This coming Sunday, January 31, an Airbus A350-900 will take off on the longest non-stop flight in Lufthansa's history under flight number LH2574: 13,700 kilometers from Hamburg to the military base Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. At 9:30 p.m., it's "ready for take-off" for 16 crew members and 92 passengers. On board the 15-hour flight on behalf of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, are scientists and ship crews traveling to the upcoming expedition with the research vessel Polarstern. The A350-900 will be transferred from Frankfurt to Hamburg on Sunday afternoon. Arrival at Hamburg Airport is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. under flight number LH9924. The Airbus with registration D-AIXP, carrying the name of the German city of Braunschweig, joined the Lufthansa fleet last year. It is one of the world's most sustainable and economical long-haul aircraft.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 25 Dec 2021, 19:24
by SKB
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Christmas message to the Falkland Islands (2021)
China is allegedly making behind-the-scenes moves in Argentina to secure permission to establish a new naval base in the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego province, which would effectively grant Beijing access to Antarctica.
French news site Intelligence Online reported in November 2022 that Argentina-based Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official Shuiping Tu had achieved a breakthrough with local officials in the Tierra del Fuego province for a new naval base that would enable the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy to control a critical passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The proposed facility would be accessible only to the Chinese military personnel, from where they will be in the position to monitor communications throughout the southern hemisphere, reported Intelligence Online.
Following the 1982 Falklands War, the UK enforced an arms embargo on Argentina to prevent the Argentine military from modernizing. As part of this policy, London has prevented Buenos Aires from acquiring several fighter jets by imposing sanctions on parts of those aircraft made in the UK.
For example, Argentina intended to acquire five French Dassault Super Etendard aircraft but was unable to because of the arms embargo over the British-made MK6 ejection seat used in the aircraft.
The same problem is also faced by the US, which has offered to sell former Danish F-16 A/B MLU to Argentina and is negotiating with the UK to approve the sale, according to the USNI’s report, which described the UK’s post-Falklands War security policy as ‘outdated.’
Nevertheless, only a month before President Fernandez’s announcement, the top Argentine Air Force delegation reportedly traveled to Denmark to inspect second-hand F-16 fighter jets offered by the US.
So, there is still hope for the US, which wants to sell these surplus Danish F-16s to Argentina to keep China from gaining a foothold in South America. The USNI report argues that London must reconsider its arms embargo on Argentina, emphasizing that it is preferable to have Argentina’s military personnel influenced by the US instead of China.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 08 Jan 2023, 22:20
by dmereifield
Allowing the F16s doesn't prevent Argentina from facilitating China indefinitely...at best, it might postpone it a little
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 08 Jan 2023, 22:48
by SW1
dmereifield wrote: ↑08 Jan 2023, 22:20
Allowing the F16s doesn't prevent Argentina from facilitating China indefinitely...at best, it might postpone it a little
America is interested in furthering American business they just dress it up well.
dmereifield wrote: ↑08 Jan 2023, 22:20
Allowing the F16s doesn't prevent Argentina from facilitating China indefinitely...at best, it might postpone it a little
America is interested in furthering American business they just dress it up well.
dmereifield wrote: ↑08 Jan 2023, 22:20
Allowing the F16s doesn't prevent Argentina from facilitating China indefinitely...at best, it might postpone it a little
America is interested in furthering American business they just dress it up well.
Of course
Chinese influence is steadily increasing on every continent and will continue in 2023 unabated.
The Chinese are absolute masters of soft power, buying influence in Governments worldwide since the 1990's , playing the long game and facilitating a global footprint for its expanding armed forces.
The absolute unmitigated disaster of US (and Western in general) foreign policy since 2001 has dramatically weakened US influence in the world and may yet prove to be America's 'Suez moment' when the history books 2000 to 2050 are written.
American absolute military dominance has been for nothing in effect, a series of failed invasions and occupations leading to dangerous destabilisation.
