The long awaited flagship of The Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth has finally been launched. The 65000-ton aircraft carrier is the biggest warship of the Royal Navy. it does not compare with the supercarriers of the US Navy the Nimitz class of warships which displace over 100,000 tonnes. However, in its own way, this warship will give a much-needed boost to the prestige of the Royal Navy. CNN International has reported this news.
Views of military strategists
The launch of the aircraft carrier has been adversely commented upon by many military strategists.
They feel the warship will be an easy target. One cannot dismiss this observation out of hand. A look back in history will show that the Battleship also became obsolete during World War II. Before the start of the war the Battleship was the main weapon of the Navy but as the war progressed the Battleship became extremely vulnerable to air.attacks. The Japanese super heavy Battleship the Yamato sat out the war without doing anything useful. Similarly, the most modern Prince of Wales Battleship sent to defend Singapore was sunk by a Japanese air attack inside 2 hours. The reason was that the Battleship was an easy target from the air.
Era of missiles
The present age is the era of missiles and rockets and precision guided ammunition.
Anti-ship missiles have been perfected that can strike an aircraft carrier from over the horizon. In addition, the Russians and the Chinese have long range rockets that can pinpoint large carriers operating in the ocean. The aircraft carrier may have lived its age and there is a chance that in a war it will be obsolete. The career has one very big use in a limited war.
it has the propensity to carry the flag to distant parts of the world. It can project the power of a nation thousands of miles away from home land. The aircraft carrier still remains a force in a limited conflict and gives the ability to a nation to wage a war thousands of Miles From Home like the American careers operating against the ISIS.
Limited war
However, the carrier has a big use in a limited war. It has the propensity to carry the flag to distant parts of the world. it can project the power of a nation thousands of miles away from homeland. The aircraft carrier still remains a force in a limited conflict and gives the ability to a nation to wage war thousands of miles from home. The American careers are operating against the ISIS thousands of miles from their home bases.
Cost effective?
HMS Queen Elizabeth is a state or art warship. It will carry the latest in ECM measures.The aircraft carrier will have a crew of 3000 personnel. it will certainly project British Naval power. However, it must be-be conceded that in a no hold barred war the aircraft carrier would be extremely vulnerable to air and missile attack. The aircraft carrier has cost the state exchequer 3 billion pounds. It is worth thinking whether the aircraft carrier at such an exorbitant cost is a cost effective weapon.
