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  • RN deployment to the Far East

    Britain’s new aircraft carrier will be sent to China’s backyard in a show of strength as President Xi’s government increasingly disputes Pacific waters.Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, will say today that Britain must be ready “to use hard power” to protect its interests. He will warn that R


    ....................Albeit with US aircraft. Gavin Williamson flexing his muscles ?
    “The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards.”
    ― Thucydides

  • #2
    I wouldn't put it down to Gavin Williamson flexing his muscles.

    I'd put it down to the Chinese flexing their muscles.

    There is an emerging Chinese caused threat to stability in that region...and other nations like the Philippines, Malaysia etc are under pressure.

    The UK also has strong links to Brunei.

    Sending an aircraft carrier to the region indicates to China that the UK is willing, with the US and others (I may be wrong I'm thinking Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand, five power defence partners) to support the less militarily capable countries who find themselves in dispute with China over this matter.

    Its using military assets to diplomatically influence a situation.

    All my own opinion BTW...I have no inside track on this other than a passive interest.
    'History is a vast early warning system'. Norman Cousins

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Shaqra View Post
      https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...hina-mr93f5dd9

      ....................Albeit with US aircraft.
      Also could be a request by the US for support or covering where the US is pulling back from.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Poiuyt View Post
        Also could be a request by the US for support or covering where the US is pulling back from.
        Article from today's Sydney Morning Herald posted in the Stuff news website.

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        • #5
          An attempt to justify Defence spending ahead of the inevitable post-Brexit austerity budgets?
          'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
          'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
          Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
          He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
          http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Poiuyt View Post
            Also could be a request by the US for support or covering where the US is pulling back from.
            Probably closer to the mark. Attempting to curry favour with the US prior to trying to negotiate a new trade deal. However if the ProPublica reports are to be believed (https://features.propublica.org/navy...ailynewsletter ) the 7th Fleet needs a lot of help just to make space for training and routine maintenance. I'm sure the additional hull and crew would be very welcome , even without it's own aircraft.
            “The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards.”
            ― Thucydides

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            • #7
              Maybe the RN are getting the swarm drones the the Defense Secretary was talking about .
              Don't spit in my Bouillabaisse .

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Shaqra View Post
                Probably closer to the mark. Attempting to curry favour with the US prior to trying to negotiate a new trade deal. However if the ProPublica reports are to be believed (https://features.propublica.org/navy...ailynewsletter ) the 7th Fleet needs a lot of help just to make space for training and routine maintenance. I'm sure the additional hull and crew would be very welcome , even without it's own aircraft.
                Over the last 10 years the 7th fleet has been asked to do more with less in terms of operational expenditure which of course has led to degradation and mistakes viz the Fitz and McCain. I agree the UK move is to virtue signal to the US (As it is Foreign Relations 101 that traditionally the US sees trade and diplomacy through a security lens, but it is also sending a solidarity signal to other Indo-Pacific nations like Australia, Singapore and Malaysia as well who also triangulate their trade, diplomacy and defence relationships. Thus in this case unlike with their European relationships they are going about it the right way in an engagement sense BUT FOR the typical Whitehall rhetoric about how important we Brits are from the DefMin.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Shaqra View Post
                  I'm sure the additional hull and crew would be very welcome , even without it's own aircraft.
                  Given the trouble in the Ukraine, 7th Fleet difficulties and tweets by DJT, I reckon it has a lot to do with flying the flag, showing the locals that the US and UK still have their backs and giving them the impetus to develop their own forces. India & Japan are seriously pushing their carrier forces in response to China and the Philippines are finally building a proper surface fleet.

                  The US can easily spare the aircraft, gives them some room to breathe and keeps everyone happy while the UK does something with their £3Bn flagship and gets some brownie points.

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