Gromit wrote:
I don't understand. How would aircraft carriers make a difference to a terrorist? If you know who and where the terrorists are, the police and the criminal justice system are the best way to deal with the problem. If you don't know who and where the terrorists are, I don't see how an aircraft carrier would help.
First off, an aircraft carrier isn't designed so much to fight individual terrorists as such. The aircraft carrier, and it's battle group represent enormous military power and hence any nation that possesses them can use that power if necessary across the whole of the world's oceans. If, for example, Argentina were attempt to seize the Falkland Islands once again or Spain to seize Gilbraltor and Britain lacked a carrier task force, then it's response would be extremely limited unless it were able to get the support of the United States, France, or (possibly in the future) Japan. With a carrier task force, as was seen in the Falkland's War of 1982, a more effective response to military aggression is possible. Indeed, had the junta that ruled Argentina been able to wait a little longer, it possible that the sole carrier of the time, the HMS
Illustrious might have fallen victim to cuts from a future Labour government. However, the junta underestimated the UK's resolve. (CORRECTION, with FULLER EXPLANATION BELOW)
A country with one or more aircraft carrier task force has the ability to project it's military striking power far outward. While an aircraft carrier itself is not designed to fight individual terrorism having aircraft aircraft carrier does reduce the chances of terrorism since it gives you power to strike at international sources of terrorist activities. In Pervez Musharraff's memoirs he recalls a conversation with then Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage in the tense days after 9/11 in which the Secretary threatened to bomb Pakistan into the "stone age" unless he gave into certain demands. This sort of demand is made more realistic because the United States maintains eleven Aircraft Carrier battle groups.
Wikipedia has an
entry (of course) for the QEII class of ship.
Other upcoming Aircraft Carrier classes:
USS Gerald R. Ford classunnamed French aircraft carrier classVikrant class carrierThe Chinese also apparently announced they are building an aircraft carrier, but they
aren't big on giving out information.CORRECTION:
Quote:
The Royal Navy Carrier Fleet Before the War
When the Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands in early April 1982 the Navy could only immediately supply two carriers- Invincible and Hermes. The only other carriers on the scene was Illustrious, then under construction at Swan Hunter, and Bulwark laid up in Portsmouth Dockyard. The 1960s and 70s had seen the run down of Britain's carrier fleet, most notably with the cancellation of the CVA fleet carrier replacement programme. In its place the Navy ordered a class of anti-submarine helicopter cruisers that over time developed into the Invincible Class small fleet carriers. Under the 1981 defence review the newly commissioned Invincible was to have been sold to the Australians where she would serve as the R.A.N's flagship (named H.M.A.S Australia) replacing the long serving Melbourne (ex- H.M.S Majestic). Indeed the future was bleak for the Invincible Class as a whole- even if they weren't sold there was the possibility of mothballing at least one of them. The sale of Invincible was part of a number of reductions (including that of the Ice Patrol ship Endurance) that sent the wrong messages to Argentina regarding Britain's willingness and ability to defend the Falkland Islands. Meanwhile after some years in reserve at Chatham the aircraft maintenance ship (and former aircraft carrier) Triumph had been sold for breaking up in Spain in 1981. Together with the conversion of Albion, Bulwark and Hermes into commando carriers during the 1960's and the cancellation of the CVA programme meant that the Ark Royal and Eagle would be Britain's last true aircraft carriers. Eagle was decommissioned at Portsmouth on 26th January 1972 and later that year she was towed to Devonport where she remained until the 13th October 1978 when she left for breaking up in Cairnryan. Ark Royal served slightly longer arriving at Devonport for the final time on 4th December 1978. She remained there until the 22nd September 1980 when, despite public dismay and some calls to preserve her, she began her tow to Cairnryan for breaking up and by the time of the Falklands war she was nearing the end of the scrapping process. However in a stroke of luck the commando carrier Hermes had undergone a second conversion, this time to a ski-ramp carrier during a £30,000,000 refit in 1981. She was now capable of operating the new Sea Harrier aircraft that would prove so vital in outcome of the war.
Aircraft Carriers and the Falklands Conflict
Last edited by jimservo on 27 Jul 2007, 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
25 Jul 2007, 9:38 am
