UK Defence Forum

Caribbean wrote:Despite what some of the assembled contributors here may think - a single Bay class is totally inadequate for the task of post-hurricane disaster relief in the Caribbean and the sundry tankers assigned in the past are even less capable. The entire contents of a single Bay-class will be exhausted handling the response on a single small island. Following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the RN was tasked with helping one village as that is all that it was capable of. The hurricanes of the last few years have demonstrated that the entire European response in assisting their Caribbean overseas territories has been lamentably lacking (the French pre-positioned c. 2000 troops in the French overseas departements in 2017

Sorry to butt in, and the facts that you provide are appreciated, but you seem to propose an allocation of many multiples of what has been the case over the last 5 years or so
- if I may put a blunt question: what is the multiple that would make you happy? Cutting through the chaff, so to say

Caribbean wrote:The main proponents of those proposals are : elements within DfID , commentators/ campaigners like STRN and private organisations like British Maritime Aid. However, there have also been numerous articles in the press relating to these proposals (both pro- and anti-) and suggesting modes of operation, representing the views of both individual correspondents and interested groups

A genuine thank you, and for your explanation of other RN relief efforts.

Caribbean wrote:The entire contents of a single Bay-class will be exhausted handling the response on a single small island.

Caribbean wrote:The RN has little depth to backup the sole Bay in the Caribbean

Which is why the government should be making moves towards a locally managed response. These islands are suppose to be self governing, so they should be self resilient. A hardened warehouse and a local response organisation could deliver way more than what the Navy can.

I could not agree more:

shark bait wrote:towards a locally managed response. These islands are suppose to be self governing, so they should be self resilient. A hardened warehouse and a local response organisation could deliver way more than what the Navy can.

THis is from a UN bulletin
"September 6, 2017: The United Nations System is deploying staff and assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable Caribbean citizens in the path of record-breaking Hurricane Irma. Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have unique economic, environmental and social vulnerabilities that are exacerbated in severe natural crises.

“Hurricane Irma is an unprecedented threat to the Caribbean. The United Nations is working closely with the CDEMA-led Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) and the affected countries to bring assistance to those most in need."

If it did not work the "last" time (surely wasn't the last time, but bad enough to produce 'lessons learnt' - though there seems to be more lessons than learning), then the SB suggestion could help to improve, be multilaterally funded ('aid' when not just for national jurisdictions) and the various navies could still play a role in early entry, like getting engineers and machinery ashore to repair jetties and whatever other vessels might require in order to discharge the greater volumes.
- oops, I answered my own question in the process. As a cog in a bigger wheel the current allocation of resources might be made to work... with a little bit of lateral thinking and more (than today) of int'l co-operation

Not strictly boats but helps frame the discussion

Stirring the pot, I know, but couldn't resist

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/0 ... -says-new/

Caribbean wrote:Stirring the pot, I know, but couldn't resist

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/0 ... -says-new/

Yeah. I also think it would be a great idea if someone would buy me a luxury yacht, it would do wonders for my brand too.

This one to be precise:

Sod the yacht ! think I would settle for Balmoral castle, an F35b + an Apache and a few million in the bank

I would settle for one of the Foxhounds if they are actually getting rid of them.

I’m fully supportive of a Royal Yacht - 1947 style...