The Chinese have shown real influence is made by getting out the cheque book, not the aircraft carrier!
That said, in this century of Chinese dominance, the Falklands (and British overseas territories in general) will begin to have real strategic value again, that's for sure.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Jan 2023, 00:48
by Scimitar54
Only if the correct actions are consistently taken by HMG (and underlined with adequate UK Tri-Service presence) in and around those territories.
In essence meaning, “We are going to need as a minimum, a (significantly) larger Army, Navy and Air Force”.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Feb 2023, 17:28
by wargame_insomniac
HMS Medway taking a stint as Falklands Islands Guard Ship covering for HMS Forth refit.
I wonder who is currently covering Carribean Guard Ship?
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Feb 2023, 18:25
by Caribbean
Probably the USCG - they used to drop in to Cayman fairly regularly when I was working there. It's outside Hurricane season at the moment, so not as urgent a requirement (actually it's one of the nicest parts of the year at the moment - warm, with a constant breeze).
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Feb 2023, 18:29
by SW1
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Feb 2023, 21:19
by tomuk
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
Trent should have been available but is still in Gibdock?
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 11 Feb 2023, 21:51
by Caribbean
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
True, but USCG are usually the prosecuting authorities on that, in that we would normally transfer any smugglers into their custody at the first opportunity, so they are happy to pick up the slack whenever one of the other navies leaves a gap.
As for the East-West traffic - I won't go into the details of what happens out there, but the USCG are definitely involved in policing that.
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
True, but USCG are usually the prosecuting authorities on that, in that we would normally transfer any smugglers into their custody at the first opportunity, so they are happy to pick up the slack whenever one of the other navies leaves a gap.
As for the East-West traffic - I won't go into the details of what happens out there, but the USCG are definitely involved in policing that.
Yeah maybe they are happy with that and they have primacy as prosecutors but as we have crown dependencies and the trafficking in narcotics, people, even weapons, piracy is all the classic destroyers of the economy and confidence in governments, often seen as the traditional martime security we once considered the navy’s central mission for control of the sea. It’s really requires a ship with good sensors, a helicopter, small boats and a detachment of Royal Marines to do properly I would at least place it at a higher priority than having two rivers in the pacific but that is probably just me.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 12 Feb 2023, 11:04
by Tempest414
An RB1 has covered the task in the past send one of those give it a Puma UAV for better search and track or send a Tide Class tanker with a helicopter
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
True, but USCG are usually the prosecuting authorities on that, in that we would normally transfer any smugglers into their custody at the first opportunity, so they are happy to pick up the slack whenever one of the other navies leaves a gap.
As for the East-West traffic - I won't go into the details of what happens out there, but the USCG are definitely involved in policing that.
Yeah maybe they are happy with that and they have primacy as prosecutors but as we have crown dependencies and the trafficking in narcotics, people, even weapons, piracy is all the classic destroyers of the economy and confidence in governments, often seen as the traditional martime security we once considered the navy’s central mission for control of the sea. It’s really requires a ship with good sensors, a helicopter, small boats and a detachment of Royal Marines to do properly I would at least place it at a higher priority than having two rivers in the pacific but that is probably just me.
That why I have noted my desire to see a ship roughly midway bewtwwen the size of Rb2 and T31 - i.e. around 105-110m long with a flight deck able to land a Chinook and hangar able to hold Wildvat plus UAV. Add a crane for loading/unloading containers even where no formal dock, able to deploy several fast boats / RIB I don't care whether you would call such a such a Light Frigate, Patrol Frigate, Sloop, Corvette, Oceanic Patrol Vessel etc.
