Britain and France considering timeshare carriers...

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

France, Britain In Talks On Warship Timeshare

 

PARIS - Historic rivals and modern day allies France and Britain are in talks on pooling their naval strength, officials said Aug. 31, after reports they might share a fleet of aircraft carriers...

 

All I can say to this idea is 'WOW...'

[Slartibartfast 153]

Hmmm its a concept that has been mooted since the RN where getting the new Carriers on a cost saving exercise but the new UK boats will definitely need catapults for that... as the French wont want to operate the F-35B...

[Nixou 25]

mmmh i'am not astonished: France isn't planning a new aircraft carrier creation before 2015-2020 so we need other carriers to fill the gap.

 

Uk is facing huge military cuts. Sharing with France would make it cheaper.

 

Everyone's happy.

 

 

 

A step towards the possibility to create a true European army in the next 20-30 years, just like the police sharing forces in europe (beginning shyly).

 

 

[JediMaster 451]

Of course, the reports that the UK will be buying F-35Cs now instead of F-35Bs would also moot the catapult question.

[Mike Dora 171]

Franco-British warship timeshares are not new, they were doing them in Nelson's time. The French built them, sent them out, the RN took them into its fleet: HMS Ville de Paris, HMS Foudroyant, HMS Guerriere, HMS Temeraire, HMS Bellisle, HMS Tonnant, the list goes on and on..

[Derk 265]

How about the French celebrating the 14 Juillet aboard the new carrier and all of a sudden the British need it because Iran has invaded the Outer Hebrides ???

 

Hou doe,

 

Derk

[+Gepard 11,297]

Sharing of ships is like sharing of women. Doesnt have a goog end.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Gepard

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

Finding a fit name will be hard, considering the long-term contentious issues between both navies. Usual names like Hogue, Abukir, Trafalgar, (Mers-el-Kébir? never used), Nelson, Hood, Collingwood... will be prohibited to the Brits; usual names like Bévéziers, (Chesapeake? never used), Primauguet, Tourville, De Grasse, Suffren, Surcouf... will be banned for the French.

 

I would see Entente as a fit name. The same word in both languages, remembering a mutually profitable collaboration at the beginning of the previous century.

 

 

"You French fight for money, while we British fight for honour."

"Sir, a man fights for what he lacks the more."

(Robert Surcouf discussing with a British officer)

[JediMaster 451]

Well, if there are 2 that they share 1 of each could get the national-type name.

As for the actual sharing, though, that's only good for peacetime training and exercises and such. In the time of a real emergency that theoretically threatens both of them, unless there are an equal number to be split it will get messy.

[ShrikeHawk 384]

I'm with Gepard on this one. It's like sharing a woman. Somehow, the timing will never be right. It'll never work.

 

Imagine if the French suddenly need the carrier quickly, and there's no time for re-supply. The French crew would be stuck eating bangers and mash. It could cause an outright mutiny!

[Slartibartfast 153]

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has ruled out the UK sharing aircraft carriers with France as part of closer defence co-operation and efforts to save money.

 

Dr Fox, who is in Paris for talks with his French counterpart, said such a move would be "unrealistic".

 

The Ministry of Defence, like nearly all government departments, is facing a significant cut in its future budget.

 

Dr Fox wants to save money in procurement and administration while prioritising front-line operations.

 

He has emphasised the need for much closer working with key European allies, such as France.

 

But at a press conference with French Defence Minister Herve Morin, Dr Fox dismissed suggestions the two could share aircraft carriers as a cost-saving measure.

 

However, the two men said they would look at ways of sharing their respective fleets of A400M, a plane designed to transport soldiers and heavy equipment to combat zones.

 

All British government departments, except international aid and health, are facing budget cuts of between 25% and 40%. Defence, although unlikely to be among the hardest hit, will not be immune.

 

This has led to speculation that plans for two new aircraft carriers by 2018 - costing £5bn - could be scaled back.

 

Ministers have said the UK's mission in Afghanistan will remain a priority, but Dr Fox has declined to rule out cuts in overall troop numbers across the armed forces.

 

The Treasury has also insisted that the MoD must foot the bill for renewal of the Trident nuclear weapon system.

 

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