What is it that the UK really uses these for anyway? Is the UK in any sort of military conflict or under any sort of military threat from anyone at present? I know they have to maintain certain readiness levels as members of NATO, but, still. I’m just curious as to what, other than air defense, the UK may be using these jets for.
At present? Keeping an eye on Russian ships “just out for a walk” so to speak, in waters nowhere near their immediate interests that happen to be a lot closer to British interests.
Why does that need to be a jet? To remind those ships that if they were to bring their own jets for whatever reason, not that they’d ever even have the remotest possibility of the merest inkling of a thought to do such a thing, we’d be prepared.
Mild sabre rattling. Also known as “international diplomacy”.
They are the sole British carrier-capable fixed wing aircraft, and have been used in NATO air policing operations. They are currently embarked on HMS Prince of Wales as it conducts its training and freedom-of-navigation mission in the Indo-Pacific.
What is it that the UK really uses these for anyway? Is the UK in any sort of military conflict or under any sort of military threat from anyone at present? I know they have to maintain certain readiness levels as members of NATO, but, still. I’m just curious as to what, other than air defense, the UK may be using these jets for.
Making sure the Argentinians don’t get any big ideas is one example.
At present? Keeping an eye on Russian ships “just out for a walk” so to speak, in waters nowhere near their immediate interests that happen to be a lot closer to British interests.
Why does that need to be a jet? To remind those ships that if they were to bring their own jets for whatever reason, not that they’d ever even have the remotest possibility of the merest inkling of a thought to do such a thing, we’d be prepared.
Mild sabre rattling. Also known as “international diplomacy”.
They are the sole British carrier-capable fixed wing aircraft, and have been used in NATO air policing operations. They are currently embarked on HMS Prince of Wales as it conducts its training and freedom-of-navigation mission in the Indo-Pacific.
Not really, but I expect they’d like to keep it that way.