I would like one of these plus one or two smaller OPV for more coastal waters to serve in each of the RN area. e.g. Falklands + South Atlantic, Carribean + western North Atlantic, Med etc
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 12 Feb 2023, 16:23
by Repulse
Tempest414 wrote: ↑12 Feb 2023, 11:04
An RB1 has covered the task in the past send one of those give it a Puma UAV for better search and track or send a Tide Class tanker with a helicopter
RB1 + UAV would be the most cost effective stop gap. We need to stop thinking about 40,000t RFAs as patrol ships. If it was Hurricane season then there is an argument for a Bay / Argus, but it’s not.
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
True, but USCG are usually the prosecuting authorities on that, in that we would normally transfer any smugglers into their custody at the first opportunity, so they are happy to pick up the slack whenever one of the other navies leaves a gap.
As for the East-West traffic - I won't go into the details of what happens out there, but the USCG are definitely involved in policing that.
Yeah maybe they are happy with that and they have primacy as prosecutors but as we have crown dependencies and the trafficking in narcotics, people, even weapons, piracy is all the classic destroyers of the economy and confidence in governments, often seen as the traditional martime security we once considered the navy’s central mission for control of the sea. It’s really requires a ship with good sensors, a helicopter, small boats and a detachment of Royal Marines to do properly I would at least place it at a higher priority than having two rivers in the pacific but that is probably just me.
That why I have noted my desire to see a ship roughly midway bewtwwen the size of Rb2 and T31 - i.e. around 105-110m long with a flight deck able to land a Chinook and hangar able to hold Wildvat plus UAV. Add a crane for loading/unloading containers even where no formal dock, able to deploy several fast boats / RIB I don't care whether you would call such a such a Light Frigate, Patrol Frigate, Sloop, Corvette, Oceanic Patrol Vessel etc.
I would like one of these plus one or two smaller OPV for more coastal waters to serve in each of the RN area. e.g. Falklands + South Atlantic, Carribean + western North Atlantic, Med etc
Yeah the vessel your looking for there is a type 31.
Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 12 Feb 2023, 16:54
by Repulse
SW1 wrote: ↑12 Feb 2023, 16:26
Yeah the vessel your looking for there is a type 31.
No it’s not - it’s something that can be done with something half the price to build and run, half the number of crew and able to operate in shallower waters.
SW1 wrote: ↑11 Feb 2023, 18:29
The counter narcotics and all the other maritime security tasks don’t go away thought, move one west to east thru the Panama Canal..
True, but USCG are usually the prosecuting authorities on that, in that we would normally transfer any smugglers into their custody at the first opportunity, so they are happy to pick up the slack whenever one of the other navies leaves a gap.
As for the East-West traffic - I won't go into the details of what happens out there, but the USCG are definitely involved in policing that.
Yeah maybe they are happy with that and they have primacy as prosecutors but as we have crown dependencies and the trafficking in narcotics, people, even weapons, piracy is all the classic destroyers of the economy and confidence in governments, often seen as the traditional martime security we once considered the navy’s central mission for control of the sea. It’s really requires a ship with good sensors, a helicopter, small boats and a detachment of Royal Marines to do properly I would at least place it at a higher priority than having two rivers in the pacific but that is probably just me.
That why I have noted my desire to see a ship roughly midway bewtwwen the size of Rb2 and T31 - i.e. around 105-110m long with a flight deck able to land a Chinook and hangar able to hold Wildvat plus UAV. Add a crane for loading/unloading containers even where no formal dock, able to deploy several fast boats / RIB I don't care whether you would call such a such a Light Frigate, Patrol Frigate, Sloop, Corvette, Oceanic Patrol Vessel etc.
I would like one of these plus one or two smaller OPV for more coastal waters to serve in each of the RN area. e.g. Falklands + South Atlantic, Carribean + western North Atlantic, Med etc
Yeah the vessel your looking for there is a type 31.
No. You were nt reading what I had written. The T31 is a 140m long 6,000t Frigate and needs to be uparmed to be a proper frigate, as I have suggested many times in the T31 and General Escort threads.
What I have suggested is 30-35m shorter and thus far lighter in displacement, and intended to be cheaper and hopfully require less crews than T31.
