RAF Chief predicts no more RN jets

[Flash]

Reviving a very old argument, the outgoing chief of the Royal Air Force says that the Royal Navy's jet force will eventually be absorbed by the RAF. The RAF won this argument towards the end of WWI, absorbing the Royal Naval Air Service, and the Royal Navy didn't regain control of its own air arm until 1937. The Fleet Air Arm suffered for a large part of WWII from a lack of tactics, practice and decent airplanes largely because of the RAF's neglect in the inter-war years (the Sea Fury didn't arrive until after the war).

Ironically, both Brazil and Italy had to modify their laws in the last 20 years in order for their navies to operate fixed-wing aircraft off their 'new' carriers, only their air force's could. So while they have moved forward it appears that some in the RAF want to move backwards.

And while it has not done so in name, the UK's Joint Force Harrier has already absorbed the Royal Navy's Harrier two Harrier squadrons into a 'Naval Strike Wing', and from what I can tell rarely deploys on their carriers now. With their forces shrinking ever smaller I would not be surprised to see it happen on paper as well as practice, whether the Navy likes it or not.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Methinks Britain needs a revolt of the admirals.

 

[Junkball]

At first glance, I don't think this is the direction they're moving. After all, the Royal Navy is about to get two new aircraft carriers of the non-through-deck cruiser variety. The Fleet Air Arm was near extinction prior to the Falklands War as well, if I remember correctly, and look what lessons were learned there (or what lessons should have been learned there: a fleet in being and the willingness to use it are more important than the promise of worldwide RAF 'support' for colonial defense. Instead the RAF takes a good share of the credit, the Brits open the multimillion £/yr RAF Mount Pleasant and mostly ignore the RN).

I laughed a the title of this Telegraph companion piece to Flash's article:
Harrier dispute between Navy and RAF chiefs sees Army 'marriage counsellor' called in

It also states that the Navy is to receive the majority of the UK's F-35s... I don't think that adds up to the FAA being folded into the RAF. If for nothing else, RN should remind the public it was a pair of FAA Sea Harrier squadrons that ensured the return of the Islas Malvinas to British hands.

 

[scoolbubba]

You'd think the Brits would understand the importance of a strong Navy. Without one, it'd still be just a cold rainy place that even Hadrian only wanted half of.

 

[SkywardET]

Soon the UK won't be able to afford ships capable of fixed wing operations, so I am not going to read too much into this.

 

[Immy]

Forgive me if I'm wrong Skyward but I'm quite sure the RN will have two new 60-70 thousand ton carriers by the end of the next decade that will be operating the F-35.

Unless of course they get cut.

 

[SkywardET]

It's possible that they will complete that procurement, but it is also possible that the UK will either be completely bankrupt or have currency destruction by runaway inflation long before then. I can't really predict the future, but the present trend leads towards the latter.

Fortunately for us we are not on the same boat. Unfortunately for us, we are moored inboard of their ship of state...

 

[Flash]

Forgive me if I'm wrong Skyward but I'm quite sure the RN will have two new 60-70 thousand ton carriers by the end of the next decade that will be operating the F-35.

Unless of course they get cut.

I think that may be the RAF's hope. Only so much defence dollars go around and the carriers are taking up a lot, cutting them would leave a lot more for shiny new Typhoons.