World Naval Developments

Proceedings Magazine - August 2011 Vol. 137/8/1,302 [2]

By Norman Friedman

The High Cost of No Carriers

The Libyan operation has provided a particularly clear demonstration that carrier-based aviation is worth its price. Prior to the Libyan crisis, the British government had decided to scrap its carrier air arm on the theory that it largely duplicated a capability offered by the Royal Air Force, and money was too tight to tolerate duplication, at least for the moment. This meant that, on paper, RAF attack aircraft based in Britain could fly long distances when supported by tankers. It turned out that indeed they could, but at a great price, and to spend only a few minutes anywhere near the targets.

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Norman Friedman [4]

Norman Friedman is a consultant on global naval strategy, naval trends, and naval warfare. An internationally known military technology analyst and naval historian, he worked for a decade as an advisor to Secretaries of the Navy, and for another 10 years with a leading U.S. think tank. Dr. Friedman travels the world speaking to military and defense industry leaders, and appears frequently appears on television as a guest commentator. He has authored more than 30 books, and has since the 1980s contributed regular columns analyzing world naval developments for Proceedings magazine. His PhD in Physics was earned at Columbia University.

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