In order to enhance its global influence and test the global deployment capabilities of its own aircraft carriers, the UK launched the global deployment operation CSG-2021 on 30 May 2021. The British aircraft carrier formation Queen Elizabeth began the operation at the end of May from the Port of Portsmouth, England.
At present, the British aircraft carrier formation has basically completed the global deployment operation, during which it has interacted with many countries at sea, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, the United States and so on.
On the morning of November 17, an F-35B on board the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth crashed into the sea in the Mediterranean Sea during a daily training exercise, and the pilot catapulted himself in time to save himself, and has now returned to the aircraft carrier. The crashed F-35B fighter jet was owned by Britain, not the United States. Why? Because there were only 8 carrier-based aircraft on the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, and the deck looked relatively empty, the United States borrowed 10 F-35Bs to support the British aircraft carrier.
The crash of carrier-based aircraft is nothing new, and the F-35B crash is not the first time, last year a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B carrier-based aircraft collided with a tanker, causing the crash, and Japan's F-35A also crashed. It can be seen that no matter how advanced the fighter jet is, accidents may occur in high-intensity training.
Here, the F-35 is divided into three models, A, B, C three. The F-35A takes off from land airfields, the F-35B is used on amphibious assault ships or small aircraft carriers, and the F-35C is used for short takeoffs.
According to the British Navy, the F-35B has made about 2,000 take-offs and landings on the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth in the past six months without any major accidents. The UK Ministry of Defence has not commented on the crash at this time, and since no other aircraft were involved or initiated hostilities, the investigation will focus on technical failures or potential human errors.
The global deployment of the British aircraft carrier battle group is a demonstration of the increased cohesion of the Military Alliance in the West, especially the United Kingdom. The United States has greatly helped Britain in this operation, and the US-British military alliance has been further strengthened. In addition, Germany and India have also coordinated the British operation, and the close interaction between Japan and the United Kingdom once again shows Japan's pro-Western attitude and the demand to rely on the United States to strengthen local military interaction.
During the global deployment of the British aircraft carrier battle group, the Type 23 guided-missile frigate and the Type 45 guided missile destroyer were also sent into the Black Sea for so-called free navigation, during which the British destroyers were driven by russian warplanes. At one point, the British military was very nervous, and NATO's intention to expand its military in the Black Sea was stifled.
British carrier battle groups are deployed globally for three main purposes.
First, to boost western morale and strengthen military alliances, the British aircraft carrier battle group conducted interactive exercises with the navies of many countries during the voyage, not only with France, Greece, Italy and other NATO countries in Europe, but also with the Israeli navy in the Mediterranean. In Asia, it also interacted with Japan, South Korea, Australia and other countries, which made the former maritime hegemon Britain once again be treated by the stars.
Second, the implementation of the "global Britain" strategy is very important for the United Kingdom. For britain, the british presence in recent decades has become less and less, and most of the time it has become a small follower of the United States. With Brexit, Britain's European status and world status have further declined. At this time, the UK urgently needs to enhance its global presence. The global deployment plan of the queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier can achieve this. Britain's global voyage, to a large extent, is self-led, and can create a lot of "superiority" at home and abroad.
Third, in order to "maintain the international order", this is nothing more than the output of Western values and Western power. The UK clearly no longer has this ability, but the NEPOT effect driven by the UK is still noteworthy. Judging from the global voyage of the British aircraft carrier battle group, there are many people in pro-Western countries. Gunboat diplomacy remains one of the most important ways for the West to attract small countries and win over regional countries, and this method is currently tried and tested by the West.
So, has the global deployment of the British aircraft carrier battle group achieved its purpose?
This should be divided into short-term and long-term point of view, in the short term, the Uk's global deployment plan, indeed played a no small "cohesion" role. In particular, the participation of the Alliance has been strengthened and the presence of hotspot areas has been strengthened.
But in the long run, a simple aircraft carrier global voyage will not bring much international influence to Britain. Britain is not the United States and does not have the long-term U.S. military deployment capabilities around the globe. Britain's aircraft carrier formations are more like a flash in the pan when sailing around the world, and it is difficult to form a long-term presence. This means that Britain's decline is visible to the naked eye, and in order to achieve long-term interests, Britain cannot support such global interests by relying on only one aircraft carrier.
France, for example, has been equipped with a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for many years, but France also does not have the capabilities of a global navy, and is at best a regional naval power. Maintaining a sense of maritime presence and responsiveness to hotspots requires at least 3-5 aircraft carriers to play a long-term role.
The deployment of the British aircraft carrier also revealed a big problem, the British aircraft carrier battle group is not very complete, at least the problem of carrier-based aircraft has not been solved. The global deployment began in a hurry, apparently under some domestic pressure, perhaps from dissatisfaction with naval reforms, but it was only a fantasy that britain wanted to complete the revival of the empire.
So will the UK continue to build aircraft carriers? In order to maintain their maritime status.
This is unlikely, as britain can't afford even two aircraft carriers now, and the other, the Prince of Wales, is on the news that it's going to be sold. Coupled with the fact that the number of carrier-based aircraft purchased by the United Kingdom for the aircraft carrier formation is so limited, it can be seen that the Budget of the British Royal Navy is now very limited.
It can be inferred that in the context of the inability to maintain both aircraft carriers, it is impossible for the United Kingdom to build a third aircraft carrier in the future. In addition to the lack of money, the international environment facing the United Kingdom is not a big demand for aircraft carriers, and now the overall environment in Europe is relatively safe, and it is difficult for the United Kingdom to come up with more budgets to put on the navy without appeal.
It follows that the best way for the UK to maintain its ability to engage in regional affairs is to maintain synergy with the United States and participate in US-led international affairs at the lowest cost.