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The U.K. has two aircraft carriers, the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.\u00a0 Both are currently undergoing sea trials, the QE being further along in its works than the PoW.\u00a0 After a years-long struggle to get adequate radar systems from Thales, the big MIC conglomerate based in France, the two ships are finally afloat\u00a0 – but there is a small fly in the operational ointment:<\/p>\n
The MoD had targeted 2026 for when the first of up to three logistics ships could provide ammunition, food and general stores to the carrier strike group, but that timeline has extended by up to three years as a result of ongoing uncertainty over the schedule to compete and build the vessels operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.<\/p>\n
Defense News<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
According to both this article and one on The Telegraph (unfortunately behind a paywall if you abuse the occasional-read status like I have) at Telegraph\u00a0<\/a> say that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary\u00a0 (RFA) should have three ‘solid support ships’ (ammunition, etc.)\u00a0 scheduled for 2026,\u00a0 but as far as I can tell the Fort-II class RFA Fort Victoria is the sole one now.\u00a0 The Fort Victoria has already had her retirement pushed back once and is due to retire in 2026. Did I mention she’s also down for maintenance for much of 2023?So replacements could take till 2029?<\/p>\n
Then we get to the plethora for fleet oilers for liquid replenishment. The RN is so well supplied with them… well, they are not and haven’t been for years.\u00a0 They have purchased four Tide-class oilers but two are down for lack of available crew. The UK is supplementing their numbers with civilian oilers in theory, but as of a year ago one ship-to-ship link-up (in which no actual fuel was physically passed) is about the extent of it.\u00a0 UK Defense Journal<\/a><\/p>\n
Sure sounds they are trying to base aircraft carrier operations on “hopefully”, eh?<\/p>\n
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