Royal Navy going to shit...

[account_inactive]

[RobertE]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/...t-cutting/

The Navy’s only vessel for repairing damaged warships at sea will be sold off four years early because of cost-cutting, the Ministry of Defence has said.

RFA Diligence, which has been repairing Royal Navy vessels since the Falklands War, had been due to continue working until the end of the decade, but will now be sold immediately.

The sale comes just three years after the vessel was given a refit to extend its life to 2020, and means the ship will be lost before a replacement has been decided on.

From having the best navy in the world that stopped Napoleon and the Spanish Invincible armada to having nothing, we simply have become a laughing stock of the world. At this rate, the Mary Rose will have to be put back into service, and perhaps they should take HMS Victory out of dry dock to give us at least some credibility.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I guess the Queen Elizabeth is eating up all the money?

[The Grand Nudger]

We'll sell you some of our boats...or...rather, child sized replicas of some of our boats at four times the cost of the real deal.  What say you?   

(your boats have been shit since the war of 1812   )

[abaris]

Since battleships went out of fashion with the skagerrak battle, the Royal Navy hasn't had much going for it in any case. Even with the Bismarck and the Hood it was a remis with Swordfishes doing the real damage. And destroyers or Corvettes covering the convoys.

That's what a navy is about these days. Aircraft carriers and fast interceptor units.

[Thumpalumpacus]

... and submarines.

[The Grand Nudger]

Which either can't be, or have no reason to be...legitimately, repaired at sea. The RN is scuttling a dubious convenience, not a combat necessity.

That said, we've still got ours....so....since were your buddies, just pull up alongside and swipe your credit cards.

[account_inactive]

... and submarines.

We've got those.

I'm all for increasing our military budget.

Cut foreign aid.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Yeah, I know y'all have some ... and are considering replacing your Tridents -- there's another cash-drain.

[The Grand Nudger]

... and submarines.

We've got those.

I'm all for increasing our military budget.

Cut foreign aid.

Yeah you do...child sized versions of ours at four times the cost......The Real Ohio Class™ says hi. When you pay for them..it -is- foreign aid....to the US of A.