NATO

[StevoJH]

The UK should have gotten rid of the Albion class 20 years ago and replaced them with a more upmarket version of HMS Ocean or an LHD even if it was something more basic like a Mistral.

The Albion class have/had no helicopter facilities at all, and the Bay class don't have an integral hanger either. So if you want to use the Commando Helicopter force, they either have to give up all fast air or time the operation so both carriers are operational.

Especially now with both Ocean and Argus gone.

 

[swerve]

The UK should have gotten rid of the Albion class 20 years ago and replaced them with a more upmarket version of HMS Ocean or an LHD even if it was something more basic like a Mistral.

The Albion class have/had no helicopter facilities at all,

A flight deck big enough to operate two large helicopters, so not quite none.

No support facilites- agreed.

 

[swerve]

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a UK-led coalition of 10 like-minded northern European nations focused on rapid response and security in the High North, North Atlantic, and Baltic region. The members are: United Kingdom (framework/lead nation), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. All are NATO members.

Recently, the JEF nations signed a statement of intent to create a joint naval force (multinational maritime force) as a complement to NATO. This initiative, announced by the Royal Navy chief, aims to deter Russian threats (especially in the "open sea border" to the north, including incursions and risks to undersea infrastructure). It emphasizes training, integration, and immediate operational capability, with potential command from the UK's Northwood headquarters. Britain to create joint naval force with nine European countries as ‘complement’ to Nato | Royal Navy | The Guardian

Main assets:

• 2 Queen Elisabeth aircraft carriers
• 2 LPDs (Rotterdam)
• 6 Type 45 Destroyers
• 7 AAW frigates (4 De Zeven Provinciën and 3 Iver Huitfeld)
• 15 ASW/general purpose frigates (Type 23, Karel Doorman, Nansen, Absalon)
• 11 corvettes (5 Visby, 6 Skjold)
• 9 nuclear subs (4 Vanguard SSBN, 5 Astute SSN)
• 13-14 SSK (3 Walrus, 6 Ula, 3 Gotland, 1-2 Södermanland)
• 35-40 MCM vessels (many small, in the Baltic)

Although it's not too bad, it's a pity that the UK has abandoned the Albion class LPD. And many of the ships and subs listed are urgently in need of replacement, luckily this is happening; Type 23 and Nansen are being replaced by Type 26, Ula is being replaced by the 212CD SSK, Visby is being complemented/replaced by Luleå class, etc.

Belgium and Germany should join JEF. Belgium has a tiny navy but is working very closely with the Netherlands operating the same ships and working together, I believe they have 3 ASW frigates on order, and also some MCM capabilities. And Germany of course has some AAW and ASW capabilities but also some decent MCM capabilities and some very good SSKs of course.

And three LSD (Bay).

Corvette is a bit misleading for the Skjold class. Fast attack class, I'd say. Less than 300 tons, & short range.

 

[Vivendi]

Corvette is a bit misleading for the Skjold class. Fast attack class, I'd say. Less than 300 tons, & short range.

Good point -- in Norway they are sometimes referred to as "coastal corvettes" but fast attack class is probably a better description. The range is only 1,500 km but that's at a quite decent cruise speed of 40 knots (74 km/h). Wikipedia link

 

[KipPotapych]

Not much to comment, but it is newsworthy. Some cut and paste from the article, as everything seems to be paywalled nowadays and the archive, it appears, does not work for many websites anymore.

NATO to beef up forces assigned to defend Baltics in war, sources say

NATO will strengthen the defence of its eastern flank with a new structure that would facilitate the rapid ‌deployment of forces in Latvia and Estonia in the event of a war with Russia, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.[…]

Assigning a second corps ⁠for the region will allow NATO to bring in "mass at speed", as one military official described it, addressing the region's limited strategic depth and vulnerability.

When fully operational, an army corps typically commands three divisions, or 40,000 to 60,000 troops. In peacetime, it normally exists as a skeleton command structure, with specialist functions such as artillery, air defence and medics in place to allow rapid deployment of troops when needed.

Germany and the Netherlands, in coordination with NATO, have reached agreement to assign the German-Netherlands Corps, based in the German city of Muenster, to the defence of Latvia and Estonia, the military sources told Reuters on Tuesday.[…]

The deal cleared the last hurdle, which consisted of a lack of corps troops, the sources said, alluding to the critical capacity any corps needs in areas such as long-range artillery, air defence, as well as engineers and ⁠medics.

Together with other partners, Germany and the Netherlands will now build up these forces, the sources said.

It was not immediately clear when the decision would take effect and how many troops would fall under the command of the new headquarters unit in any conflict.

The ⁠Dutch defence ministry said assignment of the corps was "currently being further elaborated" and declined to give details. The German defence ministry declined to comment, citing ongoing coordination efforts with NATO.
NATO said it would respond later.