steve Crandell »

I (Bgile) did not make the post referenced above. I commented on it. The person who suggested the fleet was: AngloSaxonVangaurd

"Vangaurd" presumably spelled wrong. Please be careful who you attribute posts to.
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by Steve Crandell »

tameraire01 wrote: Personally i would send:
1x HMS Queen Elizabeth CV
2x type 45 Destroyers
2 type 23 Frigates
1x phib
2x astute class Ssn
1x vanguard SSBN
2x tankers
10x RFAs
Why in the world would you send an SSBN, presumably taking it off it's deterrent patrol?
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tameraire01
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by tameraire01 »

It would not be in the south atlantic but on the edge of the south atlantic and it would be a reminder to all nations that britain is still a nuclear power.
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RF
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by RF »

The issue of nuclear weapons was a very sensitive one, particulary as Argentina didn't have them. Sensitive because it could cost Britain the support of the USA and the rest of NATO, let alone cause the rest of Latin America including Chile to actively back Argentina if there was any prospect of nuclear weapons being used.
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Steve Crandell
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by Steve Crandell »

tameraire01 wrote:It would not be in the south atlantic but on the edge of the south atlantic and it would be a reminder to all nations that britain is still a nuclear power.
The location of SSBNs is not something we advertise, and in any case it would take the SSBN out of range of her normal targets, and you would be informing them of this. I seriously doubt this would be done.

If Britain implied it was prepared to use nuclear weapons on Argentina, it would certainly change the nation's profile around the world. It would put them in the same category as North Korea with regard to threatened first use.
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RF
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by RF »

Steve Crandell wrote:[
If Britain implied it was prepared to use nuclear weapons on Argentina, it would certainly change the nation's profile around the world. It would put them in the same category as North Korea with regard to threatened first use.
Not just first use - but against a country with NO nuclear weapons.

It would have been absolutely unacceptable politically in Britain - when Parliament approved the expeditionary force to retake the Falklands it was after vocal concerns being raised by MP's such as Tony Benn about the force carrying nuclear weapons. The government of Margaret Thatcher said that nuclear weapons would not be used, not least because doing so would breach the NATO charter; the government refused to say whether nuclear weapons were being carried on the grounds that the RN never disclosed whether or not particular surface vessels carried them. It was that which caused controversy.
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by aurora »

The U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) has placed an order with Lockheed Martin for the first four production F-35B Lighting II fighters for the Royal Air Force with options for up to 14 aircraft, Lockheed announced on Monday (24th) morning.
“The contract for the F-35B aircraft forms part of the MOD’s investment in Lightning II over the next five years to procure an initial 14 of these multi-role fifth generation aircraft, as well as putting in place the necessary support arrangements and infrastructure,” read this Monday's :clap: morning statement.

The agreement with the MoD is tied to a larger 43-jet deal from for the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office for six other nations in the F-35 program.

The U.K. is currently testing three F-35Bs at Egland Air Force Base, Fla. and has ordered a fourth expected to deliver in 2016, according to Lockheed.
The RAF is slated to standup its first squadron of the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) at RAF Base Marham in Norfolk, U.K. in 2018.
The U.K. F-35s will operate from both land and U.K.’s new carriers that are under construction.
“Not only does our investment in these next generation aircraft afford us air superiority, but the UK’s tier one status in the entire program provides UK industry with a unique opportunity to produce world-leading products, technologies and manufacturing expertise for coming decades,” U.K. Minister for Defence Equipment Support and Technology, Philip Dunne said in a Monday Statement :clap: :clap:
Quo Fata Vocant-Whither the Fates call

Jim
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RF
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by RF »

Philip Dunne also represents the constituency of Ludlow in the British House of Commons, the directly elected part of the British Parliament. The constituency lies to the immediate west of the city of Wolverhampton where I reside.

I can tell you that Mr Dunne is a fairly typical careerist party machine politician and I wouldn't trust a word of what he says.

The European Union would very much like to get control of the British armed forces as part of its defence and foreign policy, which would not mean defending the Falklands. Such expenditure mentioned is more likely to be ultimately deployed in the Middle East troublespots or anywhere else like the Ukraine that the EU politicians want to stick their proverbial noses in. Unless of course we can get a UKIP Government that will take the UK finally out of the European Union altogether.
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Steve Crandell
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by Steve Crandell »

Considering the hapless state of the Argentine defense forces, this really isn't a concern anymore and won't be for the foreseeable future.
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aurora
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Re: Royal Navy capable of another Falklands?

Post by aurora »

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed for its first four operational Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, Jane’s defence magazine reports. The deal is part of the Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP 8) production lot, the publication noted.

More from the Jane’s article:

The order marks an initial buy from the MoD’s Main Gate 4 acquisition approval process for 14 jets to equip the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) 617 Squadron, which is scheduled to stand-up as the UK’s first operational F-35B unit in 2016.

Here is the link to the Jane’s article:

http://www.janes.com/article/46164/uk-o ... t-aircraft
Quo Fata Vocant-Whither the Fates call

Jim
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